Mc DONNELL  XH-20
^"LITTLE HENRY^"

 Debido al interés de la US Air Force y el US Army en un avión de alas giratorias con un rotor autopropulsado se construyeron dos prototipos que se ganarían luego el apodo de Little Henry. Consistían en una pequeña y ligera estructura en tubos de acero y un rotor de dos palas sin transmisión propulsados por un pequeño estatorreactor en cada una de las puntas de las palas. El primer vuelo se efectuó el 5 de mayo de 1947 pero tres años de pruebas confirmaron que a pesar del éxito de los vuelos, el alto consumo de combustible lo hacia completamente antieconómico.

 The XH-20, the world's first ram-jet helicopter, was designed to serve as a test stand for studying the feasibility of using ram-jets mounted at the tips of rotor blades for power. After preliminary engineering developments, the ram-jets were mounted on a two-bladed rotor which was subsequently mounted a welded tube structure. This structure, which served as the desired test stand, was capable of controlled free flight while carrying a pilot and was therefore classified as a helicopter.

The XH-20 made a flight on May 5, 1947, but its fuel was delivered to it through a flexible line from tanks on the ground. On May 20, 1948, it made its first flight several feet off the ground while carrying self-contained fuel tanks. Being a test stand, "Little Henry" was never intended to fly at any appreciable altitudes or distances.

Characteristics
Características

Information
Información

Characteristics
Características

Information
Información

1947

  2 MC DONNELL
RAM JET

1

30 HP each

  290 Lb

Ft

Lb

Ft

Kts

Ft

45 Kts

NM

Dimensions / Dimensiones

 12,33 Ft
3,76 m

20,00 Ft
6,09 m

6,66 Ft
2,03 m

NA