About the time the OH-58 project was winding down Harmon Fischer and Chapman “Chappy” Holbrook decided we needed a gas turbine engine of the type used in the OH-58 for display in the “Museum” area of the Eckelmann building. Having located one in the Point Coupee Sheriff’s hangar near New Roads LA, they made the nearly 300 mile round trip to retrieve it. It was in pretty good condition and needed only cleaning and a little cosmetic treatment. Chappy then constructed a stand and the engine was placed on display.
The Allison 250 is the world’s most successful small gas turbine engine. It was first produced in 1959, the design horsepower was 250 BHP. The engine was built at a time when most gas turbine manufacturers thought there would not be a market for such a small power plant and expected this role to be served by piston engines. Over the years the power output of this unit has grown and some units produce as much as 600 BHP. The Allison 250 is fitted to numerous aircraft including the Bell/Textron Jet Ranger- one of the world’s most successful helicopters.
