Firestone XR-9

The Firestone XR‑9 was an experimental rotorcraft conceived in the mid‑1940s by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, a firm better known for its rubber products than for aircraft design. In the wake of World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces issued a contract to diversify helicopter development, and Firestone responded with a single‑prototype light helicopter designated XR‑9. The aircraft featured a compact, steel‑tube frame, a 150‑horsepower Franklin engine, and a distinctive three‑bladed main rotor mounted on a pylon that allowed easy maintenance access. Its enclosure was a streamlined, fabric‑covered cabin that seated a pilot and one passenger, and the landing gear consisted of a simple skid system that reduced weight.

Although only one XR‑9 was built and it never entered mass production, the program provided Firestone engineers with valuable experience in metal‑to‑rubber bonding, vibration damping, and the integration of pneumatic components—areas that later influenced the company’s aviation‑grade tire technology. The XR‑9’s brief flight testing highlighted both the challenges of early helicopter stability and the promise of lightweight, cost‑effective designs, securing its place as a modest yet noteworthy footnote in the evolution of American rotary‑wing aviation.