The QH-50 Drone Anti Submarine Helicopter (DASH) was a remotely-piloted aircraft
manufactured by Gyrodyne.
Maximum speed 80 knots
Cruise speed 60 knots
Service ceiling QH-50C 16,500 FT QH-50D 25,000 FT
Hover ceiling QH-50C 11,300 FT QH-50D 16,000 FT
Range 60 nautical miles
Weapons 2 MK 46 torpedoes or 1 torpedo and 1 sonobouy
Maximum weight QH-50C 2,300 lbs QH-50D 2,350 lbs
Rotor diameter 20 FT
Engine QH-50C, Boeing T50-B0-8A QH-50D, Boeing T50-B0-10
Horsepower 300 shp
The Deck Control Officer visually controls the DASH during take off and landing the flight deck. Flight and weapons release are controlled from the Combat Information Center. A special variant of DASH known as "Snoopy" used in Viet Nam also carried a television camera for gunnery spotting and surveillance work. On Gearingclass FRAM destroyers, DASH was carried in the aircraft hanger and flown from the adjacent flight deck.
The DASH system was placed in service 1963 as a long-range antisubmarine weapon system. Due to problems that resulted in many training and operational losses of aircraft ( Parking Lots, also in the water ) the system was withdrawn from service in 1969 from the US Navy.
