Why is this military helicopter called the flying banana?

Most of us likely don't associate military helicopters with food, so having one called the "Flying Banana" is quite odd. But ...
We Are The Mighty on MSN

What happened during the first midair helicopter hoist rescue

In 1945, pilot "Jimmy" Viner bet on a new apparatus.
Forbes

On This Day In 1944, Helicopters Became Lifesaving Tools

82 years ago today, a U.S. Coast Guard pilot flew history’s first helicopter rescue mission. On January 3, 1944, Coast Guard Pilot Frank Erickson flew straight into the teeth of a raging storm to ...
The National Interest

Mil Mi-1: The USSR’s First Helicopter Punched Above Its Weight

The Mi-1’s simplicity, versatility, and reliability made it a workhorse for the USSR and its allies. Developed by the Mil Design Bureau, the Soviet Mil Mi-1 is the first helicopter produced by the ...