Harold H. Hermes

Harold “Hal” or “Red” Hermes (February 11, 1920 to July 31, 1989) was a noted test pilot for the Army Air Forces and later for the CAA and FAA, where he had a central role in the early days of developing, testing, and commercializing the helicopter.

Hermes was the 17th person to solo in a helicopter (June 16, 1943 in a Sikorsky XR-4A) and was part of the team that first demonstrated the helicopter’s ability to operate from a ship in the open seas. He is also known for giving helicopter lessons to 66-year-old Frank T. Coffyn, the last surviving member of Orville Wright’s flying team. In 1944, Hermes served as co-pilot on the C-69 Constellation flight that is now recognized as Orville Wright’s last airplane flight. Later in his career, Hermes had a lead role in the development and adoption of the FAA Instrument Flight Rules for helicopters.

Throughout his 45-year career as a test pilot, Hermes had the honor to fly with aviation legends such as Orville Wright, Frank Coffyn, Chuck Yeager and Edwin E. Aldrin, Sr. His passion, however, was helicopters and he was proud to have worked alongside rotary-wing pioneers such as Igor Sikorsky, Les Morris, Frank Gregory, Dimitry “Jimmy” Viner, Charles Kaman, Floyd Carlson, Al Bayer, Frank Peterson, Joe Mashman, Stanley Hiller, Frank Piasecki and Charles Siebel during what many consider to be the most fascinating and fertile period of helicopter history.

Early years Harold Hardy Hermes was born on February 11, 1920 in Independence, Kansas and he grew up in Enid, Oklahoma. His Mother was Kathyrn Freeland Lynch. Hermes never knew his Father (also named Harold Hardy Hermes) who is believed to have abandoned his family early on. While attending Enid High School, Hermes was a varsity member of the swimming, football and basketball teams. As a senior, his classmates elected him as Herald to the May Queen for their annual May Fete – a Spring Dinner and Dance.

In 1937, Hermes began his mechanical engineering studies at the University of Oklahoma (OU). In order to make ends meet, he worked as a server and busboy at a fraternity. He earned good grades in his studies that were heavy in math and science. His family recalls a story told of Hermes shooting 90-plus straight free throws at an OU basketball court, which attracted an increasingly large number of onlookers as his run progressed. In 1939 with war raging in Europe, Hermes gave up his engineering studies to join the Army.

Army Air Force On December 2, 1939, at the age of 19, Hermes volunteered for the Oklahoma National Guard. After completing basic training, artillery school and advanced communications training [Exhibit 1], he was assigned in February 1942 to the Army Air Forces where he progressed through flight training and proved his leadership abilities. While a cadet in primary flying school, he was put in charge of 200 aviation cadets. In Basic Flying School, he was assigned the duties of Cadet Colonel in charge of approximately 600 cadets.

1 | P a g e

Exhibit 1 Harold Hermes at graduation from Advanced Communications Class Jan 3, 1941

After his graduation from the Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School at Ellington Field, Texas (Class 43-A), Hermes was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in January 1943. He was then assigned to Air Technical Services Command at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio where, after completing several specialized training in performance flight-testing, he began duties as a test pilot for all types of military fixed-wing aircraft.

Once at Wright Field, Hermes promptly became involved in the Army’s testing of the new, experimental stage rotary-wing aircraft – the helicopter. Hermes was sent to train with Igor Sikorsky’s team in Bridgeport Connecticut and within a week became the 17th man in the U.S. to solo in a helicopter (a Sikorsky XR-4A) on June 16, 1943 with Les Morris as his instructor. [Exhibit 2]

2 | P a g e

Exhibit 2. June 1943 helicopter-training group (perhaps the first) at the Sikorsky factory, Bridgeport, Conn. Left to Right: Frederic John “Jeep” Cable*; unknown; Reginald Brie*); Serge “Boris” Gluhareff (test pilot/engineer Sikorsky Aircraft; Igor Sikorsky; Col. Frank Gregory (Army Air Forces, in charge of all USAAF rotary wing projects); C. L. “Les” Morris (chief test pilot Sikorsky Aircraft); Lt. Frank W. Peterson (Army Air Forces); Lt. Col Leslie B. Cooper (Army Air Forces); Lt. Harold Hermes (Army Air Forces); Dimittry “Jimmy” Viner (Sikorsky Aircraft). Training was done on Sikorsky XR-4A. (The identities of the 2 pilots marked with an asterix (*)are not fully confirmed, but according to an official report by Hermes both Jeep Cable and Reggie Brie were there at that time for helicopter instruction.)

