[455firebird1969]

At the ripe old age of 24, Philadelphian Frank Piasecki had formed a company named P.V. Engineering Forum. They designed and built the PV-2, a single-seat, single main rotor helicopter powered by a 90hp Franklin engine. The PV-2 was the second functional helicopter built in the US. Igor Sikorsky’s VS-300 flew (tethered) in 1939, and by 1942 had evolved into the successful XR-4. Undaunted by Sikorski’s success, Piasecki’s PV-2 flew for the first time on April 11th 1943. In an effort to promote the helicopter, PV Engineering lashed the helicopter to mechanic Bill Roach’s Pontiac, and they towed the helicopter 140 miles down route 40 to DC. On October 20th 1943 the PV-2 flew at National airport in front of government officials and military representatives. As a result of this Pontiac towing the PV-2 to DC, on 1 February 1944 P.V. Engineering received a contract to develop a tandem-rotor utility transport and rescue aircraft for the U.S. Navy. The tandem rotor HRP-1 (PV-3) was developed quickly, and over the years evolved into the Army’s workhorse we all know of as the CH-47 Chinook. The PV-2 was Piasecki's first and only single-rotor helicopter.