Firestone 45

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Firestone Model 45 / XR-9 / XH-9


caption=
type=Utility helicopter
manufacturer=Firestone Aircraft Company
designer=
first flight=1946
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=United States Air Force
more users=
produced=
number built=2
variants with their own articles=

The Firestone Model 45 was a 1940s American experimental helicopter built by the Firestone Aircraft Company for the United States Air Force. Only one military helicopter (XR-9B) and one civil helicopter were built.

Development

Originally developed by G & A Aircraft with the co-operation of the United States Army Air Force Air Technical Service Command, the G & A Model 45B (designated XR-9 by the Army) was a design for a single-seat helicopter of pod-and-boom configuration. It had a fixed tri-cycle landing gear and three-bladed main and tail rotors. Power would have been supplied by a 126 hp (94 kW) Avco Lycoming XO-290-5 engine. The Model 45C (XR-9A) was the same helicopter with a two-bladed rotor. Neither of the two helicopters were built. G & A Aircraft which as part of the Firestone group was renamed the Firestone Aircraft Company in 1946.

A revised two-seat design the revised Model 45C (or XR-9B) was built with a three-bladed main rotor and two-seat in tandem. Powered by an Avco Lycoming O-290-7 engine it first flew in March 1946 and was delivered to the United States Air Force for evaluation. A civil version, the Model 45D was also built and flown, this differed in havinf the two occupants side-by-side instead of Tandem as in the 45C. No orders were placed and no more helicopters were built.

Variants

;Model 45B:Unbuilt single-seat helicopter with three-bladed rotor, Army designation XR-9.;Model 45C:Unbuilt single-seat helicopter with two-bladed rotor, Army designation XR-9A.;Model 45C (revised):Tandem two-seat helicopter powered by a Avco Lycoming O-290-7 engine and two-bladed rotor, one built as the XR-9B, later re-designated the XH-9B.;Model 45D:Side-by-side two-seat helicopter for civil market, one built.;XR-9:Army designation for the unbuilt Model 45B;XR-9A:Army designation for the unbuilt Model 45C;XR-9B:Army designation for the Model 45C (revised), later redesignated XH-9B;XH-9B:XR-9B re-designated in 1948.

Operators

; USA:United States Air Force

pecifications (XR-9B)

aerospecs
ref=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing
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crew=Two
capacity=
length m=8.23
length ft=27
length in=0
span m=
span ft=
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swept m=
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rot number= 1
rot dia m= 8.53
rot dia ft= 28
rot dia in= 0
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height m=2.60
height ft=8
height in=6½
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empty weight kg=
empty weight lb=
gross weight kg=794
gross weight lb=1750
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eng1 number=One
eng1 type=Avco Lycoming O-290-7 flat-four engine
eng1 kw= 101
eng1 hp= 135
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max speed kmh=
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max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh= 129 (approx)
cruise speed mph= 80 (approx)
range km=
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ceiling m=3050
ceiling ft=10,000
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References

* John Andrade, U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0 904597 22 9 (Page 171)
* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing

ee also

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*list of military aircraft of the United States

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