Hermes clearly proved himself as a top helicopter pilot because he and Peterson – both having soloed in a helicopter only three weeks earlier – were ordered to participate in a critical and historic test of the capabilities of the helicopter and helped make, “aeronautical history”1.

Between July 5 and July 11, 1943, Hermes and Peterson joined the military’s most experienced helicopter pilots, Les Morris, Colonel Frank Gregory, and Lieutenant Colonel Leslie B. Cooper to test whether the helicopter could operate from a ship in open seas – an aviation first. This team of helicopter pilots conducted extensive testing from the deck of the USAT James Parker 500 miles offshore. [Exhibit 3 and Exhibit 4] Onboard observers included senior war planners from American and British Army, Navy and Coast Guard

1 1 Gregory, H.F. (1976). “The Helicopter – A Pictorial History”. A.S. Barnes and Company, Cranbury, New Jersey, U.S.A; page 128.

3 | P a g e service, requiring proof of the helicopter’s utility for anti-submarine patrols in the Atlantic and for search and rescue missions.

Exhibit 3. Ground crew and pilots for shipboard landings on USAT James Parker that took place July 7-8, 1943. Taken as Sikorsky factory, Bridgeport, Conn. Left to Right: Three unidentified crewmen; Col. Frank Gregory (first Army Air Forces helicopter pilot); Lt. Harold H. Hermes (Army Air Forces); Lt. Frank W. Peterson (Army Air Forces); Lt. Col Leslie B. Cooper (Army Air Forces). Note that inflatable floats were attached to this Sikorsky YR-4A #210734 for the shipboard tests. A second helicopter (XR-4A) was also involved in the testing but used the traditional wheeled landing gears.

4 | P a g e

Exhibit 4. Lt. Harold “Red” Hermes landing a YR-4A on USAT James Parker on July 7-8, 1943. This copy is inscribed on the back, “Frank, This is H. H. Hermes, Pete” believed to be a memo to Lt. Col Frank Gregory from Frank W. Peterson (called “Pete” by his friends), who spearheaded this important demonstration observed by all important branches of the US and British military service. “A total of 162 landings and takeoffs (20 hours of flying time) were made in winds ranging from 5 to 25 knots while the ship pitched up to 6 1/2 degrees”2. Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2a0auexcvo

The results from these trials were highly successful, which trigged the first large scale orders of Sikorsky helicopters and the establishment of helicopter training school. It is widely regarded as one of the most critical proving points for the helicopter as a stable aircraft. The real proof, however, was the search and rescue operations that saved lives during the remaining years of WW2. In January 1945, Hermes’s best friend and fellow pilot, Peterson performed an epic rescue in the jungle mountains of Burma – the second helicopter rescue ever recorded.3

Edwin E. Aldrin, Sr. Among the many noteable observers onboard the USAT James Parker was Edwin E. Aldrin, Sr. Many know him as the father of Buzz Aldrin, Jr., former astronaut and the second person to walk on the Moon, but he was a distinguished aviator in his own right. Aldrin, Sr. made the first transatlantic dirigible round trip in the Hindenburg and was in the first class of the Air Services Engineering School (now known as the Air Force Institute of Technology), where his son, Buzz Aldrin, Jr. would also graduate some years later.

