Title
QH-50 Dash
Description
A small, drone helicopter built for use as a long-range anti-submarine weapon on ships that would otherwise be too small to operate a full-sized helicopter. Highly utilitarian, the only decoration on the otherwise exposed machinery of the DASH is a green circle with the National Aircraft Insignia consisting of a five-pointed white star on a circular blue field, and red, white and blue vertical stripes on the rear body.
Context
The DASH came from the United States Navy's Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program in the 1950s. The FRAM upgrade series allowed the US to rapidly update by converting older ships to standards of modern naval combat. Old destroyers had little room for a full flight deck. The DASH concept was a light drone helicopter that could release a nuclear depth charge or torpedoes from the limitations of modernized naval ships.
Accession #
2023.52
