Stanley Hiller Jr started work on the design of this machine when he was 15 years old. Here, still only 20, he is demonstrating it to employees of the Kaiser Shipyard outside the Administration Building. First flown untethered on 4 July 1944 with power initially from a 65 h.p. Franklin, (hidden by blister fairings later deleted). A remarkable achievement by someone so young. Kaiser-Fleetwings test pilot W. H. Engle commented to the press that it was "superior in controllabilty and with less vibration than any helicopter he has flown". Last known of on display in the Smithsonian Museum. Photo from: William Engle via Tim Martin

Stanley Hiller designed the first successful coaxial helicopter at the age if 15. In 1941 (at 17) he got contract from the Army to build his XH-44 "Hiller-Copter" design. First flying untethered on July 4, 1944, it allowed Hiller Industries to partner with Henry J. Kaiser to become United Helicopters in 1945. The company was re-named Hiller Helicopters in 1948. The XH-44 was donated to the Smithsonian in 1953.

Early Hiller helicopters at the factory, with Stanley Hiller's original HillerCopter in the front. Third is UH-4 Commuter NX66276 and sixth is NX68940, the prototype of the UH-12 / Hiller 360 as seen in the rear and overhead. As you can see, UH stood for United Helicopters, a name dropped in 1948. Confusingly, the US Army designation of the UH-12 was H-23. That type was the company's only real sales success. Digital technology has now taken over this area - Facebook Building 57 was built right on this spot, which is actually in Menlo Park. Photo from: Hiller

This 1944 built machine was the first helicopter built by Stanley Hiller. It was displayed in the Smithsonian Museum