Piasecki PV-2

US helicopter prototype

2 min read

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Interest in “Piasecki PV-2” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-25.

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2026-01-27Peak: 282026-02-25

30-day total: 405

Key Takeaways

The Piasecki PV-2 is a helicopter designed by Frank Piasecki.
The PV-2 first flew on April 11, 1943.
The PV-2 is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F.
55 m) fuselage Max takeoff weight: 1,000 lb (454 kg) Powerplant: 1 × Franklin 4AC-199 4-cylinder horizontally-opposed piston engine, 90 hp (67 kW) at 2,500 rpm Main rotor diameter: 24 ft 11 in (7.

The Piasecki PV-2 is a helicopter designed by Frank Piasecki. The PV-2 is best known for being one of the first successful helicopters flown in the United States. The PV-2 first flew on April 11, 1943. Developed as a technology demonstrator, the PV-2 brought several new features such as the first dynamically balanced rotor blades, a rigid tail rotor with a tension-torsion pitch change system, and a full cyclic and collective rotor pitch control.

The PV-2 is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Specifications

Data from History - single rotor helicopters: PV-2

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 2
Length: 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m) fuselage
Max takeoff weight: 1,000 lb (454 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Franklin 4AC-199 4-cylinder horizontally-opposed piston engine, 90 hp (67 kW) at 2,500 rpm
Main rotor diameter: 24 ft 11 in (7.6 m)
Main rotor area: 488.4 sq ft (45.37 m²)
Blade section: NACA 0012