2 Gregory, H.F. (1976). “The Helicopter – A Pictorial History”. A.S. Barnes and Company, Cranbury, New Jersey, U.S.A. 3 http://www.helis.com/stories/burma45.php

5 | P a g e

Some time around the James Parker testing, Hermes gave a helicopter demonstration ride to Aldrin, Sr. [Exhibit 5]

Exhibit 5. Hal Hermes flying with Col. Edwin Aldrin, Sr. July 1943

Frank T. Coffyn In late 1943, Hermes had the opportunity to meet Frank T. Coffyn who had been flying since 1910 and was a member of the original Wright Brothers Demonstration Team. At the time, Coffyn was representing Liquidometer Corp’s interest in supplying control parts for the helicopter and Hermes gave Coffyn his first helicopter ride, whereupon Coffyn became determined to obtain a helicopter pilots license. This was problematic because Coffyn was a civilian and the C.A.A., at that time, had not established a helicopter pilots rating system. Coffyn then meet with Les Morris (Sikorsky’s chief test pilot) and Frank Gregory (head of USAAF’s helicopter program) and eventually obtained the “unusual permission”4 to be trained by the Army Air Forces an order that was given by none other than General Henry “Hap” Arnold, who was Chief of Army Air Forces. Coffyn and Arnold were longtime friends and shared equally long flying careers –– Coffyn held F.A.I. pilot’s license #26 and Arnold held #29. Orville Wright trained both of these veteran pilots.

It seems that Coffyn had taken a liking to the 24-year old Hermes and requested that Hermes be his helicopter instructor. Coffyn received 6 hours of instruction (with 129 landings) between April 26 and May 12, 1944. On May 3, 1944, Coffyn wrote a short letter to Hermes stating that he had spoken with General Arnold and “said some pertinent things to General Arnold” about Hermes.” [Exhibit 6]

4 From letter dated September 9, 1943 from Frank Coffyn to William A. Davis, General Inspection Division, C.A.A.

6 | P a g e

Exhibit 6. May 3, 1944 note from Frank T. Coffyn to Harold “Red” Hermes

After receiving his C.A.A. helicopter’s license on May 26, 1944, Coffyn again wrote to Hermes saying, “…they issued me the first pilots license ever issued by the C.A.A. exclusively for helicopters.” [Exhibit 7] It seems possible that upon receiving his license Coffyn – at age 66 – became the world’s oldest licensed helicopter pilot in the U.S., if not the world (Igor Sikorsky was 55 at the time).

7 | P a g e

Exhibit 7. Letter from Frank Coffyn to Harold “Red” Hermes, May 27, 1944.

Coffyn and Hermes became good friends and when Frank Coffyn was honored on the “This is Your Life” television show in March 1953 hosted by Ralph Edwards, Hermes was one of the guests to surprise Mr. Coffyn.

Orville Wright Hermes was the co-pilot on a flight that is now recognized to be Orville Wright’s last airplane flight. It occurred on a demonstration flight of the C-69 Constellation on June 5, 1944 at Wright Field, Ohio, the base where military aircraft of all kinds underwent flight performance testing by the Army Air Technical Services Command. The Constellation C-69 was being reviewed by the Army Air Forces as a long-range transport aircraft. It is reported that during the flight, “Wright was allowed to control the aircraft momentarily during the flight. He even commented that the wingspan was greater than that of his first flight.”5

According to the June 5, 1944 flight logs of Hermes, the pilot was Brig. General Ernest K. Warburton (then Colonel), Chief of the Air Material Command Flight Test Section. Hermes was the co-pilot for this one hour and 40 minute flight. [Exhibit 8]

5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_C-69_Constellation.

8 | P a g e

Exhibit 8. Flight log of Harold H. Hermes

Hermes had a knack for collecting things, and requested that a number of the participants sign a dollar bill thereby creating a “Short Snorter”, a long-standing military tradition used to commemorate important gatherings. [Exhibit 9]

Exhibit 9

Short Snorter

Signatories include a number of well-known aviators such as Orville Wright; Frank T. Coffyn (who likely had a hand in organizing the event); Frank W. Peterson; USAF Brigadier General George W. Goddard; Floyd W. Carlson Rear-Admiral George Stephen Ritchie (British) and Robert “Bob” Meyersburg.

