USAAF/ USAF Helicopter Designations

Early USAAF helicopters were given the R for Rotor designation. This was later changed to H for Helicopter, with many of the R aircraft receiving the same H code. After 1962 H went from being a main mission code to being an aircraft type suffix, but the numerical sequence continued on. Helicopters now have at least a two letter code - AH for attack helicopter, UH for Utility or CH for Cargo.

R - Rotor

Kellett XR-2
Sikorsky R-4
Sikorsky R-5/ H-5
Sikorsky R-6/ H-6 (RAF Hoverfly Mk II)
Sikorsky XR-7
Kellett R-8
Firestone XR-9/ XH-9
Kellett XR-10/ XH-10
Rotorcraft XR-11/ XH-11
Bell R-12/ H-12
Bell R-13/ H-13 Sioux
Firestone XR-14
Bell XR-15/ XH-15
Piasecki R-16/ H-16

H - Helicopter

Sikorsky R-5/ H-5
Sikorsky R-6/ H-6 (RAF Hoverfly Mk II)
Firestone XR-9/ XH-9
Kellett XR-10/ XH-10
Rotorcraft XR-11/ XH-11
Bell R-12/ H-12
Bell R-13/ H-13 Sioux
Bell XR-15/ XH-15
Piasecki R-16/ H-16
Hughes XH-17 Flying Crane
Sikorsky YH-18
Sikorsky H-19 (Sikorsky S-55)
McDonnell XH-20 Little Henry
Piasecki/ Vertol H-21
Kaman H-22 (K-225)
Hiller H-23 Raven (UH-12 company designation)
Seibel YH-24 Sky Hawk
Piasecki H-25
American Helicopter XH-26 Jet Jeep
McCulloch YH-30
Doman VH-31
Hiller YH-32 Hornet
Bell XH-33 (later XV-3)
Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw (S-58)
36 not assigned
Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave (S-56)
38 not assigned
Sikorsky XH-39
Bell XH-40 (HU-1/ UH-1 Huey/ Iroquois)
Cessna YH-41 Seneca (CH-1 Skyhook)
Kaman H-43 Huskie
44 not assigned
45 not assigned
Boeing-Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight
Boeing H-47 Chonook
Bell UH-48 (Huey family)
Boeing H-49 (became UH-46B)
Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH
Lockheed XH-51
Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard
Sikorsky HH/ MH-53 (S-65)
Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe (S-64 Skycrane)
Hughes/ Schweizer TH-55 Osage
Lochkeed AH-56 Cheyenne
Bell OH-58 Kiowa
Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger
Bell OH-58D Kiowa
Sikorsky XH-59 (S-69)
Sikorsky H-60 Hawk
Boeing Vertol YUH-61
Boeing Vertol XCH-62
Bell YAH-63
Hughs/ McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache
Eurocopter HH-65A Dolphin
Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche
Bell TH-67 Creek
Agusta MH-68A Stingray
69 not assigned
Bell ARH-70 Arapaho
Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel
Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota

H - Helicopter numbers reassigned in 1962

Bell UH-1 Huey/ AH-1 Cobra
Kaman SH-2 Seasprite
Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King
Bell YOH-4
Hiller YOH-5 (Hiller FH-1100)
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse

G - Gyroplane

Kellett G-1
Pitcairn G-2

Air War Index - Air War Links - Air War Books

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (29 November 2012), USAAF/ USAF Helicopter Designations , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_US_designations_helicopters.html

Help - F.A.Q. - Contact Us - Search - Recent - About Us - Privacy