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FLYING JEEPS and YELLOW FLOATERS


superchief
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Yes, Jeeps could fly, at least in the 1950's. Envisioned as part of the "Atomic Army", the Piasecki flying jeep and the Hiller flying platform were meant for a fast moving army that would over come natural obstacles such as rivers and hilly territory with ease. Plus any PFC could be taught to operate such equipment with minimal training. The US Army evaluated variants of both types of aerial devices but opted for developing helicopters as the chief means of a rapid deployed battlefield force. Still, the idea of a hundreds of small flying aircraft manned by soldiers captured the imagination in the same way as "flying cars" did. But like the flying car, the aerial jeep was considered impractical in the real world. The model is a re-pop of a late 1950's kit by Glencoe models. The figures aren't very well cast and there's not a lot of kit detail. I added the 50cal, a couple of missiles, and some head lights to improve the visual appeal of the model. But as a builder from the 50's, it's another trip down memory lane.

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Both The USN and USCG expressed interest in the Army's Flying Jeep program. The test units were equipped with floats and referred to as the "Sea Geep". The Navy saw the Geep as a means to transfer personal and light cargo between ships underway. The Coast Guard envisioned the Geep as a low cost search and rescue platform, able to land in water and rescue survivors. But after evaluation the helicopter was the aircraft of choice for all the Services, the Sea Geep didn't measure up to the job.

The model was painted in CG aircraft yellow, similar to CG helicopters of the time. I added a pilots seat, floats and a large turbine exhaust pipe. The model is a "what almost was" example, but never deployed.

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I remember seeing these kits and illustrations of these machines on magazine covers like "Popular Mechanics" or something. Those are very sharp looking models, very well done.

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Just to prove these things were a real "contraption".

What a great time to have been involved in our country's R&D programs.

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If I recall correctly, the flying skills required for these exceeded those of the average private... one more reason the program was canned. Note the flight gear on the test pilot in the photo. These were subject to pitch and yaw, just like any aircraft.

 

Plus, can you imagine the ground debris those rotors could have picked up?

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