Interestingly, this plane flown by Orville Wright was on a return trip to California after setting a transcontinental speed record of 6 hours and 57 minutes (c. 2,300 miles at an average 330.9 mph) and was piloted by billionaire Howard Hughes (and TWA president Jack Fry). Hughes (owner of TWA and a key figure in the development of the C-69 Constellation) brought along Hollywood star Ava Gardner, his girlfriend at the time, to help publicize the new plane’s capabilities.6

6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Constellation

9 | P a g e

In December 1944, Hermes wrote an article for Air Pilot Technician [Exhibit10]. At a time when helicopter were still largely experimental and still using rotary blades made of canvas-covered steel tubes with wooden ribs, this article must have been read and re-read by pilots and flying enthusiasts.

Exhibit 10. Dec. 1944 article in Air Pilot Technician by Harold Hermes

On the day before his 26th birthday, Hermes (then Captain with the additional designation of “Army Chief Test Pilot on Helicopters”) was demobilized from the military and given an honorable discharge on February 10, 1946. The ever-generous Frank Coffyn wrote letters in support of Hermes’ job application to the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) although it was hardly needed as the CAA was being staffed by many of Hermes’ friends and fellow test pilots from Wright Field after the war—and helicopter test pilots were in the highest demand because of the burgeoning civil helicopter industry.

Civil Aeronautics Administration/Federal Aviation Agency

After the war, Hermes continued as a test pilot and flight safety engineer with the CAA, while also continuing active service in the Air Force Reserve.

His very first assignment was the type certification of the Sikorsky S-51, which was a modified version of the Sikorsky YR-5A. Hermes had flown the YR-5 while at Wright Field (although he had much more experience with the R-4 and R-6). The S-51 made its first flight on February 16, 1946 and the aircraft received its CAA

10 | P a g e type certification on April 17, 1947. [Exhibit 11] Around this time, Igor Sikorsky sent Hermes an autographed photograph of the S-51 during its maiden flight (February 16, 1946). [Exhibit 12]

Exhibit 11. Sikorsky S-51 CAA certification meeting circa 1947. CAA test pilot, Harold Hermes, 2nd from left.

11 | P a g e

Exhibit 12. Sikorsky S-51 on its maiden flight signed by Igor Sikorsky and sent to Hal Hermes

Bell 47 The Bell 47 was based upon the Bell 30 prototype designed by Arthur Young and the first helicopters produced by the new company. In March 1946, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use by the CAA. In September 1946, Hermes was assigned to begin testing of the Bell 47 and must have been pleased when two Bell test pilots, Floyd Carlson and Joe Mashman, two veteran helicopter pilots and old friends of Hermes, showed up to work through some “safety changes to the control system.”

With commercial success and constant improvements and model changes, the Bell 47 family has proved to be one of the most versatile and recognizable helicopters in the world. For the next 29 years, from 1946 through 1975, Hermes flight-tested all the numerous variants of the Bell 47 including models modified with floats and sprayer systems. Exhibit 13

12 | P a g e

Exhibit 13. CAA test pilot Hal Hermes with Bell 47B with floats circa 1947.

Kaman K-190 and K-225 In December 1948, the CAA assigned Hermes to work with Kaman Aircraft Company in the CAA type certification of the Kaman K-190 and K-225 helicopters, which used a unique twin-rotor system and Kaman- patented servo-controls. These helicopters also had no tail-rotors because of the contra-rotating intermeshing rotors. The Kaman K-225 was the first gas turbine–powered helicopter and an early model of this helicopter resides in the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum.

Considering that the company was only 3 years old, developing these radically different helicopters was a phenomenal technological achievement. 26-year old Charles Kaman started Kaman Aircraft in 1945 working first out of his mother’s garage. Today in 2015, Kaman Aerospace is a major company with annual sales approaching $2 billion. Kaman was an early innovator with wooden rotors, which in time led to a spin-off company, the Ovation Guitar Company, which used their unique expertise with wood construction to make the world famous “Ovation” guitar7.

Both the K-190A and the K-225 gained the CAA type certificate in April 1949. [Exhibit 14 and Exhibit 15]

7 http://www.ovationguitars.com/history/

13 | P a g e

Exhibit 14. April 1949. Charles Kaman (far right) receives type certifications for Kaman’s first helicopters from Roy Clark, CAA senior inspector, with Harold Hermes (CAA test pilot) behind.

