Technicly refered to as the CH-54. The Skycrane gets it's name from it's unique disign. It's body shape allows it to
land over a payload, pick it up, and then set it down where needed. Much like a regular crane.
It was designed by the famous
helicopter pioneer Igor Sikorsky who was looking to produce a new class of heavy
lift hellicopter. The CH-54 is also widly known as the Sikorsky Skycrane, either term is correct. Sadly CH-54's dispite many years of good service are facing planned obsolescence due to the lack of replacement parts.
The aircraft company Erickson bought the rights to the Skycrane in 1992 and
now produce their own version, the S-
64, and renamed it the Aircrane. Erickson also discontinued production of replacement parts for the CH-54. Sadly, aircraft that have flown since the 1970's are being
grounded due to lack of spare parts.
The Skycrane saved million's of dollars worth of equipment in
Vietnam, because nothing else could lift such
heavy cargo.
The lack of
deep water ports in Vietnam forced the military to use Skycranes to unload cargo ships.
