Hiller Aircraft
Encyclopedia
Hiller Aircraft Company was founded in 1942 as Hiller Industries by Stanley Hiller
to develop helicopters.
, in 1942, under the name "Hiller Industries," to develop his design for the coaxial-rotor XH-44 "Hiller-Copter" for the U.S. Army. The XH-44 became operation in 1944.In collaboration with Henry J. Kaiser
, it became United Helicopters
in 1945. In the postwar years, United Helicopter produced a number of innovative helicopter designs for military and civilian purposes, including coaxial-rotor and tailless designs, as well as more conventional models. In January, 1949, a Hiller-360 became the first civilian helicopter to cross the United States.
Besides helicopters, in the year after World War II, Stanley Hiller researched a two man rocket-jet aircraft design that took off and landed vertically, called the VJ-100, in which he tried unsuccessfully to interest the U.S. military.
The company was renamed Hiller Helicopters in 1948. It was involved in the development of a number of prototype helicopters. From the early 1960s to 1969, its Palo Alto plant served as a CIA
cover for the production of the CORONA reconnaissance satellites
.
Hiller was purchased by Fairchild Aircraft in 1964. Stanley Hiller repurchased the company in 1973 with the help of a dozen Thai investors led by Patrick C. Lim, part owner of Siam Steel and many other Asian ventures. For ownership of Hiller aircraft, these investors helped covered the company's liabilities about $1 million and commit about $10 million to build at least 30 new helicopters at the new East Bay production site and also setting up the first aerospace company in Thailand.
Stanley Hiller donated money and a number of aircraft to form the Hiller Aviation Museum
in San Carlos, California
, which opened in 1998.
Stanley Hiller
-Biography:Stanley Hiller was born November 15, 1924 in San Francisco, California to Stanley Hiller, Sr. and Opal Perkins. The family moved to Berkeley, California in the 1930s....
to develop helicopters.
History
Stanley Hiller, then seventeen, established the first helicopter factory on the West Coast of the United States, located in Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, in 1942, under the name "Hiller Industries," to develop his design for the coaxial-rotor XH-44 "Hiller-Copter" for the U.S. Army. The XH-44 became operation in 1944.In collaboration with Henry J. Kaiser
Henry J. Kaiser
Henry John Kaiser was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. He established the Kaiser Shipyard which built Liberty ships during World War II, after which he formed Kaiser Aluminum and Kaiser Steel. Kaiser organized Kaiser Permanente health care...
, it became United Helicopters
United Helicopters
United Helicopters was formed in 1945 as a joint venture between Stanley Hiller and Henry Kaiser. The company made a very wide range of helicopters, including the world's first successful two-seat co-axial helicopter and several single-seater "commuter" helicopters.The company was also notable for...
in 1945. In the postwar years, United Helicopter produced a number of innovative helicopter designs for military and civilian purposes, including coaxial-rotor and tailless designs, as well as more conventional models. In January, 1949, a Hiller-360 became the first civilian helicopter to cross the United States.
Besides helicopters, in the year after World War II, Stanley Hiller researched a two man rocket-jet aircraft design that took off and landed vertically, called the VJ-100, in which he tried unsuccessfully to interest the U.S. military.
The company was renamed Hiller Helicopters in 1948. It was involved in the development of a number of prototype helicopters. From the early 1960s to 1969, its Palo Alto plant served as a CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
cover for the production of the CORONA reconnaissance satellites
Corona (satellite)
The Corona program was a series of American strategic reconnaissance satellites produced and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency Directorate of Science & Technology with substantial assistance from the U.S. Air Force...
.
Hiller was purchased by Fairchild Aircraft in 1964. Stanley Hiller repurchased the company in 1973 with the help of a dozen Thai investors led by Patrick C. Lim, part owner of Siam Steel and many other Asian ventures. For ownership of Hiller aircraft, these investors helped covered the company's liabilities about $1 million and commit about $10 million to build at least 30 new helicopters at the new East Bay production site and also setting up the first aerospace company in Thailand.
List of Hiller aircraft
- Hiller XH-44
- Hiller X-2-235
- Hiller J-5
- Hiller UH-4 "Commuter"
- Hiller UH-5B "Rotormatic"
- Hiller UH-12 (HTE-1, OH-23)
- Hiller HH-120 "Hornet"
- Hiller HJ-1
- VZ-1 Pawnee "Flying Platform"
- YH-32 HornetYH-32 Hornet|-See also:-References:* Display information at Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington* "The First 100 Years of Aviation"-External links:* * *...
(YH-32, HOE-1, YH-32 ULV) - Hiller autogyro
- Hiller ROE-1 / YROE-1 "Rotorcycle"
- Hiller X-18Hiller X-18The X-18 was an experimental cargo transport aircraft designed to be the first testbed for tiltwing and VSTOL technology.-Development:...
- Hiller Ten99
- Hiller VJ-100 two man VTOLVTOLA vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
rocket plane - Fairchild Hiller FH-1100Fairchild Hiller FH-1100|-See also:-External links:* , current Type Certificate holder.* *...
- Fairchild Hiller FH-227Fairchild Hiller FH-227The Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 were versions of the Fokker F27 Friendship twin-engined turboprop passenger aircraft manufactured under license by Fairchild Hiller in the United States...
Stanley Hiller donated money and a number of aircraft to form the Hiller Aviation Museum
Hiller Aviation Museum
The Hiller Aviation Museum, located in San Carlos, California, USA at the San Carlos Airport, is an aircraft history museum. The museum was founded by Stanley Hiller, Jr., in June 1998. and is endowed by members of the Hiller Family . It specializes in Northern California aircraft history and...
in San Carlos, California
San Carlos, California
San Carlos is a city in San Mateo County, California, USA on the San Francisco Peninsula, about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose. It is an affluent small residential suburb located between Belmont to the north and Redwood City to the south. San Carlos' ZIP code is 94070, and it is within...
, which opened in 1998.