- McCulloch MC-4
-
MC-4 
Role Light helicopter Manufacturer McCulloch Motors Corporation Designer Drago Jovanovich First flight 1951 Primary users United States Army
United States NavyThe McCulloch Model MC-4 was an American tandem-rotor helicopter and was the first helicopter developed by McCulloch Motors's Aircraft Division.[1] It was evaluated by the United States Army as the YH-30 and the United States Navy as the XHUM-1.
Contents
Design and development
The MC-4 was a larger version of the earlier Jovanovich JOV-3 tandem-rotor helicopter and was developed by the McCulloch Motors Corporation. The JOV-3 was developed by Jovanovich when he headed the Helicopter Engineering and Research Corporation. The JOV-3 first flew in 1948. In 1949 Jovanovich moved to the McCulloch Motors Corporation where an enlarged helicopter the MC-4 first flew in March 1951. It was followed by a similar MC-4C and three evaluation helicopters for the United States Army (as the YH-30). The MC-4C was slightly larger than the MC-4. When the MC-4C was certified in 1953 it was the first tandem-rotor helicopter to be certified in the United States for commercial use. Three examples were evaluated by the United States Army as the YH-30, but Army's evaluation showed the helicopter to be underpowered.[1]
An MC-4C was used in the 1954 science fiction production Gog (film).
The YH-30 had a steel-tube framework with a light metal skin, A single 200 hp Franklin piston engine was horizontally mounted amidships and powered two intermeshing tandem rotors. It had a fixed wheeled tricycle landing gear.
No civil or military orders were received and Jovanovich formed his own company, the Jovair Corporation where he modified the MC-4C as a prototype for a four-seat private helicopter designated the Sedan 4E. The Sedan 4E was powered by 210 hp Franklin 6A-335 engine. A version with a tubo-charged engine was designed as the Sedan 4ES and a more basic Sedan 4A for agricultural use. By 1965 a small number of Sedan helicopters were built. In the early 1970s McCulloch regained the rights to the helicopter designs.
Variants
- McCulloch MC-4
- Prototype with a 165hp Franklin engine, two built, one for evauluation by the United States Navy.
- McCulloch MC-4A
- Variant for evaluation by the United States Navy as the XHUM-1, two built.
- McCulloch MC-4C
- Protoype with a 200hp Franklin engine, one built and an additional three for United States Army evaluation as the YH-30.
- Jovair Sedan 4E
- Production civil four-seat version powered by a 210hp Franklin 6A-335 engine.
- Jovair Sedan 4ES
- Sedan with a turbo-charged 225hp Franklin engine.
- Jovair Sedan 4A
- Simplified agricultural version.
Military designations
- YH-30
- Military version of the MC-4C, three built.
- XHUM-1
- Two MC-4As for evaluation by the United States Navy, later re-designated HUM-1.
Operators
Survivors
In 2008 two MC-4Cs are still registered in the United States.
Specification (YH-30)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 32 ft 0 in ( m)
- Main rotor diameter: 2× 22 ft 0 in ( m)
- Height: 9 ft 2 in ( m)
- Empty weight: 1200 lb ( kg)
- Gross weight: 2000 lb ( kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Franklin O-335-6 (6A4-200-C6) piston, 200 hp ( kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 105 mph ( km/h)
- Range: 200 miles ( km)
References
- ^ a b Harding, Stephen U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947, Airlife Publishing, Ltd. 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8
- John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0 904597 22 9 (Page 121)
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2213/2214.
External links
Jovonovich, HERC, McCulloch and Jovair aircraft models Civilian Military USAAC/USAAF/USAF/Joint Service Helicopter designations 1941– Numerical sequence used by USAAC/USAAF/USAF 1941–Present; US Army 1948–1956 and 1962–present; US Navy 1962–presentMain sequence
Prefix R-, 1941–1948
Prefix H-, 1948–1962
H- with a mission prefix 1962–presentR-1 • R-2 • R-3 • R-4 • R-5/H-5 • R-6/H-6 • R-7 • R-8 • R-9/H-9 • R-10/H-10 • R-11/H-11 • R-12/H-12 • R-13/H-13/OH-13/UH-13J • R-14 • R-15/H-15 • R-16/H-16 • H-17 • H-18 • H-19/UH-19 • H-20 • H-21/CH-21 • H-22 • H-23/OH-23 • H-24 • H-25/UH-25 • XH-26 • H-27 • H-28 • H-29 • H-30 • H-31 • H-32 • H-33 • H-34/CH-34 • H-35 • (H-36 not assigned) • H-37/CH-37 • (H-38 not assigned) • XH-39 • H-40 • H-41 • H-42 • H-43/HH-43 • (H-44 and H-45 not assigned) • CH-46/HH-46 • CH-47 • UH-48 • H-49 • QH-50 • XH-51 • HH-52 • CH-53/HH-53/MH-53 • CH-54 • TH-55 • AH-56 • TH-57 • OH-58 • XH-59 • UH-60/SH-60/HH-60 • YUH-61 • XCH-62 • YAH-63 • AH-64 • HH-65 • RAH-66 • TH-67 • MH-68 • (H-69 not assigned) • ARH-70 • VH-71 • UH-72
1962 redesignations
reusing old numbersLists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- United States experimental aircraft 1950–1959
- Tandem rotor helicopters
- United States helicopters 1950–1959
- Military aviation stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
