Country of origin:

Japan

Description:

Twin-engine twin-rotor heavy lift helicopter

Power Plant:

Two 1,044 kw (1,400 shp) Ishikawajima-Harime CT58-IHI-110-1 turboshafts

Specifications:

History:

The Kawasaki KV-107 was a licence-built version of the Boeing Vertol Model 107 which had been supplied to the United States and other military forces as the H-46 Sea Knight. It was produced in a variety of models to meet a number of operational needs. In 1965 Kawasaki acquired from Boeing Vertol the worldwide sales right for the Model 107-II and in 1981 continued to produce the type under the designation KV-107-IIA. Production of the series in Japan concluded in 1990.

The Boeing Vertol Model 107 (dealt with elsewhere) was first flown on 22 April 1958. Ten aircraft were supplied to the United States Army in 1958 with the designation YHC-1A. Examples were later supplied to the United States Marine Corps as the HRB-1, later re-designated CH-46A, and further machines were supplied to the United States Navy for utility helicopter duties. A number were delivered to the Canadian military as the CH-113 Labrador.

Kawasaki produced machines for the Japanese Self Defence Force, the Japanese Ground Self Defence Force, the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. In addition, machines were supplied to Thailand, Sweden and Saudi Arabia. Power plant was the General Electric CT58-140-1 turboshaft which was built under licence in Japan by Ishikawajima-Harima.

In 1996 a team of about 100 Japanese scientists arrived at the South Australian Woomera airfield to carry out a series of experiments known as the ALFEX trials. This related to an Automatic Landing Flight Experiment that was being undertaken as a joint program by the National Aerospace Laboratory and the National Space Development Agency of Japan. The project involved the development of an unmanned and reusable spaceplane which would carry cargo to and from the International Space Station, the designers planning that the final vehicle would be able to be used up to 20 times. Two examples of a vehicle for this program had been built known as the HOPE.

The team arrived in Australia in March 1996 and commenced operations from Hangar I, personnel being from Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Toshiba Corporation, Hitachi Corporation, Meisei Electric and Marubun.

Preliminary ground trials commenced in April, the vehicle being towed behind a Mazda 626 sports car. These were followed in May and June by a series of non-release trials, the first landing trial being on 6 July 1996. On this occasion the vehicle was suspended below a KV-107 helicopter at an altitude of 457 m (1,500 ft) some 3 km (1.86 miles) from the airstrip and, after release, glided to a landing. These trials were a success and were continued for some time, concluding on 15 August 1996. Later the helicopter and the test vehicles were returned to Japan and at least one example of the latter has been placed on display in a museum in Japan.

It is interesting to note that Columbia Helicopters, which has operated a number of Boeing Vertol Model 107s and Boeing Chinooks in Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea in the heavy-lift role, at one stage obtained a number of Kawasaki-built machines after their retirement from the Swedish Air Force and, after refurbishment, also put them into civil use in the heavy-lift role around the world. In December 2006 Columbia Helicopters purchased the Type Certificate for the Model 107 with a view to eventually producing new-build aircraft some time in the future.

Approximately 650 examples of the Boeing Vertol 107 series were completed.  At least three examples of the KV-107 have been operated in New Guinea, being P2-CHA (c/n 106), P2-CHB (c/n 107) and P2-CHE (c/n 108).