WWII Helicopters used in Burma Campaign?

[Helm]

Just come across this piece in Burma: The forgotten war
"Back in the States, Cochran secured not only 100 short take-off and landing (STOL) L-1 Vigilant and L-5 Sentinel aircraft for casualty evacuation, but also 30 Mustang fighters, 20 Mitchell bombers, 20 C-47 and 12 UC-64 Norseman transports, with 150 Waco cargo- and troop-carrying gliders with 50 more to come (‘I don’t want those guys to walk’, Arnold had said), and 6 new fangled Sikorski YR-4 helicopters – the first ever used in operations"
I had never heard of helicopters being used in Burma or anywhere else in WWII, especially by the allies. Anybody able to expand on it?

Wiki says it's true.

 

[Maninthestreet]

 

[MOzanne]

Medevac Helicopters in Burma

Helicopter rescue mission in Burma during World War II

www.helis.com

The First Helicopter Rescue | Defense Media Network

The story of the first helicopter rescue during World War II.

www.defensemedianetwork.com

 

[Gluteus Maximus]

Cochran commanded the 1st Air Commando which supported the Chindits in 1944. The whirlies were used for casualty evacuation, although at the altitude and humidity they operated they struggled. The USN also used them for ship-to-ship resupply in the Pacific.

 

[Helm]

Everyday etc, thanks

 

[Lindermyer]

Nothing to contribute - I just wanted this thread to flag up so i can follow it

 

[Themanwho]

Cochran commanded the 1st Air Commando which supported the Chindits in 1944. The whirlies were used for casualty evacuation, although at the altitude and humidity they operated they struggled. The USN also used them for ship-to-ship resupply in the Pacific.

I'd heard about the US Air Commando limited use of helis in Burma, but wasn't aware of the USN use - any further detail?

 

[Gluteus Maximus]

All I know - from the Wiki R4 page:-

While the R-4 was being used for rescues in Burma and China, it was also being used to ferry parts between floating Aviation Repair Units in the South Pacific. On 23 May 1944, six ships set sail with two R-4s on board each vessel. The ships had been configured as floating repair depots for damaged Army Air Forces aircraft in the South Pacific. When the helicopters were not being used to fly the parts from one location to another, they were enlisted for medical evacuation and other mercy missions.[14]

 

[Themanwho]

All I know - from the Wiki R4 page:-

While the R-4 was being used for rescues in Burma and China, it was also being used to ferry parts between floating Aviation Repair Units in the South Pacific. On 23 May 1944, six ships set sail with two R-4s on board each vessel. The ships had been configured as floating repair depots for damaged Army Air Forces aircraft in the South Pacific. When the helicopters were not being used to fly the parts from one location to another, they were enlisted for medical evacuation and other mercy missions.[14]

Thanks - some further reading required on my part!

 

[OllieReeder]

Medevac Helicopters in Burma

Helicopter rescue mission in Burma during World War II

www.helis.com

The First Helicopter Rescue | Defense Media Network

The story of the first helicopter rescue during World War II.

www.defensemedianetwork.com

A brilliant clip, thank you.

Amongst the things that jumped out at me...

... sending a helicopter with a bucket of yellow paint...

... pronunciation of heeeelicopter...

... and the pilot puffing on his fag whilst sat on top of the crashed Mitchell, clearly not worried whether there is any fuel escaping.

 

[Glad_its_all_over]

... and the pilot puffing on his fag whilst sat on top of the crashed Mitchell, clearly not worried whether there is any fuel escaping.

I should imagine driving a B-25 in a notably non-permissive environment is going to cause a certain recalibration of one's risk appetite.

 

[cam net]

Didn't the RAF use gyrocopters during the battle of britain?
I read somewhere the Germans sometimes used them on U boats?

 

[AlienFTM]

Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Fang_Farrier]

Didn't the RAF use gyrocopters during the battle of britain?
I read somewhere the Germans sometimes used them on U boats?

No. 529 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Used for Radar calibration but slightly later than BoB

 

[Civvy Scum]

When you compare the specs for the R-4 and the C.30, it makes me wonder why there wasn't greater use made of the autogryo.

 

[MOzanne]

No. 529 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Used for Radar calibration but slightly later than BoB

Secret Files: Cierva Autogyros

Many readers have seen the 1967 James Bond film ‘You Only Live Twice’, starring Sean Connery as Bond, and one of Bond’s most famous ‘leading ladies - ‘Little Nellie’. She was the miniature rocket and gun-firing tiny ‘helicopter’ featured in the film – also popular with schoolboy model makers...

www.solentsky.org

 

[exspy]

I seem to recall a 'documentary' about the Nazis using a helicopter at a secret Austrian Schloss where an Allied general was being held captive. I believe the place was called Adler Schloss. Had a nice Gasthaus as I recall. I'd say more but I dare not.

 

[ColdWarWorrier]

I seem to recall a 'documentary' about the Nazis using a helicopter at a secret Austrian Schloss where an Allied general was being held captive. I believe the place was called Adler Schloss. Had a nice Gasthaus as I recall. I'd say more but I dare not.

Did it involve callsigns ‘Broadsword’ and ‘Danny Boy’? I may have seen the same documentary.

 

[OllieReeder]

I should imagine driving a B-25 in a notably non-permissive environment is going to cause a certain recalibration of one's risk appetite.

Oh, indeed, though as this famous documentary clip shows, more disciplined allied air forces still took smoking quite seriously...

 

[MOzanne]

Did it involve callsigns ‘Broadsword’ and ‘Danny Boy’? I may have seen the same documentary.

A film where Ingrid Pitt didn't release the beasts....