The Sikorsky H-5 (R-5 until 1948; company designation VS-327)[1] is a helicopter built by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, formerly used by the United States Air Force, and its predecessor, the United States Army Air Forces, as well as the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard (with the designations HO2S and HO3S). It was also used by the United States Post Office Department.[2]
Design and development
The H-5 was designed to provide a helicopter having greater useful load, endurance, speed, and service ceiling than the Sikorsky R-4. It differed from the R-4 in having a new, longer fuselage for two in tandem and a much greater rotor diameter.[1] The first XR-5 of four ordered made its initial flight on August 18, 1943. In March 1944, the United States Army Air Force ordered 26 YR-5As for service testing, and in February 1945, the first YR-5A was delivered. This order was followed by a production contract for 100, outfitted with racks for two litters (stretchers); only 34 were actually delivered.[1]
Twenty-one YR-5As were fitted with third seat, rescue hoist, auxiliary external fuel tank, and nosewheel; the United States Navy evaluated three, as the HO2S-1.[1] Five more were converted as dual-control YR-5Es.[1]
A civil version, the S-51, featured four seats and even greater rotor diameter and gross weight, first flew on February 16, 1946.[1] Eleven of these became USAF R-5Fs; while ninety went to the Navy as HO3S-1s.[1] In December 1946 an agreement was signed between Westland and Sikorsky to all and anglicized version of the S-51 to be manufactured under license in Britain as the Westland-Sikorsky WS-51 Dragonfly, all of which were powered by a 500hp Alvis Leonides engine. More than 300 H-5s had been built by the time production was halted in 1951. A considerably modified version was also developed by Westland as the Westland Widgeon.
Thirty-nine additional specialized rescue helicopters were built, as the H-5G, in 1948, while sixteen were fitted with pontoons as the H-5H amphibian in 1949.[1]
The R-5 was designated under the United States Army Air Force system, a series starting with R-1 and proceeded up to about R-16. In 1947 with the start of the United States Air Force, there was a new system, and many aircraft, but not all, were redesignated. The R-6 became the H-6. The United States Army broke off with its own designation system in the 1950s, resulting in new designations for its helicopter projects (such as the HO-6).[3] In 1962 under the new tri-service system (see 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system), many Navy and Army aircraft were given the low numbers. Under the 1962 system, the low H numbers were given to new aircraft. For example, H-6 was given to the HO-6, which entered service as the Cayuse.
Operational history
During its service life, the H-5 was used for rescue and mercy missions throughout the world. It gained its greatest fame, however, during the Korean War when it was called upon repeatedly to rescue United Nations' pilots shot down behind enemy lines and to evacuate wounded personnel from frontline areas before being replaced in most roles by the H-19 Chickasaw.
Variants
A HO3S-1 of Marine Air Group 33 at Inchon, Korea, 1950.
HO3S Dragonfly of the US Coast Guard
- XR-5
- Prototype based on the VS.372 with two seats and tailwheel landing gear and powered by a 450hp R-985-AN-5, five built.
- YR-5A
- As the XR-5 with minor modifications, 26 built including two to the United States Navy as the H02S-1.
- R-5A
- Production rescue model with provision for two external stretchers, 34 built later re-designated H-5A.
- R-5B
- Modified R-5A, not built.
- YR-5C
- Modifiec R-5A, not built.
- R-5D
- Modified R-5As with nose-wheel landing gear, rescue hoist, twenty conversion later re-designated H-5D.
- YR-5E
- Modified YR-5As with dual controls, five conversions later re-designated YH-5E.
- R-5F
- Civil model S-51 four-seaters bought in 1947, 11 built later re-designated H-5F.
- H-5A
- R-5A redesignated.
- H-5D
- R-5D redesignated.
- YH-5E
- YR-5E redesignated.
- H-5F
- R-5F redesignated.
- H-5G
- Four-seater as H-5F with rescue equipment, 39 bought.
- H-5H
- As H-5G with updated equipment, 16 built.
- H02S-1
- Two YR-5As to the United States Navy later passed to the United States Coast Guard, order for 34 cancelled.
- H03S-1
- Four-seat version for the USN similar to the H-5F, 88 built.
- H03S-1G
- H03S-1 for the United States Coast Guard, nine built.
- H03S-2
- Was a naval version of the H-5H, not built.
- H03S-3
- One H03S-1 modified in 1950 with a redesigned rotor.
- S-51
- Civil four-seat transport version.
Operators
Sikorsky S-51
Sikorsky H-5 helicopter and Grumman SA-16s of the 3rd Rescue Squadron
 Brazil France
 Canada Japan Philippines South Africa
 Thailand United Kingdom
 United States
Survivors
Specifications
General characteristics
- Length: 41 ft 2 in (12.5 m)
- Rotor diameter: 48 ft (14.6 m)
- Height: 12 ft 11 in (3.9 m)
- Loaded weight: 4,815 lb (2,184 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney R-985, 450 hp (335 kW)
- * Tail rotor diameter: 8 ft 5 in (2.5 m)
Performance
Armament
None
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Fitzsimons, Bernard, general editor. Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 20, p.2173, "R-5, Sikorsky".
- ^ What Happens When You Mail a Letter article in "Popular Science" magazine (December 1951)
- ^ Polmar, Norman, & Kennedy, Floyd D., Jr. Military Helicopters of the World (Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1981), p.227
External links
See also
Related development
Related lists
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