Back in the mid-70s Winnebago Industries and Orlando Helicopter Airways were marketing “the most dramatic, comfortable, convenient and unique RV in the world.”
This week in the free RVTravel.com ezine, Chris Dougherty reports on this Edsel of the airways–the Winnebago Heli-home.
Sold under the Itasca nameplate, a large sliding patio door opened up onto a “patio” which was covered by a box-type manual awning.
These “go-anywhere RVs had bathrooms with hot showers and toilets, a full galley with stove and refrigerator, wet bar, color TV, stereo, awning with optional screen room, on-board communications system, 3.5 KW generator, fresh water tank, two holding tanks, 6,000 BTU air conditioner, 40,000 BTU furnace, and sleeping for up to six,” writes Dougherty.
“And no worry about finding a place to land beside your favorite lake: Just land right on the lake! Optional pontoons could be purchased, making the Heli-home a flying houseboat, too,” reports Dougherty.
With a price tag of $300,000 price tag (roughly $1.25 million in 2014.) only eight were sold.
Read another expanded article on this short lived-upper end RV in the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum magazine.
Photos: Courtesy of Winnebago Industries; RVTravel.com.
