Canadian Warplanes 7: Doman LZ-5 helicopter

Doman LZ-5

(Jeff Evans Collection & airwar.ru Photo)

The Doman LZ-5 helicopter, ex US built, Reg. No. N812. It was transferred to Fleet of Canada as D-10B, prototype, and for sales purposes. It was initially registered as CF-IBG-X in Canada by June 1955. The D-10B helicopter was evaluated by the Evaluation Planning Group, Army Headquarters at Rockcliffe, Ontario in the summer of 1956, by which time it was CF-IBG. It was on strength with the Canadian Army as an air observation post (AOP). (Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum)

The Doman LZ-5 was a utility helicopter developed in the United States in the early 1950s by Doman Helicopters Inc. of Danbury, Connecticut. Despite the procurement of international manufacturing agreements, no series production of the aircraft ever occurred and only three prototypes were built. Two of these were purchased by the United States Army as the YH-31, but eventually becoming VH-31.

Doman also built an LZ-5 aircraft in a joint venture with Fleet in Canada.. This aircraft, along with the two built in the USA were simultaneously Type Certificated in U.S. and Canada in 1954. The third helicopter flew extensively in Canada under Canadian registration CF-IBG and in the United States, France, and Italy under U.S. registration N812. It flew in the Paris Air Show in 1960. This aircraft was also modified with the installation of full blind flight instrumentation, which was demonstrated extensively in the effort to sell it as a trainer. The aircraft thus equipped was advertised as the D-10. The planned production version would have been modified with a turbo-charged engine and designated as the D-10B. Doman sold production rights for military versions to Hiller and for the Italian market to Ambrosini. Ultimately, none of these plans came to fruition, and the LZ-5 never entered production. (Wikipedia)

(Author Photo)

Doman LZ-1A (Sikorsky R-6A conversion YH-31) Helicopter, Reg. No. N74146, New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut. After the demise of Doman Helicopters Inc. in 1969, the second Army prototype shown here was taken to California for display at the Hiller Aviation Museum, founded by Stanley Hiller, Jr. N74146 was returned to Connecticut in 2009.