Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw

For other uses, see H19 (disambiguation).

The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (company model number S-55) is a multi-purpose piston-engined helicopter that was used by the United States Army and United States Air Force. It was also license-built by Westland Aircraft as the Westland Whirlwind in the United Kingdom. United States Navy and United States Coast Guard models were designated HO4S, while those of the U.S. Marine Corps were designated HRS. In 1962, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps versions were all redesignated as H-19s like their U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force counterparts.

H-19 Chickasaw / S-55
An Army UH-19D Chickasaw
General information
Type	Utility helicopter
Manufacturer	Sikorsky Aircraft
Primary users	United States Army United States Air Force United States Navy United States Coast Guard
Number built	1,728[1]
History
Introduction date	16 April 1950 (U.S. Air Force)
First flight	10 November 1949
Retired	26 February 1969 (U.S. Navy)
Variants	Westland Whirlwind
Developed into	Sikorsky H-34 (S-58 / Wessex)

The H-19 pioneered the use of a nose-mounted radial engine powering a single fully articulated main rotor located above the cabin, which helped maintain a proper center of gravity under varying loading conditions without requiring ballast to maintain longitudinal stability as with prior Sikorsky designs. This layout gave the H-19 series a characteristic bulbous-nosed appearance and made it one of the first truly successful single-rotor utility helicopters, leading to a number of derivative designs including the Sikorsky H-34, which was produced in even greater numbers. The H-19 had a long military career worldwide in the late 20th century and also proved popular with civil operators.

Development

HRS-1 of the USMC, on display at a museum, 2014

Development of the H-19 was initiated privately by Sikorsky without government sponsorship. The helicopter was initially designed as a testbed for several novel design concepts intended to provide greater load-carrying ability in combination with easy maintenance. Under the leadership of designer Edward F. Katzenberger, a mockup was designed and fabricated in less than one year.^[1]

The first customer was the United States Air Force, which ordered five YH-19 aircraft for evaluation; the YH-19's first flight was on 10 November 1949, less than a year after the program start date. This was followed by delivery of the first YH-19 to the U.S. Air Force on 16 April 1950 and delivery of the first HO4S-1 helicopter to the U. S. Navy on 31 August 1950. A U.S. Air Force YH-19 was sent to Korea for service trials in March 1951, where it was joined by a second YH-19 in September 1951. On 27 April 1951, the first HRS-1 was delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps, and on 2 May 1951, the first S-55 was delivered to Westland Aircraft.^[1]

1,281 of the helicopters were manufactured by Sikorsky in the United States. An additional 447 were manufactured by licensees of the helicopter including Westland Aircraft, SNCASE in France and Mitsubishi in Japan.^[1]

The helicopter was widely exported, used by many other nations, including Portugal, Greece, Israel, Chile, South Africa, Denmark and Turkey.

In 1954 the U.S. Marine Corps tested an idea to enhance lift in hot-and-high and/or heavily loaded conditions by installing a rocket nozzle at the tip of each rotor blade with the fuel tank located in the center above the rotor blade hub. Enough fuel was provided for seven minutes of operation.^[2] Although tests of the system were considered successful, it was never adopted operationally.^[1]

Design

H-19 at National Museum of the United States Air Force, showing unusual mounting of engine

Major innovations implemented on the H-19 were the forward placement of the engine below the crew compartment and in front of the main cabin, the use of offset flapping hinges located nine inches (230 mm) from the center of the rotor, and the use of hydraulic servos for the main rotor controls. These features yielded an aircraft that was far more capable in a transport role than previous Sikorsky designs.

