Developed as the YHC-14 in 1958 due an US army 's request for a medium-size turbine powered helicopter, was soon cancelled on behalf of the biggest
CH-47 Chinook of the same company.
However, the US marines test a modified version, the Model 107M ,
that was soon accepted as the HRB-1 and with the normalization
of 1961 became in the CH-46
A real workhorse of the US Navy and Marines Corps since 1960, is primarily used to provide
all-weather day or night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment.
524 H-46s were manufactured with the final production version being the CH-46E and
rolled off the assembly line in February of 1971, although a CH-46F model variant was
introduced upgrading previous E airframes.
While the United States Navy retired the airframe on September 24, 2004 , replacing it with the
MH-60S Knighthawk,
the Marine Corps plans to maintain its fleet until the Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey
is fully fielded.
The model 107 was built with license in Japan by Kawasaki as the KV-107
and is also used in Canada as CH-113 Labrador / Voyageur and Sweden as HKP-4
On December 15th, 2006, Boeing transfered the Type Certificate for the Vertol 107 to Columbia Helicopters, Inc.
which basically now makes Columbia the type design holder (owner).
Columbia can now manufacture all parts up to and including the aircraft
if they so desire in the future (after issuance by the Federal Aviation Administration FAA of a Production Certificate).
