The Piasecki H-21 Workhorse/Shawnee is an American helicopter, the fourth of a line of tandem rotor helicopters designed and built by Piasecki Helicopter (later Boeing Vertol). Commonly called "the flying banana", it was a multi-mission helicopter, utilizing wheels, skis, or floats.
The H-21 was originally developed by Piasecki as an Arctic rescue helicopter. The H-21 had winterization features permitting operation at temperatures as low as −65 °F (−54 °C), and could be routinely maintained in severe cold weather environments Wikipedia
.Wikipedia Piasecki Vertol Helicopter
Known Squadron Assignments: ;121
With No. 108 (CR) Com Flight at RCAF Station Bagotville, Quebec from fall of 1954, for pilot training before H-21B arrived at this Unit. To No. 121 (Composite) Flight at RCAF Station Sea Island, BC in December 1955. Crashed in BC interior on 21 April 1956, killing 2 RCAF crew and a Vertol tech rep. 2015-12-05Known Squadron Assignments: 103;121;
Delivered from Arnprior, Ontario to No. 103 Rescue Unit at RCAF Station Greenwood, NS on 13 January 1955. First H-21 to this unit. Seen at Trenton in 1959 still in 103 RU markings, coded "QZ*614". Based at RCAF Station Vancouver in 1963, with No. 121 (K) Unit. Dispatched to Inuvik, NWT on 19 June 1963 to assist in flood operations. Rescued survivors of a Husky crash in the Coquhalla Pass, BC on 15 May 1964. Still with this unit when it moved to RCAF Station Comox, BC. Pending disposal from 15 June 1967. 2022-03-28Known Squadron Assignments: 108;440;
With No. 108 (Com) Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario by April 1956. Still with this Flight when it suffered engine failure in Arctic on 19 July 1957. Heavily damaged, transported out and rebuilt. To civil register as CF-JJY when loaned to Dominion Helicopters for radar base construction in northern Canada. Carried this registration when based at Knob Lake, Quebec in 1963. Back to RCAF on 2 September 1965. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number. With No. 440 (C&R) Squadron at CFB Winnipeg, Manitoba summer of 1969. Still with this Squadron when it moved to CFB Namao, Alberta. Withdrawn from use in June 1972, placed in storage. To civil registration as CF-IMZ when sold. Possible confusion about company number and/or civil registration. Company number 90, CF-IMZ, reported destroyed in a crash in 1964? 2022-03-28Known Squadron Assignments: 108;440
Delivered to No. 108 (Comm) Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario November 1955. Used to support DEW Line construction in Arctic. To civil register as CF-JJT when lent to Dominion Helicopters for radar base construction in northern Canada. Carried this registration when based at Knob Lake, Quebec in 1963. Blew over at "Site 203" (near Hopedale, Quebec) in wind storm on 11 December 1963. Wind gusts of 90 knots recorded at Hopedale during this storm. Repaired on site and flown back to Knob Lake. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number. With No. 440 Squadron at CFB Namao after integration. To civil register as CF-GQT when sold. Exported to USA in 1976, retuned to Canada in 1990, registered as C-FGZM. Used by Sterling Lumber of Golden, BC for helilogging. Crashed in February 1991, reported stored shortly after that. 2022-03-28Known Squadron Assignments: 108;424;
With No. 108 (Com) Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario by December 1955. Turned over on landing at Site 224 on 1 June 1956. Temporary repairs performed on site, ferried to Rockcliffe on 6 October 1956 for further repairs. Later towed over public roads to Arnprior for complete rebuild. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number. With No. 424 Squadron at CFB Chatham, NB after Integration. Seen at Hamilton Airport on 7 September 1969, in Canadian Forces markings. To civil register as CF-GMO when sold. Operated by Nahanni Helicopters. Sold to Transwest in 1972, repainted. Disappeared on flight between Nelson, BC and Watson Lake, Yukon on 1 June 1972. Note that this registration was re-used for an ex-US Army H-21 in 1973. 2022-03-28Known Squadron Assignments: 108;
With No. 108 (C0m) Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. Left Rockcliffe on 1 July 1956 for Churchill, Manitoba, equipped with long range tanks. Arrived at Churchill on 5 July 1956, spent summer in that area supporting radar station construction. Slung out crashed H-19 9626 from near Bird, Manitoba in mid July 1956. Damaged when it fell off jacks during routine maintenance at Rockcliffe in October 1957. Towed to Arnprior for repairs. To civil register as CF-JJS when lent to Dominion Helicopters for radar base construction in northern Canada. Carried this registration when based at Knob Lake, Quebec in 1963. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number. Based at CFB Bagotville, Quebec after Integration. 2022-03-28Known Squadron Assignments: 108;102;424
With No. 108 (Com) Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario when it was damaged in late October 1956, when ground worker threw rope into rotor blades. Suffered engine failure in Arctic on 14 December 1956. Minimal damage in resulting auto rotation, repaired on site and flown out. With No. 102 (K) Unit at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario, dates not certain. To civil register as CF-JJQ, lent to Dominion Helicopters by November 1958. Also operated by Spartan Air Services during loan period. Back to RCAF on 2 September 1965. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number. With No. 424 Squadron at CFB Chatham, NB after Integration. At Maritime Aircraft Overhaul & Repair Aircraft in May 1973. On civil register as CF-GQS in 1976. (Aircraft with this serial stored at CFB Comox, BC in October 2005 is actually ex USAF H-21B, 53-4366, and was received in trade for a CF-104D (104645) from the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation.) 2022-03-28Known Squadron Assignments: 108;
With No. 108 (Com) Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. Working in area of Knob Lake, NWT in spring of 1957. Used to tow NRC glider CF-URE at Bagotville, Quebec in July 1959. To civil register as CF-JJP when lent to Spartan Air Services and later Dominion Helicopters for radar base construction in northern Canada. Arrived at Knob Lake with this registration in November 1957. Carried this registration when based at Knob Lake, Quebec in 1963. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number. Based at CFB Bagotville, Quebec after Integration. At Rockcliffe, in 1971, in Canadian Forces and Air Defence Command markings. To civil register as CF-GQR when sold. Later to US civil register as N123HL. 2022-03-28Known Squadron Assignments: 108;
With No. 108 (Com) Flight at Rockcliffe when it was detached to Moosonee, Ontario on 23 April 1957, to support construction work in the area. Back to Rockcliffe in August 1957, for major inspection. Operating from Knob Lake, Quebec in June 1957. Detached to Sept Isle, Quebec in January 1957. Reached 1,000 flight hours on 28 February 1958. To civil register as CF-JJU when lent to Dominion Helicopters for radar base construction in northern Canada. Carried this registration when it was damaged in a forced landing in northern Quebec on 17 October 1963, as a result of blade fatigue. Aircraft broke in two on landing. Minor injuries to civilian crew, aircraft written off. 2022-03-28