Sikorsky CH-37B Mojave

In 1951 the U.S. Marines issued a requirement for a new heavy assault helicopter. Sikorsky’s offering was its first twin-engine helicopter, designated HR2S-1 by the Navy and H-37 by the Army. The Mojave was a radical design for its time. It had fully retractable main landing gear and a front opening clamshell door, with the engines in large pods on each side of the main fuselage. The large five blade rotor was specially designed to allow the helicopter to continue flying if one of the blades was shot off. The Mojave began testing with both the Army and Marines in 1953. Deliveries to both services began in 1956, and production continued until 1960. Mojave’s served as heavy-lift transports until the early 1970s.

Rotor Diameter	72 ft
Length	64 ft 3 in.
Height	22 ft
Weight	31,000 (loaded)
Maximum Speed	130 MPH
Service Ceiling	8,700 ft
Range	145 miles
Engines	Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radials with 2,100 horsepower each
Crew	2 with 23 passengers

Manufacturer
Sikorsky

Markings
90^th Transportation Company, Illesheim, West Germany, 1965

Serial Number
58-1005

Designation
CH-37B “Tired Dude”