Hiller YH-32A ULV - 1955
Function
Fuel Type
Gunship
AVG
Power plant(s)
Length
Rotor Diam.
5m
10m
Armaments (various)
Weapon
ROF
Fuel Cap
80
Height
3m
Fuel Cons
160/40
Speed max
160kph
Ammo
Damage
Load
200kg
Wt. Empty
650kg
Horsepower
Speed Cruise
Speed Stall
125kph
0
Location
Penetration
Wt. Max
900kg
Tr. Move.
500
Crew
2
Comb. Move.
16
Magazine
Maintenance
8
Ceiling
3200m
Range
250km
Range
History: A mini-gunship version of the Hornet would mark a major milestone in the rebirth of Army aviation. With Key West constraints on that
service's aerial capabilities easing, Hiller in 1955 received the first U.S. contract ever issued for an armed military helicopter. Today largely
forgotten, this rotorcraft - a last incarnation of the HOE/H-32 "Hornet" series - was the Hiller YH-32A ULV.
Because it was "stripped to the bare essentials", the ULV (ultralight vehicle) was nicknamed Sally Rand after the fan dancer whose nude
performances had enlivened Chicago's Century of Progress Exhibition in 1933. Three YH-32As were built and tested in 1957 at Fort Rucker,
Alabama, where they successfully carried and employed combinations of rockets, wire-guided missiles, a 75mm recoilless cannon, land mine
detectors, and other equipment. The new craft featured twin tails to accommodate the recoilless cannons, which discharge gases rearward to
counteract recoil. Simplicity dictated a return to canted rudders instead of a tail rotor. This helicopter was intended to travel with Army troops in
a tarpaulin-covered trailer that housed spare parts, refueling equipment, and ordnance. With its side panels folded down, the trailer also served
as the ULV's launch platform.
Under a separate contract, a modified Sally Rand was tested at an abandoned airstrip in central California to determine its vulnerability to enemy
action. Although diminutive dimensions made it a difficult target to hit, the craft's size and limited range clearly rendered it unsuitable for
operational use. As a proof-of-concept vehicle, however, the YH-32A ULV was successful; it laid groundwork for the U.S. Army's heavy
commitment to helicopter firepower during the Vietnam War.