Kellet-Hughes XH-17: The Weirdest

The Kellet-Hughes XH-17 would be a real-life changing machine that couldn't decide between crane and helicopter mode. This bizarre feat of aeronautical engineering had the appearance of a helicopter that had collided with a crane and then taken off in a large mess. In an effort to help the enormous machine fly properly, jet engines were installed on the tips of each rotor of the contraption.

The device was created as part of a mission to research and test the ideas behind rotary winged craft that are propelled by jets on the rotor tips rather than conventional helicopter drive systems. As construction advanced, a 1949 contract requiring that the testing rig be converted into a practical flying crane was required due to the requirement for massive equipment that could lift and transport huge cargo items into difficult locations.

The resulting XH-17 had a maximum payload of slightly over 10,000 pounds with a rotor diameter of 130 feet. The awkward contraption was powered by two General Electric J35 gas turbines, and was constructed using components from a wide range of other aircraft, including a Waco CG-15 glider cockpit, B-25 wheels, and a B-29 fuel tank. Yes, each attempt to launch this beast into the air was accompanied by a kafuffle that involved flames and deafening noise. The idea was ultimately shelved for practical reasons.

Role: Helicopter
Manufacturer: Hughes Helicopters
First flight: 23 October 1952
Retired: December 1955
Status: Scrapped
Number built: 1