The forward engine location placed the main cabin essentially in line with the main rotor's rotational axis and close to the aircraft center of gravity, making it easier to maintain proper weight and balance under differing loading conditions.^[1] The impetus for this design choice was the recent rejection of the Sikorsky XHJS by the U.S. Navy in favor of the tandem rotor Piasecki HUP Retriever; the Navy had strongly objected to the necessity to use ballast in the cabin-forward XHJS to maintain proper weight and balance, prompting Sikorsky to seek single-rotor design alternatives that did not require this.^[3]

Another benefit of this engine location was ease of maintenance, as the engine could be readily accessed at ground level through dual clamshell-style doors; the entire engine could be changed in only two hours, and the radial engine was oriented backwards relative to a typical airplane installation, allowing more convenient access to engine accessories.^{[1][note 1]}

UH-19B rotor head, with main rotors folded

The offset flapping hinges and hydraulic servos gave more positive flight control under differing loading conditions, isolated the flight controls from vibration, and lessened control forces; the H-19 could be flown with only two fingers on the cyclic control.^[1]

The YH-19 prototypes featured a blunt aft fuselage and a single starboard-mounted horizontal tailplane with a small vertical fin at its outboard end. Initial production models added a large fillet-like fin behind the fuselage and under the tailboom, and the tailplane configuration was changed to an inverted "V" shape.^[3]

Early H-19 and HO4S variants were powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-57 radial rated at 600 hp (450 kW) and used a centrifugal clutch that automatically engaged the main rotor when a preset engine speed was reached. However, the HO4S was deemed underpowered in U.S. Navy service with this powerplant, so the aircraft was re-engined with a 700 hp (520 kW) Wright R-1300-3 radial which the U.S. Navy found to be adequate in an air–sea rescue role; the H-19B, HO4S-3, HRS-3, and subsequent models would use this powerplant. The R-1300 models also used a single horizontal tailplane in place of the early inverted "V" style, and a new hydro-mechanical clutch gave smoother and more rapid rotor acceleration during clutch engagement and allowed the engine to be started and operated at any speed while disengaged from the transmission and rotors.^[1]

Early civilian and military S-55 models offered a folding 400-pound (180 kg) capacity hoist above the starboard main cabin door, while later models could be equipped with a more capable and reliable 600-pound (270 kg) capacity unit. Starting with the introduction of the S-55C in October 1956, the tailboom was inclined three degrees downward to provide more main rotor clearance during hard landings; models equipped with the inclined tail also used an 8-foot-9-inch (2.67 m) tail rotor in place of the earlier 8-foot-8-inch (2.64 m) unit.^[1]

Operational history

Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw in Istanbul Aviation Museum (İstanbul Havacılık Müzesi), Istanbul, Turkey, with downward-inclined tailboom typical of later models

The H-19 Chickasaw holds the distinction of being the U.S. Army's first true transport helicopter and, as such, played an important role in the initial formulation of Army doctrine regarding air mobility and the battlefield employment of troop-carrying helicopters. The H-19 underwent live service tests in the hands of the 6th Transportation Company, during the Korean War beginning in 1951 as an unarmed transport helicopter. Undergoing tests such as medical evacuation, tactical control and frontline cargo support, the helicopter succeeded admirably in surpassing the capabilities of the H-5 Dragonfly which had been used throughout the war by the Army.

The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) made extensive use of the H-19 in the Korean War. It was designated as the HRS in USMC service. Marine Squadron HMR-161 arrived in Korea on 2 September 1951 with 15 HRS-1 helicopters. The new helicopter squadron started operations upon arrival. On 13 September 1951, during Operation Windmill I, HMR-161 transported 18,848 pounds (8.5 t) of gear and 74 Marines onto a ridge in the Punchbowl area. A week later HMR-161 shuttled 224 recon company marines and 17,772 pounds (8.1 t) of supplies to a remote hilltop in the same area. Their performance continued to improve and in Operation Haylift II on 23–27 February 1953, HMR-161 lifted 1.6 million pounds (730 t) of cargo to resupply two regiments. Although HMR-161 helicopters were operating in "hot" landing zones near enemy troops, they did not lose any helicopters to enemy fire. HRS-1 helicopters were also used to relocate rocket launcher batteries; the rockets created a dust cloud when fired, making the launcher a target for counter-battery fire, so launchers and crews were moved twice a day. Each HRS-1 helicopter carried four rocket launchers and extra rockets as external cargo, with the crew in the cabin. The HRS-1 helicopter proved to be durable and reliable in Korean service. One reportedly flew home after losing 18 in (46 cm) of main rotor blade to a tree. HMR-161 reported 90% aircraft availability.^[4]

