The Old Guard
Huskie World Records
Editors Note: During its history, the H-43 set numerous World Flight Records. In 1959 a World Altitude Record for its Class and by 1961 five more World Records, 2 Altitude and three Time to Climb. Again in 1962, the Huskie would set both Closed Course Distance and Straight Line Distance Records. Here are some of the records and comments by the people who set them.
World Altitude Record: 1959 Major William J. Davis and Capt. Walter J. Hodgson, flew a production H-43B to set a maximum altitude of 29,846 feet (9,183 meters), over 8,000 feet higher than the previous Soviet Record.
World Altitude Records: 1961 a new International Class E-1.d Altitude Record with 1,000 kg payload - 25 May 1961 to 26,369 feet(8,037 meters) and without payload on 18 Oct 1961 to 32,840 feet(10,009 meters) topping the old H-43 World Record by 2,994 feet.
Capt. Walter C. McMeen after his World Record flight on 25 May 1961
LtCol. Francis M. Carney, Commander 3638 FTS, Stead AFB, is seen taking off on 18 Oct 61 for the record breaking flight to 32,840 ft
World Time to Climb Records; 1961 3,000 meters (9,842 ft) in 2 minutes 41.5 seconds [exceeding the old record by 47.6 seconds], 6,000 meters (19,684 ft) in 6 minutes 49.3 seconds [exceeding the previous record by 1 minute 17.8 seconds] and 9,000 meters (29,526 ft) during the 14 minute 30.7 second flight [exceeding the old mark by 3 minutes 13.2 seconds.
World Closed Course Distance Record/ Helicopter Class E-1d/ 3,858 to 6,614 lbs gross weight: 13 June 1962; the following narrative was provided by LtCol. Richard Coan, U.S.A.F., (ret) during a phone interview conducted on 25 Oct 2006.
Pedro News; What can you tell us about that record breaking flight?
Dick Coan; You’ll have to bear with me, remember that was a long time ago, 1962. I was stationed at DET52 EARC, Charleston AFB, SC when I was offered the opportunity to make an attempt at the World Record.
I left Charleston with my wife and young son and drove to my home town in Wisconsin. From there, I flew to California and joined my back-up Pilot Capt. Jerry Stroh and the KAMAN Aircraft Company (KAC) Support Team at the Bishop Municipal Airport. The aircraft was initially assembled for the flight at Bishop and ops checked by Andy Foster the KAC Chief Test Pilot before being flown north for the record attempt. The Record Flight was to be made on a 12 mile long closed course along a highway on the North Shore of "Mono Lake".
On the day before the record breaking attempt, I ferried HH-43B 60-0263 north to a temporary landing pad that had been scrapped out on the course. While flying north and enjoying the wonderful scenery provided by the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the World Record attempt almost ended before it started. I was flying along when for some unknown reason I got the weirdest feeling and the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight out. I immediately looked around to clear my airspace and quickly spotted a B-52 at my altitude headed straight for me.
I dumped the Collective and descended as fast as the aircraft would. Unbeknownst to me, I had strayed into a Low Altitude “Oil Burning” Flight Corridor. The BUFF missed and I continued on with a heightened sense of alertness wondering what those SAC guys were thinking about the incident. After landing, the aircraft was turned over to the KAC Maintenance Team to be prepped for the next day’s World Record attempt. I was driven back to Bishop for a meal and good night’s rest.
Dick Coan’s stripped down aircraft
The aircraft I was flying only slightly resembled the H-43B that you knew. It had been stripped* of the Clamshell and Cabin Sliding Door, the Copilots Seat, some Radios, Loud Hailer, Bear Paws, Engine Cowling, Rotor Shaft Covers and part of the Empennage to reduce the aircraft to a required empty weight of 5300 pounds. A fuel bladder had been installed in the rear cabin to provide the additional fuel that would be needed. * Even the pilot’s pedals were replaced with co-pilot’s pedals as the rear wheel brakes had been mechanically locked.
As stated above, the course was 12 miles long with low pylons (Pickup Trucks covered with Orange & White Parachutes) at each end and burning tires to mark their locations. Imagine trying that now and you’d be fined by the EPA. The World Record was monitored and documented by a U.S. representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale.
On the morning of 13 June 1962 we were up at “zero dark thirty” for an early trip back to Mono Lake. It was important to make the attempt before the day progressed and winds increased. As I got airborne, the sky was clear and winds were calm. Our goal was to complete at least 27 laps, taking approximately 7 hours.
Dawn over Mono Lake, CA
My aircraft had only a low powered short ranged FM Radio. I could only talk to the KAC Team within one mile of either pylon. I was also provided with several canteens of water and a “Comfort Tube” had been installed.
Capt. Richard H. Coan prepares to lift off on his record breaking flight
The KAC Aerodynamicist coached me by radio as the flight progressed. He wanted me to maintain an average speed of 8o-82 knots (92-95 mph/148-152 kph). In some ways, the flight was boring; strictly roundy-roundy, but on the last lap, this was to change.
On the backside of lap 27, I looked at the fuel gauge and it was lower than I had ever seen a fuel gauge go; the needle had bottomed out! As I turned around the half-way pylon for the final time, I continued on about 150 feet as long as I dared and then transitioned into a ten foot hover with a 10-20 knot forward speed when the engine flamed-out. I kept the aircraft straight and level for a rolling landing, but I was in for another surprise. As mentioned earlier, the rear brake lines had been removed and the rear brakes mechanically locked. Upon touching down, the aircraft started to skid and drift toward a small ditch on the edge of the road; all I could do was hold on. Luckily, I stopped short of the ditch and reclaimed the World Record from the U.S.S.R.
The flight covered 655.64 miles (1,055.16km) and lasted a little over 7 hours.
In the above photo, (L) KAC Chief Test Pilot Andy Foster shakes hands with a tired, but happy Dick Coan (center). In the photo, Dick Coan is sitting on the edge of the Cockpit, adding his weight while (R) Major Russell R. Tyler, the U.S.A.F. Project Officer stands on the forward right gear to keep the aircraft from tipping over.
Note the gutted Instrument Panel
The Official Certificate presented to Dick Coan for the Record Breaking Flight
World Straight Line Distance Record/Helicopter Class E-1d/ 3,858 to 6,614 lbs gross weight: Capt. Chester R. Ratcliffe (DET24 CARC) 0n 5 July 1962 traveled 888.44miles (1,049.80 km)
KAC Chief Test Pilot Andy Foster (white shirt) offers congratulations to Capt. Chet Ratcliffe upon completion of his Record Breaking Flight
Aircraft photos provided by "Johan D. Ragay"