14 | P a g e

Exhibit 15. The world’s first commercial twin-rotor helicopters fly in formation at Bradley Field, Connecticut. They are also the world’s first helicopters with fully servo-controlled rotors. This photograph is signed by Charles Kaman, Helen Kaman, several CAA officials, Kaman test pilots and other Kaman employees.

Piasecki Helicopters Frank N. Piasecki for his helicopter company in 1940, the year after Igor Sikorsky had flow what is considered the first successful helicopter. Piasecki’s PV-2 first flew in April 1943 and is considered the second successful helicopter to fly in the America. [Exhibit 16] Frank Piasecki received the first helicopter license issued to someone who did not already have a license to fly a fixed-wing aircraft.8 Piasecki’s unique tandem rotor designs proved very successful in a continuing family of heavy load transport helicopters that are today part of Rotorcraft Division of Boeing.

8 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/business/15piasecki.html?_r=0

15 | P a g e

Exhibit 16. Exhibit CAA certification team with a Piasecki “Flying Banana” (model and date unknown). Possible a Piasecki HRP-1, note the fabric covering. CAA test pilot Harold Hermes is standing, 4th from the left.

Charles Seibel In 1950, Hermes first met Charles Seibel while Seibel was developing the S-4A, shown in Exhibit 17 Hermes tested the S-4A in October 1950 but the helicopter did not receive military orders. Seibel joined up with Cessna and the S-4B would serve as the basis for the design of the Cessna CH-1 Skyhook. The CH-1 Skyhook set a number of records and “firsts” including the distinction of being the first civil certification of a helicopter to be operated under the Flight Rules, which came about from collaboration between Hermes and Seibel and an important technical paper shown in Exhibit 21.

16 | P a g e

Exhibit 17. Seibel S-4A early flight circa 1949. Pilot is likely Johnny Gibbs

Sikorsky S-55 The Sikorsky S-55 was extensively flight tested by Hermes in beginning in 1952. [Exhibit 18] Called the H-19 Chickasaw by the military it was the “US Army's first true transport helicopter and, as such, played an important role in the initial formulation of Army doctrine regarding air mobility and the battlefield employment of troop-carrying helicopters”.9

9 http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/sikorsky_h-19

17 | P a g e

Exhibit 18. CAA test pilot Harold Hermes (11th from left) with Sikorsky staff commemorating CAA certification of Sikorsky S-55. Date unknown.

This eye-catching helicopter is a McCullock MC-4A. In October 1952, Hermes few this exact #N4072K was along with test pilot Al Bayer. Although this helicopter was not a successful project for the McCullough company (better known for its chainsaws), in terms of pure design, it has an amazing look. [Exhibit 19]

18 | P a g e

Exhibit 19. McCullock MC-4A. Print signed by McCullough test pilot Al Bayer circa 1952

Hermes was active in promoting rapidly evolving helicopter CAA regulations. [Exhibit 20]

Exhibit 20. Harold Hermes at a 1951 The American Helicopter Society meeting.

In the early 1960’s Hermes was instrumental in developing the FAA’s Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) for the helicopter. Amongst his work is a technical paper he prepared and presented along with Charles M. Siebel, often described as a genius of early helicopter technology then working with Bell Helicopters.10 [Exhibit 21]

10 http://www.collectair.com/cessna.html and http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/seibel_s-4.php

19 | P a g e

Exhibit 21. IAS Paper No. 61-53 by Harold Hermes and Charlie Siebel. Presented to the IAS 29th Annual Meeting.

The Life of a Test Pilot There are many pilots who can boast more hour flying hours than Hermes, but few that can match the sheer number and magnitude of challenging and dangerous flight situations that Hermes strapped in for throughout his flying career. Being a Wright Field test pilot during WW2 demanded a special mindset and skillset that only a few know, but many others just call it the “Wright Stuff”.