The success of helicopter operations with the USMC prompted the service to seek a military light utility vehicle that the HRS could lift, leading to the development of the aluminum-bodied, 1,700 lb (770 kg) M422 Mighty Mite in the early 1950s. However, developmental issues delayed deployment of the M422 until 1959, by which time the HRS was being replaced by utility helicopters capable of lifting standard U.S. light utility vehicles, rendering the M422 unnecessary and – due to its unique design – a supply chain liability. The Mighty Mite was only produced in small numbers and was mostly withdrawn from service by the late 1960s.^[5]

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) ordered 50 H-19A's for rescue duties in 1951. These aircraft were the primary rescue and medical evacuation helicopters for the USAF during the Korean War. The Air Force continued to use the H-19 through the 1960s, ultimately acquiring 270 of the H-19B model.^[6]

USAF HH-19 in a publicity photo purported to show the rescue of U.S. F-86 ace Joseph C. McConnell; the actual rescue was conducted using a different H-19.^[7]

A notable rescue involving a USAF H-19 occurred on 12 April 1953 when a North American F-86 Sabre flown by leading American flying ace Joseph C. McConnell was riddled with cannon fire from an enemy MiG-15 during a patrol over MiG Alley. McConnell was able to turn and shoot down the attacking MiG, but his F-86 was badly damaged and began losing engine power. Realizing he could not make it back to base, McConnell headed for the USAF rescue base at Cho-do, spotting an H-19 below him. H-19 pilots Joe Sullivan and Don Crabb, alerted that two damaged Sabres were headed towards them, saw McConnell's F-86 and changed course to parallel it. McConnell ejected over the Yellow Sea near the helicopter and was pulled from the water within two minutes by H-19 medic Arthur Gillespie; McConnell later told his sister "I barely got wet." Seeking favorable publicity for its ace pilots in Korea, the USAF circulated a rescue photo which was widely published in U.S. newspapers; however, Sullivan, Crabb, and Gillespie were flying a different H-19 without rescue markings that day. Historian Kenneth P. Werrell writes that the misleading, staged photo was likely a ruse to conceal the fact that the H-19 was not originally on an air rescue mission but was instead supporting special operations in the Cho-do area.^[7]

On 1 September 1953, Sabena used the S-55 to inaugurate the first commercial helicopter service in Europe, with routes between Rotterdam and Maastricht in the Netherlands and Cologne and Bonn in West Germany.^[3]

France made aggressive use of helicopters in Algeria, both as troop transports and gunships. Piasecki H-21 and Sud-built Sikorsky H-34 helicopters rapidly displaced fixed-wing aircraft for the transport of paras and quick-reaction commando teams. In Indochina, a small number of Hiller H-23s and H-19s were available for casualty evacuation. In 1956, the French Air Force experimented with arming the H-19, then being superseded in service by the more capable H-21 and H-34. The H-19 was originally fitted with a 20mm cannon, two rocket launchers, two 12.7mm machine guns, and a 7.5mm light machine gun firing from the cabin windows, but this load proved far too heavy, and even lightly armed H-19 gunships fitted with flexible machine guns for self-defense proved underpowered.^{[citation needed]}

The H-19 was also used by the French forces in the First Indochina War. A small number of war-worn H-19s were given to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in 1958, when the French military departed. These saw very limited service in the early days of the Vietnam War, before being supplanted by the more capable H-34.^[8]

Pakistan ordered eight S-55s in 1956 to equip search and rescue squadrons of the Pakistan Air Force. They saw service during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, flying various missions including counterintelligence operations at Karachi in co-operation with the Army. They were retired from service in 1971.^[9][10][11]

The H-19 left U.S. military service when the CH-19E was retired by U.S. Navy squadron HC-5 on 26 February 1969. Surplus H-19s were sold on the open market, and civil interest was sufficient that Sikorsky (and later Orlando Helicopter Airways or OHA) offered conversion kits allowing a military surplus H-19 to be commercially operated under a standard Federal Aviation Administration type certificate as an S-55B.^{[note 2]} Turboshaft conversions were also offered by aftermarket modification companies.^[1]

Sikorsky UH-19 at the Canadian Museum of Flight in 1988, painted as it would have looked while working on the construction of the Mid-Canada Line. This aircraft has the early-style straight tailboom.

