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These glory days have since passed, but the
memory of Gyrodyne's contribution to the defense of this nation has been
preserved in THIRTEEN specific areas:
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Click on the
highlighted text or the Helicopter next to the
Subject you wish to explore!
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First: Who WE Are: A short
narrative of the creation of the Gyrodyne Helicopter
Historical Foundation and what we do. Also, the projects we complete are
as varied as the missions our QH-50's flew. Check out the
historical GHHF Projects we have completed.
The History of the QH-50 is tied to the weapon it carried: the MK-44
Torpedo. Visit our MK-44 Torpedo Shop
- its the only place like it! |
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Second: please take a look at the biography
of the founder of Gyrodyne, the American coaxial helicopter pioneer, Peter
James Papadakos (1914 to 1992). The story of his life, is the story of the
company he created, called Gyrodyne. |
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Third: if you are looking for the
definitive story of the Drone Anti-Submarine
Helicopter (DASH) Weapon System, look
no further. This is the most specific and detailed accounting of DASH
History, The Ships of DASH, why the program was subsequently cancelled, and accountings
and memories
by the sailors that flew DASH. |
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Fourth: What is so different
about the Co-axial rotor system from other rotor systems that caused the U.S.
Navy to spend hundreds of millions of dollars perfecting? Coaxial
Benefits page tells why. |
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Fifth: A short story of the Evolution
of the QH-50 VTOL Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. |
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Sixth: the FULL story of the development and
deployment of the first unmanned ARMED helicopters in the world to operate from
U.S.
Navy destroyers can be viewed at QH-50 Models. |
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Seventh: It took more than
the placing of a QH-50 drone on a U.S. Destroyer to make DASH work! What the
Destroyer needed FIRST, was the FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation
and Modernization) program and over 160 Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts
received this reconstruction to carry DASH and ASROC and extend those ship's lives by an
additional 8 years! HERE are the SHIPS of FRAM, as well as information on ASROC,
DASH and the business end of a Destroyer: its 5 inch/38 caliber gun! |
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Eighth: So, you want to see a
QH-50? Here is a list of the Museums We
Support, their locations and pictures of their displays. |
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Ninth: a short list of the Milestones
and "firsts" that Gyrodyne has achieved over the past 55 years is a
testament to the will and dedication of its employees and to the coaxial design
that continues to be used to this day by the United States Dept. of Defense and
other foreign nations. |
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Tenth:
The milestones that determine a company's success would not have occurred
without the dedicated employees of the Gyrodyne Company of America. Here
the Foundation has placed the Written Memories of some former employees
who remembered what it was like to work on a State-of-the-Art weapon
system......a system that has never been replicated and continues to work
to this day. |
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Eleventh:
Our Foundation has relied upon a small group of former Naval Officers, Sailors
and Marines to assist us in researching the history of Gyrodyne's QH-50 DASH
weapon system and other FRAM weapon systems ON-Ship. Some of their Stories
are of typical Navy life. The Stories of the Secret
Scurvy Dog Society are here. |
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Finally, for the
U.S. DoD activity looking for the capabilities of the
Gyrodyne QH-50C/D unmanned aircraft today, seeking services and technical information
and such, click here and we'll try to help you. |
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If you have any questions regarding our web site or require
additional information, please feel free to
contact
us! Enjoy your adventure!
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A Gyrodyne QH-50C UAV departs the U.S. Navy
Destroyer, USS Hazelwood (DD-531), on an Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Mission,
armed with two MK-44 acoustic homing torpedoes. The UAV was guided by a human
pilot (located on the launching ship) to the target using the Ship’s Radar
system. Target Acquisition was achieved using the ship’s AN/SQS-23 Sonar
system.
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