HUP-1 Retriever

The HUP‑1 Retriever was a utility helicopter developed by Piasecki Helicopter Corporation in the late 1940s as a naval variant of its earlier H‑21 “Shawnee” platform. First flown on 15 March 1949, the aircraft entered United States Navy service in 1950, receiving the designation HUP‑1 and the nickname “Retriever” for its intended role in search‑and‑rescue, anti‑submarine warfare, and utility transport aboard aircraft carriers and amphibious ships. Powered by a single 600‑horsepower Pratt & Whitney R‑1340 radial engine driving a two‑bladed, semi‑rigid main rotor, the HUP‑1 featured a distinctive tandem‑cockpit layout, a tail boom with a fully articulated tail rotor, and a retractable under‑carriage that allowed deck landing and storage in confined shipboard spaces. Its all‑metal airframe incorporated corrosion‑resistant alloys, and the helicopter could be fitted with flotation gear, external fuel tanks, and a variety of mission‑specific equipment. Though only 126 were built, the HUP‑1 demonstrated the practicality of ship‑borne helicopters and paved the way for later Piasecki designs such as the HUP‑2 and H‑21. The Retriever’s operational record helped establish helicopter rescue and anti‑submarine tactics that remain fundamental in modern naval aviation.

Piasecki Helicopter Corporation

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Design & Classification