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Produced beginning in 1958, the HH-43B (USAF designation) is a modification of the HH-43A. A smaller turboshaft is used and installed above the fuselage, rather than an internal piston engine; as a result, the cabin capacity is upgraded from 4-5 up to ten passengers when compared to its predecessor. The HH-43B was the first Kaman helicopter to be fitted with composite main rotor blades, instead of solid spruce like all those previous.
Beginning in 1961, an H-43B set several records:
- altiude record of 32,840 ft (10010 m)
- rate-of-climb record of 3000 m in 2:42 minutes
- rate-of-climb record of 6000 m in 6:49 minutes
- rate-of-climb record of 9000 m in 14:12 minutes
Source: "Kaman Aerospace Corporation: Evolution of the Helicopter", R.H. Jones, Vertiflite, May/June 1984, Published by AHS International, Page 30.
and,
Source: "The American Helicopter", Hirschberg, Michael, 2000, Page 59.
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