Development began in 1956 as the Vertol model 114. In Jun 1959 a US Army contract for 5 prototype effective battlefield medium/heavy lift helicopters was awarded. The second prototype was the first to fly on 21 Sep 1961 and the CH-47A entered US Army service in Aug 1962. In the meantime (1960) Boeing had acquired Vertol. 
The CH-47 Chinook is tandem rotor medium/heavy lift helicopter with a pair of 3 bladed, contra-rotating rotors atop a square section, semi-monocoque, all-metal fuselage, supported on a non-retracting quadricycle undercarriage. Twin engines mounted externally on either side of the rear rotor head above a downward opening rear loading cargo ramp. Variable number of cargo hook hard points on the fuselage underside.
Hugely successful design has been developed and improved for over forty years in a number of versions and for a variety of customers, with every prospect of life extensions for another thirty.
Also built by Kawasaki in Japan and Meridionali in Italy. Chinooks have served in all branches of the US military and para-military and the armed forces of Argentina, Australia, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Italy, Japan, Libya, Morocco, Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Spain,
Taiwan, Thailand and the UK. A commercial version (the Model 234) is also available. Canadian military examples are designated CH-147.
CH-47 Chinook News |
Q40 Defender Celebrates Chinook Anniversary
05-May-22 - TECNIQ, a British automotive design and manufacturing specialist, showcase Q40 Defender project celebrating 40th anniversary of the CH-47 Chinook in RAF service #Q40
RAF Chinook and Puma Joint Flight
07-Dec-21 - The Royal Air Force (RAF) celebrated the 90 years of combined service of the Puma and Chinook helicopters with a specially painted aircraft formation flight #90years
Chinook First Flight 60th Anniversary
22-Sep-21 - The iconic tandem-rotor helicopter made its first flight on September 21, 1961, and will lead heavy-lift readiness for decades to come #Chinook
Pegnitz Chinook Crash 50th Anniversary
27-Aug-21 - On August 18, 1971 a Boeing-Vertol CH-47A Chinook from US Army 4th Aviation Company crashed in Pegnitz, Germany, killing 37 American Soldiers #chinook
RAF Chinook 40th Anniversary
01-Dec-20 - The Royal Air Force remembered the arrival at RAF Odiham on 22nd November 1980 of the first Chinook helicopter. The Chinook has been involved in every major conflict since then seeing action in the South Atlantic, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan| More News ... |  |
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Derivatives & Versions of CH-47 Chinook |
| Model | Year | History |
|---|---|---|
| CH-47A Chinook 1961 | 1961 | |
| YHC-1B / YCH-47A 1961 | 1961 | |
| ACH-47A Guns A Go-Go 1965 | 1965 | Four CH-47A Attack Cargo Helicopter were converted to gunships in November 1965. The four aircraft were named Cost of Living, Easy Money, Stump J ... |
| CH-47B Chinook 1966 | 1966 | Powered by two Lycoming T55-L-7C 2,850 shp engines. Featured a blunted rear rotor pylon, redesigned asymmetrical rotor blades, and strakes along ... The CH-47B was to be ordered by the RAF to replace the Belvedere. Subsequently cancelled. |
| CH-47C Chinook 1967 | 1967 | |
 EM CH-47C Chinook 1968 | 1968 | |
| 347 1970 | 1970 | Testing advanced technologies for future designs, in 1965 Boeing Vertol modified a Bv-107II as a concept demonstrator with four stub wings among ... |
| CH-147 Chinook 1974 | 1974 | CH-47C for Canadian Armed Forces |
| B 414 - H-47D Chinook 1979 | 1979 | In 1976 three US Army Chinooks (one for each existent version, A,B and C)
were chosen to be converted to the new CH-47D variant which have upgr ... |
| KHI CH-47J 1988 | 1988 | The CH-47J is a medium-transport helicopter for the Japan Ground Self Defence Force, and the long range SAR helicopter for the Japan Air Self Def ... In February 2025, Japan ordered 17 CH-47F Block II to be manufactured by Kawasaki |
