|
Description
| Notes: Ver flight training. Single articulated rotor (2 CREW) . | ||
| Manufacturer: | Hughes | |
| Base model: | H-55 | |
| Designation: | TH-55 | |
| Version: | A | |
| Nickname: | Osage | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1948-Present | |
| Basic role: | Helicopter | |
| Modified Mission: | Trainer | |
Specifications
| Length: | 28' 10" | 8.7 m | |
| Height: | 8' 2.7" | 2.5 m | |
| Wingspan: | 25' 3.5" | 7.7 m | |
| Empty Weight: | 1,008 lb | 457 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 1,850 lb | 839 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 1 | ||
| Powerplant: | Lycoming HIO-360-A1A | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 180 | ||
Performance
| Range: | 204 miles | 328 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 75 mph | 120 km/h | 64 kt |
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| United States Army Aviation Museum | Ozark | Alabama |
| United States Army Transportation Museum | Fort Eustis | Virginia |
TH-55A on display
United States Army Aviation Museum | United States Army Transportation Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Jerry Staggs Weatherford, TX | I still fly my little Osage thats pic on this page 67-16969, By the way the Army never used a HIO 360 A1A they came with a HIO-360-B1A eng. 03/19/2015 @ 14:48 [ref: 68996] |
| Jerry Staggs Weatherford, TX | Bill in Deactur Texas Come on down and we'll Fly 67-16969 as pic on this page. We have loads of 55 parts 08/31/2012 @ 16:52 [ref: 66519] |
| Wally Garlock Oconomowoc, WI | Currently restoring Tail number 76-0616. Has any one logged any time in her? 07/23/2012 @ 14:44 [ref: 63822] |
| Robert Boykin Canton, OH | I am also a memeber of MAPS air museum and I have found some information about the TH-55A but I went on ebay and found no parts for the helo and i went to multiple sites frm google and still found nothing, can someone who knows a site or is selling parts please contact the museum and let us know, the link to the museums website is www.mapsairmuseum.org. Thank You 12/26/2011 @ 18:39 [ref: 51494] |
| Robert Hill Indio, CA | RED HAT 84-33 March 1985. I am trying to remember the nickname for those great little trainers. Went on to fly Hueys then OH6 and MD 500 for Sheriff and on to Bell long ranger and 206 and then Bell 222 . all in all a great life. 07/17/2011 @ 14:34 [ref: 41415] |
| Dennis Howerton , TN | True Tales of the Orange Osage: First solo to a stagefield. Briefed to climb and maintain 1500ft, I practiced "more is better" and pushed upward another 500ft. Midroute with airspeed, rpm, and altitude wired, my trusty Osage began to shutter all over, and I noticed the airspeed dropped from 50 to zero abruptly. Fearing the worst (engine failure), I chopped the throttle to idle and lowered the collective entering an autorotational glide, looked for a landing spot, and managed (in a somewhat calm shreik) to give a Mayday call with my callsign and approximate location from the stagefield. On the way down, I noticed the engine was still running and the vibration had stopped, so rather than trust my luck at an autorotation to touchdown, I rolled in some RPM and eased in some collective. To my great relief, the Osage began to fly again. At the stagefield one of the crusty old civilian mechanics told me what I had experienced happened once in a while but no one knew for sure what caused the problem. His explanation was less than reassuring to a fledgling pilot, and I approached the Osage with more wariness from then on. Looking back after a lot of hours and years, I have concluded that my decision to fly higher than briefed had put me in an area of strong windshear. Experience comes from situations that result from bad decisions (Will Rogers). 06/09/2011 @ 10:13 [ref: 39337] |
| Bill Bernard Decatur, TX | I returned from nam april 1970.The next 14 months I was a Primary 2 instructer in the Hughes TH-55A . During that time a student & I were on a training mission. We had just enteredthe traffic pattern when I gave my student a simulated engine failure.At 100 ft. I had him make a power recovery then I took the controls @ 300 ft. I proceeded to climb out making a 360turn the engine failed and we landed in the only available area an old farm field with numerous ridges. We landed with no enjuri
es to persons on board or damage to the aircraft. I think the TH-55 is a fine aircraft & I'd love to own or even fly one again. Billy. 06/03/2011 @ 13:00 [ref: 39178] |
| Dennis Howerton Dyersburg, TN | Sitting at our briefing table following a stressful presolo day of flying the Osage, CW2 Gary Campbell fixed his authoritative IP eye on me and commented, "You know Lt Howerton, the Army spent enough money simplifying this flight training program that even monkeys can learn to fly...but you I have doubts about." Hey, Gary...I got my wings and with the help of some of those monkeys you referred to, made it through the SEA war game flying CH-53Cs for the 21st SOS. Man! Those monkeys could really fly when they were sober. 05/24/2011 @ 16:34 [ref: 38286] |
| Mike Fields windsor, NC | 72-03 (Yellow Hat); Black Sunday was last of August, soloed on 2 Oct 72, Mustang Stage Field. TH-55 is a great airplane; last of the "seat-of-the-pants" type flying. If you couldn't fly it, the washout was justified. Early morning climbouts over the ridge from the main heliport enroute to your stagefield for the morning was an honest test of letting an 18 year old WOC fly on his own. Towards graduation, this is no crap, we were burning up time toward our 100 hours in dual when my instructor (CW2 Clay) and another IP had a bet going to see if we (their students) could successfully herd some jackrabbits on the edge of the stagefield; didn't last long when the CPT spotted us, but it was a hoot. Anybody out there with a photo of the crossed-rotors sign over the motel pool? 12/18/2010 @ 21:58 [ref: 34576] |
| Jack (Butch) Haight Sandy, UT | Class 72-18 (Brown Hats)
This site has brought back some good memories. Black Sunday was 12/9/72. My thanks need to go to Capt. Schultzen, I soloed on 2/17/73 but don't recall what staging field we were at. I hovered on my very first flight, I was doing fine until Capt. Shultzen ask what 3 divided by 4 was. Whoa...it took me 2 weeks before I could hover again. 12/03/2010 @ 14:31 [ref: 33879] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
