The Chinook

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem-rotor, heavy-lift helicopter. Its name is from the Native American Chinook people. The Chinook was designed and initially produced by Boeing Vertol in the early 1960s; it is now produced by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. The helicopter has been sold to 16 nations with the U.S. Army and the Royal Air Force being its largest users. It's often a crowd pleaser and fan favorite at air shows, and here Rich Pittman takes a look at the origins of the tandem rotor through the early production, improved versions and operational history of the CH-47 heavy-lift helicopter.

Rich Pittman is the author of The Merlin EH(AW) 101.