A novel civil conversion of the H-19 by OHA was the Heli-Camper, a campervan-like conversion—featuring a built-in mini-kitchen and sleeping accommodations for four.^[1] In the late 1970s, OHA participated in a joint effort with popular American recreational vehicle (RV) manufacturer Winnebago Industries to market the aircraft, now renamed the Winnebago Heli-Home. A larger version based on the Sikorsky S-58 was also developed, and optional floats were offered for amphibious operations. The aircraft were featured in several American popular magazines and reportedly drew large crowds at RV shows and dealerships, but their high purchase price together with rising 1970s fuel prices resulted in very limited sales; production is not well documented, but is estimated at only six or seven of the S-55 and S-58 versions combined.^[12]

In the mid-1980s, the U.S. Army sought an economical helicopter to simulate the sound and radar signature of the Soviet Mil Mi-24 during exercises. OHA sold the Army fifteen modified S-55/Mi-24s with a new five-bladed rotor system, which was quieter than the original three-bladed rotor and made the aircraft sound similar to an Mi-24. The piston engines and original Sikorsky tail rotors were retained.^[13]

OHA also produced the S-55QT Whisper Jet, an extra-quiet civil conversion based on the five-bladed S-55/Mi-24, but using an 840 horsepower (630 kW) Garrett TPE331 derated to 650 horsepower (480 kW) from the S-55T, which lowered the aircraft's empty weight by 900 pounds (410 kg). The aircraft were also outfitted with special intake and exhaust silencers, carbon fiber noise-absorbing engine compartment doors, and a transparent Plexiglas floor. Five aircraft were built in 1999 to comply with strict National Park Service noise limits for Grand Canyon aerial tours; however, the aircraft were only used in this role for two years because it was difficult for pilots in the high-mounted cockpit to communicate with tourists in the main cabin. After being retired from sightseeing, the helicopters were used in utility and lift roles.^[13]

Variants

UH-19B, USAF Museum

A U.S. Navy HO4S stationed at NAF El Centro. Inverted "V" tailplane is typical of early models with R-1340 engine.

A USMC HRS-2 of HMR-161 in Korea, 1953

An HO4S of the Royal Canadian Navy

YH-19

Five early production S-55s for evaluation

H-19A

USAF version of the YH-19 powered by a 600 hp (450 kW) R-1340-57 engine, redesignated UH-19A in 1962, 50 built.

SH-19A

H-19As modified for air-sea rescue, redesignated HH-19A in 1962.

H-19B

H-19A with a more powerful 700 hp (520 kW) R-1300-3 engine, redesignated UH-19B in 1962, 264 built.

SH-19B

H-19Bs modified for air-sea rescue, redesignated HH-19B in 1962.

H-19C

U.S. Army version of the H-19A, redesignated UH-19C in 1962, 72 built.

H-19D (S-55) of the U.S. Army

H-19D

U.S. Army version of the H-19B, redesignated UH-19D in 1962, 301 built.

HO4S-1

U.S. Navy version of the H-19A, ten built.

HO4S-2

Air-sea rescue version with R-1340^[14] derated to 550 hp (410 kW), three built for Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), two surviving aircraft subsequently converted to HO4S-3 standard.^[15]

HO4S-2G

United States Coast Guard version of HO4S-2, seven built.^[14]

HO4S-3

Re-engined U.S. Navy & Canadian version with 700 hp (520 kW) Wright R-1300-3 engine, U.S. Navy aircraft redesignated UH-19F in 1962 (RCN/CAF aircraft retained HO4S-3 designation^[15]), 79 built.

HO4S-3G

United States Coast Guard version of the HO4S-3, redesignated HH-19G in 1962, 30 built.

HRS-1

United States Marine Corps version of the HO4S for eight troops, 600 hp (450 kW) R-1340-57 engine,^[1] 60 built.^[16]

HRS-2

HRS-1 with equipment changes, 101 built.

