To keep
defense contractors busy during the 1950s the US government approved the
sale of various weapons, incl uding aircraft,
tanks, etc. to foreign
countries. To ensure that the US maintained a technological edge in
military development most contractors were required to sell scaled back
export versions of their hardware.
Piesecki
was given approval to sell an export version of their H-21 helicopter,
commonly called the 'FLYING BANANA'. The H-21EXP proved quite popular among
the Banana Republics of Central and South America. Aside from use in
military applications it was frequently kept on call by many
Central and South American dictators in the event a coupe d' etat made a
quick getaway necessary.
The H-21EXP is
now a very rare aviation find. The FLYING BANANA pictured here
was acquired by the Delaware Valley Historic Aviation Museum at Willow
Grove JRB for static display.
Bill
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