Arrival of another batch of H-21C helicopters in Algeria, straight from the USA. The rotors are fitted and they are flown off the deck of the old aircraft carrier Dixmude, which still served as a transport ship. FR94, on the right, is preserved in Dax. Photo by: Gérard Daudu / ECPAD

Weserflug built 32 H-21Cs under license for the Heeresflieger's HFB 300 unit between 1957 and 1959. Most were scrapped when withdrawn from use in 1972 but four have been preserved

In November 1958, this Vertol 44A, the predecessor of the Piasecki H-21 Workhorse, was acquired by the Swedish Navy and designated Hkp1, for helicopter 1, the first type of helicopter in use by the Swedish armed forces. It served at Bromma, later at Torslanda and Berga, until 1971 when it was retired and flown to Malmen, with 3094 hours. The Hkp 1 was succeeded by the Hkp4. In May 1989, serial 01001 was first reported with the Flygvapenmuseum.

The restoration of this ex-ALAT H-21 was finally completed in mid-2024 having been accomplished in stages since 1992. It was operational from 1956 to 1959, withdrawn from service in 1960 like all French H-21s, stored in Angers and then transferred to the museum at Rochefort in May 1992 in the Aéronavale 31F.8 livery

The H-21 "Flying Banana", which was originally designed by Piasecki for cold weather operations, performed poorly in the hot weather of Vietnam. Despite being capable of carrying 20 passengers, it could lift only nine when operating there, the engines achieving less than half the standard 600 hours between major overhaul. Despite that, it soldiered on as the US Army's main helicopter workhorse in Vietnam until 1964 when replaced with the Bell UH-1 Huey

Location not given, but old NYA timetables list one heliport that might well be it. This was situated in an industrial area at Hanover Street, Stamford, Connecticut. Photo from: Vertical Flight Society

The US Army Aviation Board, a test unit, was so named from 1957 and based at Fort Rucker. The H-21C first flew in 1956.

DND photo.

There are two different versions that ended up with this Hkp1 being scrapped at ESGP. The first is that in 1971 the helicopter made an emergency landing in the sea outside Grebbestad because a crack in the exhaust system released exhaust gases into the air intake. The frame was subsequently discarded due to corrosion damage. The other version is that after the filming of the film "Marine's Wings" it had an engine failure and made an emergency landing in the ice forest at Värmdö, ending up on its side. The cockpit was initially preserved at the Naval Museum in Karlskrona but is now at Aeroseum.

Members of the "Quarter Century Club" of the General Electric Company in Peterborough, ON, examine a H-44A helicopter during their visit to RCAF Station Trenton - 7 May, 1960. DND photo.

Piasecki H-44A Vertol/, helicopter on a simulated Mercy flight/ DND photo.

Ptasecki H-44A Vertol. DND photo.

DND photo

H-44 Vertol helicopter. over R.C.A.F. Stn. Trenton. DND photo

Two Piasecki Vertol H-44As of 103 Search and Rescue Unit, Greenwood N.S. DND photo.

DND photo.