Canadian Warplanes 7: Vertol Aircraft (Canada) H-21/CH-125 and H-44/CH-127 Workhorse helicopter

Vertol Canada H-21/CH-125 and H-44/CH-127 Workhorse Helicopters

(RCAF Photo)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse, RCAF (Serial No. 9641).

The Vertol Canada Workhorse, commonly called "the flying banana", was a single engine, tandem rotor helicopter acquired by the RCAF in 1954 and used primarily for search and rescue work.  It was designed to serve as a multi-mission helicopter, utilizing wheels, skis, or floats, based on the American Piasecki H-21 Workhorse/Shawnee.  Originally developed by Piasecki as an Arctic rescue helicopter, the H-21 had winterization features permitting operation at temperatures as low as −65 °F (−54 °C), and could be routinely maintained in severe cold weather environments.

Vertol Canada H-21A, CH-21A, H-21B, CH-21B, RCAF CH-125 Workhorse helicopter (15), six CH-21A Workhorse helicopters, USAF (Serial Nos. 52-8487 to 52-8492), redesignated CH-125 in 1968, (Serial Nos. 9610, 9611, 9612, 9613, 9614, and 9615), and nine CH-21B Workhorse helicopters, redesignated CH-125 (Serial Nos. 9636, 9637, 9638, 9639, 9640, 9641, 9642, 9643, and 9644).

Vertol Canada H-44A, RCAF CH-127 Workhorse helicopter (5), five H-44A Workhorse helicopters came to Canada, redesignated CH-127 in 1968 (Serial Nos. 9591, 9592, 9594, 9595, and 9596), for a total of 20.

The H-21B version was virtually identical to the H-21A except for an increase in the available horsepower of the engine for take-off.  The H-44 version was equipped with metal rotor blades and an advanced transmission and could be distinguished from the earlier versions by the covered struts of its landing gear.

(RCAF Photo, via RCAFA)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse, RCAF (Serial No. 9638), Air Transport Command.

(RCAF Photo)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse, RCAF (Serial No. 9639), Base-Rescue Flight, CFB Chatham, New Brunswick, ca 1960s.

(RCAF Photo via James Craik)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse, RCAF (Serial No. 9639), Base-Rescue Flight, CFB Chatham, New Brunswick, ca 1960s.

(RCAF Photo)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse, RCAF (Serial No. 9639).

(RCAF Photo)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9615), RCAF, jeep lift.

(Canadian Pacific Railway Photo via Benoit Thibeault)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9615), RCAF, over Chateau Frontenac,  Quebec City, 10 Dec 1954.

(RCAF Photo)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9615), No. 102 Communications and Rescue Unit at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario.  It struck a street light shade with two blades of the rear rotor while attempting to land on a road runway at Moosenee, Ontario on 16 August 1956.  It was destroyed by fire after carrying out a forced landing at Bancroft, Ontario on 6 March 1957, when the engine failed on take off.  (Chris Charland)

(RCAF Photo)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9636), 108 Communications Flight, RCAF Station Bagotville, Quebec.

(RCAF Photo)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9636), RCAF Station Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1965-1971.

(RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9611).  This helicopter served with No. 121 Communications and Rescue Flight – RCAF Station Sea Island, British Columbia, No. 121 Composite (K) Unit, RCAF Station Comox, British Columbia, and No. 111 (K) Unit, RCAF Station Winnipeg, Manitoba.  9611 is hovering while doing float tests.  Note the crewman on the floor in the door calling the height for the pilot.  This particular aircraft was in RCAF service from 1954 to 1966.  In the background you can see two Cansos, two Sabres, two CT-133's, two Dakotas and possibly a Harvard.

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9611), from No. 121 Communications & Rescue Flight based at RCAF Station Sea Island, pays a viist to the USS Coral Sea during her visit to Vancouver in 1960.

(DND Photo via Benoit Thibeault)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9611).  This helicopter served with No. 121 Communications and Rescue Flight – RCAF Station Sea Island, British Columbia, No. 121 Composite (K) Unit, RCAF Station Comox, British Columbia, and No. 111 (K) Unit, RCAF Station Winnipeg, Manitoba.  The helicopter went to Skyrotors Limited in Arnprior, Ontario for disposal action on 21 Sep 1966.  They ended up purchasing it on 21 Aug 1967.

(DND Photo via Keith Gathercole)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9611), possibly over the Comox glacier.

(RCAF Photo via Keith Gathercole)

Vertol Canada H-21 Workhorse helicopter (Serial No. 9611). with a Grumman CSR-110 Albatross, RCAF (Serial No. (9305). Both flew with with No. 121 (K) Unit at RCAF Station Sea Island, BC in 1963 and 1964.

(RCAF Photo via Fred Paradie)

Vertol Canada  CH-127 Workhorse (Serial No. 9591) hoisting CH-125 (Serial No. 9610), near Greenwood, Nova Scotia, 6 Jun 1961.

(RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Vertol Canada  CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9610), lowering supplies to personnel at one of the isolated Shoran Units.

(DND Photo via James Craik)

Vertol Canada  CH-127 Workhorse (Serial No. 9591) and (Serial No. 9592), Greenwood, Nova Scotia.

(RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9641) and Boeing Vertol CH-113 Voyageur (Serial No. 10401) (later 11301), 1967.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4949776)

Vertol Canada H-21B Workhorse helicopter, RCAF (Serial No. 9595), Spartan Air Services, Mid-Canada line, 1959.  It was taken on strength with the RCAF on 31 March 1958.  After the helicopter received this distinct paint scheme, Dominion Helicopters assumed operational control of it for use in suporting the Mid-Canada Line.  It carried the Canadian civil aircraft Reg. No. CF-JJW.  It was returned to the RCAF, and then conversion work to bring it up to H-44B standards was completed by Vertol at Arnprior, Ontario on 17 Sep 1965.  Two days later it was flown to Mountain View for storage.  On the 4 March 1971, this helicopter was struck off strength with the Canadian Armed Forces.  It was reduced to spares and scrap on 7 March 1971.  Conversion of these helicopters was carried out by Vertol Aircraft (Canada) of eight RCAF H-21s for civilian use.  They were equipped to carry 19 passengers or 2,820lb (1,279kg) of internal cargo or a 5,000lb (2,268kg) slung load.

The H-21B and Mid-Canada Line

Artilce by Chris Charland

After construction of the sector of the Mid-Canada Line from Hopedale, Labrador to Great Whale River, Quebec was finished, the D.N.D. tendered a contract for its support. Spartan Air Services of Ottawa, Ontario submitted the winning bid. They were to supply each Sector Control Station with fuel, food and perform general duties including the support of the unmanned Doppler Detection Stations. During the construction phase, helicopter support operations had been carried out by 12 tandem-rotor Vertol H-21B’s (Vertol Model 42A) of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s No. 108 Communications Flight. The H-21 was affectionately known as the ‘Flying Banana’ due to its unique fuselage design. With Spartan assuming support responsibilities in 1958, the R.C.A.F. H-21B’s were transferred to the company and given civilian registrations. Before Spartan commenced operations with the H-21-B’s, Vertol Aircraft in Arnprior, Ontario carried out an exclusive conversion of nine aircraft for civilian use. Spartan operated from R.C.A.F. Station Knob Lake, Quebec which bordered the mining community of Schefferville as well as R.C.A.F. Station Great Whale River, Quebec located on the eastern side of James Bay. Toronto, Ontario-based Dominion Helicopters was awarded the contract in 1959. They provide support services until the line was shut down in April 1965.

Roy Coker was employed by both contracted helicopter companies during the operation of the line between 1958 and 1965. “The helicopters were operated by the Air Force to support the building of the MCL. The Royal Canadian Navy assisted with Sikorsky H-19’s in 1956 to speed up construction. After construction, the H-21B’s at Great Whale River were contracted out to private companies, first to Spartan Air Services and later to Dominion Helicopters. Most of the crews changed companies when the contract changed hands. They were used to transport supplies to the doppler sites as well as technicians to maintain and inspect the electronics and diesels. During the summer fuel for the diesels was transferred by fixed wing aircraft to lakes adjacent to the doppler sites, which in turn the fuel in drums was carried to the sites at the mountain tops by helicopter. The Canadian doppler site at Hopedale was maintained from Schefferville (Knob Lake) by the Vertols.”

Sector Control Stations

RCAF Station Dawson Creek, British Columbia

RCAF Station Stoney Mountain, Alberta

RCAF Station Cranberry Portage, Manitoba

RCAF Station Bird, Manitoba * The most northerly of the Mid-Canada Line stations and was officially opened on the 27th of April 1957

RCAF Station Great Whale River, Quebec (now known as Kuujjuaraapik, Quebec)

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9636

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJY

Returned to R.C.A.F. service

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9637

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJZ

Written off on the 14th of November 1957 after it crashed

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9638

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJT

Returned to R.C.A.F. service

R.C.A.F. Serial Number – 9639

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJR

Returned to R.C.A.F. service

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9640

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJS

Returned to R.C.A.F. service

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9641

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJQ

Returned to R.C.A.F. service

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9642

Canadian Civil Registration CF-JJP

Returned to R.C.A.F. service

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9643

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJU

Crashed on the 1st of April while with Dominion Helicopters

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9644

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJO

Struck off Strength after accident on the 30th of December 1957 while with Spartan Air Services

The next three H-21B’s were purchased by the R.C.A.F. but never flown by them. They were initially used by Spartan Air Services and later by Dominion Helicopters. When the Mid-Canada Line closed, they were taken back by the R.C.A.F. and given military serial numbers. In September 1965, they were converted to the H-44B model by Skyrotors Limited in Arnprior, Ontario. The designation was changed to CH-127 after unification in 1968. The helicopters were put into storage at the Canadian Forces Depot at Mountain View, Ontario in November 1969. There they were held as potential backup aircraft for search and rescue operations. All three were reduced to scrap in March 1971.

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9594

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJV

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9595

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJW

R.C.A.F. Serial Number - 9596

Canadian Civil Registration – CF-JJX

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5395350)

No. 633 Squadron cadets looking over an RCAF Vertol Canada H-21 Workhorse helicopter at Sea Island, British Columbia, during Summer camp are, left to right: Mervin and Fred Stevenson and Lawrence Cote.

(DND Photo via Francois Dutil)

Sikorsky CH-126 Choctaw Helicopter, RCAF (Serial No. 9632) and Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse, RCAF (Serial No. 9639).

(DND Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw helicopter, RCAF (Serial No. 9622), Sikorsky CH-126 Choctaw (Serial No. 9632) and Vertol Canada CH-125 Workhorse (Serial No. 9639).  These helicopters are from No. 108 Communications Flight which was heavily involved during the construction of the DEW Line. On the 1st of June 1958 the Flight was re-designated as No. 5 (Helicopter) Operational Training Unit and was tasked with training H-21 and H-34 pilots. No. 108 Flight was based at Rockcliffe and Bagotville.