09/30/2007. The single-seat HJ-1 ramjet helicopter of 1950 was the
predecessor to the light two-seat observation helicopter ordered by
the US Army as the YH-32 Hornet and by the USN as the HOE-1. Two
prototypes (53-4663, 53-4664) were built for the Army and after
initial testing a further twelve (55-4963 to 55-4974) were ordered;
the Navy ordered three (BuNo. 138651 to 138653).
A 39 lb (17.7 kg) s.t Hiller 8RJ2B ramjet was mounted at each tip of
the two-bladed rotor. High fuel consumption and low cruise speed
restricted the operational envelop to less than 30 minutes or a range
of under 35 mls (56 km).
The first YH-32/HOE-1 was flown in 1954, the last was delivered in
1956; five of them are still preserved in museums in the USA.
