Helicopter RV

[HandyDan]

Hey TiinyTina,  Is this anything like the helicopter you saw?

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Winnebago actually made an Itasca Helicopter RV...they used a Sikorsky Helicopter and converted them...they made about 6 altogether and they went for over 800K back in the 70s.  Apparently they really only built them as a marketing tool, since they garnered free advertizing in a lot of major magazines and news channels.    A quick search on Google and here are some of the links I found.

http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/Oldies-Oddities-The-Flying-Winnebago.html

http://www.helicopterlife.com/2008_2_JPEG/orlando.jpg

http://books.google.com/books?id=B-IDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&dq=winnebago+heli-home&source=bl&ots=OCX9dGmPsX&sig=F2ma0CWUuPanTYcElqg4scfg15k&hl=en&ei=Jx7VTpfAL4nz0gGxsdSPAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CD8Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=winnebago%20heli-home&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=ieIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=winnebago+heli-home&source=bl&ots=s_NIHWg8m1&sig=l6YFWMD9A5r7z06fS2kUWWxKru0&hl=en&ei=DkzVTurFN6jc0QHJ2fH0AQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDUQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=winnebago%20heli-home&f=false

http://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/small/039/039728.jpg

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092180/index.htm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-WINNEBAGO-HELI-HOME-Helicopter-RV-CAMPER-1994-TRADING-CARD-/290616525359

Pretty neat!

Kev

[Oz]

There's a blurb and a couple photos of them in The Winnebago Story as well.

[dgapilot]

Let's see, an R1820 burns about 60 gallons an hour, and the S58 cruised at 100 mph. That's about 1.7 GPH. Guess we won't worry quite so much about our 6 to 10 mpg. There was a mod to the S58 that put a ST-6 turbine in it, but the fuel economy wasn't any better.

[dgapilot]

1.7 MPG

[JDxeper]

Mark
Is the helicopter camper card in any of the card sets?
JD

[tiinytina]

sweet

[Oz]

Yes, JD.  It's in the 100 card set!

[JDxeper]

OK!  I have mine, do you have a Helicopter RV card?  Get yours from the club store in the 100 card set and at a  really good price.