Over his career, Hermes logged around 6,500 hours. Many of his flights lasted less than an hour. His log book is full of intentional “dives”; “stalls”; “power-off landings”; “stickless landings”; “water landings”; “night water landings”; and ongoing testing and retesting of every new engine, rotor, component and innovation often purposely scheduled during weather extremes that occurred during his long career. A sample page from his flight log book – after his war service while at the CAA – is demonstates the schizophric schedule of a “Flight Engineer Inspector”. [ Exhibit 22]

20 | P a g e

Exhibit 22. April 1946 flight log of Hal Hermes

Throughtout most of his career Hermes had hands-on experience with the vast majority of all helicopters flying in America, but it should be remembered that Hermes logged many hours testing a wide range of fixed- wing aircraft.

His pilots license read, “ALL RATINGS AUTHORIZED” meaning he was authorized to fly any type of aircraft commercial or military. His logs list hundreds of different aircraft including gliders, light aircraft, seaplanes, fighters, jet fighters, as well as jet and propeller versions of long-range commerical and military transports and heavy bombers. Hermes had significant flight testing responsibilies for the following fixed-wing aircraft.

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor Corvair CV-580 Lockheed C-69 Constellation Beechcraft B-55 Curtis C-46 Commando Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star Bell P-39 Airacobra Curtis P-36 Hawk Martin M-202 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Curtis P-40 Warhawk North American P-51Mustang Boeing C-97 Straofreightor Douglas C-124 Globemaster II Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche Boeing B-307 Sratoliner Douglas DC-4 Piper Pa-23 Apache Boing B-50 Superfortress Douglas DC-3 Most Piper, Cessna, Beech, Fairchild Cessna C-310 Douglas A-26 Invader models Consolidated B-24 Liberator Fairchild C-82

In 1971 Hermes was award a Meritorios Service Medal by the U.S. AirForce Reserve. [Exhibit 23] And for all the risks of performance flight test of new aircraft, Hermes had an superb saftey record – he walked away from all three of his known aircraft crashes: (1) a B-17G (the final version of the “Flying Fortress”) crash in March 1944; (2) a Skirosky XR-5 helicopter crash in November 1944 while with the Army Air Forces; and (3) a helicopter crash where fire destroyed the entire craft in June 1952, while with the CAA.

21 | P a g e

Exhibit 23. Harold H. Hermes receiving an Air Force Commendation Medal in 1971 then serving in the Air Force Reserve.

At age 56, Hermes retired from the FAA in March 1976 with a special award for his contributions to the FAA Instrument Flight Rules for helicopters. His fellow pilots and co-workers made him an “Honorary Indian Chief” with the name, “He Who Rides Whirlwind.”

Hermes continued flying and testing as part of the Air Force Reserve until his retirement in February 1980.

For several years, Hermes kept active in the aviation industry. He was an expert witness for legal cases requiring knowledge of aircraft airworthiness. He also spent two years in Montreal, Canada with Canadair Corporation (now part of Bombardier Aerospace) where he ushered the new Challenger corporate jet through its FAA certification process.

Family Life Harold H. Hermes married Lila Hampton in 1950, who was working at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City at the time. They were married within 6 months and together they raised three children, Diana, Richard and Nancy.

For all the grit and grease of a Wright Field test pilot, Hermes is remembered as a calm, patient, soft-spoken, unassuming man, who loved and cared well for his family. Hermes was an active member of the First Christian Church where he served as a Deacon and an Elder. His family cannot recall a single incident of him ever cursing or speaking ill of another person.

Even in his time off, Hermes continued to educate himself about the math and engineering required by his chosen profession. He regretted never having finishing his engineering studies but he had a lifelong drive always be well informed in aviation science. He had excellent mental math skills and could make a slide rule fly.

22 | P a g e

Ret. Lt. Col. U.S.A.F Harold “Hal” or “Red” Hermes passed away on July 31, 1989. Hermes was a proud member of the Quiet Birdmen; founding member of Twirly Birds; life member of the Order of Daedalions; life member of Retired Officers Association; life member Reserve Officers Association; member American Helicopter Association; member Helicopter Association International; and a life member of the Air Force Association.

23 | P a g e