HRS-3

HRS-2 with 700 hp (520 kW) R-1300-3 engine, became CH-19E in 1962, 105 built and conversions from HRS-2.

HRS-4

Project for HRS-3 with a 1,025 hp (764 kW) R-1820 radial engine, not built.

UH-19A

H-19A redesignated in 1962.

HH-19A

SH-19A redesignated in 1962.

UH-19B

H-19B redesignated in 1962.

HH-19B

SH-19B redesignated in 1962.

CH-19E

HRS-3 redesignated in 1962.

UH-19F

HO4S-3 redesignated in 1962.

HH-19G

HO4S-3G redesignated in 1962

S-55

Commercial version with 600 hp (450 kW) R-1340 engine.

S-55A

Commercial version with 800 hp (600 kW) R-1300-3 engine.

S-55B

New designation given to civilian kit conversions of military surplus H-19s with R-1300-3 engine.^[1]

S-55C

S-55A with a 600 hp (450 kW) R-1340 engine.

S-55T

Aircraft modified by Aviation Specialties and produced and marketed by Helitec with a 650 hp (480 kW) Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-3U-303 turboshaft and updated equipment.

S-55/Mi-24

Orlando Helicopter Airways (OHA) conversion for U.S. Army to simulate the Mil Mi-24. Used newly-designed five-bladed rotor assembly with piston engine. Fifteen converted.^[13]

S-55QT

OHA conversion. Ultra-quiet helicopter for sightseeing flights over the Grand Canyon. S-55T with five-bladed rotor from S-55/Mi-24 and additional sound-reducing equipment. Five converted.^[13]

OHA-S-55 Heli-Camper/Winnebago Heli-Home

OHA conversion marketed by Winnebago.^[1][12]

OHA-S-55 Nite-Writer

Commercial conversion. Aerial advertising helicopter, fitted with a 12.2 m × (40 ft × 8 ft) array of computer-controlled lights.

OHA-S-55 Bearcat

Commercial conversion. Agricultural helicopter.

OHA-S-55 Heavy Lift

Commercial conversion. Flying crane helicopter.

QS-55 Aggressors

Commercial conversion. S-55 helicopters converted into flying targets.

OHA-AT-55 Defender

Commercial conversion. Armed military helicopter.

Whirlwind HAR21

HRS-2 for Royal Navy, ten delivered.

Whirlwind HAS22

HO4S-3 for Royal Navy, 15 delivered. Later marks of Whirlwind were built under licence.

VAT Elite

Highly modified S-55 from Vertical Aircraft Technologies Inc., powered by a 522 kW (700 hp) Garret TSE311 driving a 5-bladed rotor.

Operators

S-55 of the Air Force of Chile on display at a museum

Main article: List of Sikorsky H-19 operators

Notable accidents

• 17 January 1975 – In what remains the deadliest helicopter accident in Icelandic history, an S-55B crashed in Hvalfjörður, Iceland due to severe winds, killing all five passengers and both crewmembers on board.^[17][18]

Aircraft on display

See Westland Whirlwind museum examples for examples of the British license-built S-55.

Sikorsky HRS-3, later renamed the CH-19E, of the US Marine Corps at museum

S-55 of Spain

Argentina

• H-04 – S-55 on display at the Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina in Morón, Buenos Aires.^{[citation needed]}
• 0371/55-633 – S-55 on display at the Museo de la Aviacion Naval in Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires.^[19]

Guatemala

• S-55 on display in the traffic circle at the main gate of Air Force Headquarters, Aeropuerto Internacional La Aurora, Guatemala City.^{[citation needed]}

Canada

• 55822 – S-55 on static display at The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary, Alberta. It was operated by Associated Airways in Canada's north and is fitted with a 550 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp R-1340-S1H2 engine.^[20]
• 55885 – HO4S-3 on static display at the Shearwater Aviation Museum in Shearwater, Nova Scotia. It is painted in Royal Canadian Navy Sqn. No. 7 colors as used by Anti-Submarine Squadron HS-50 and Utility Squadron HU-21.^[21]

Denmark

• S-884 – S-55C on static display at the Danmarks Flymuseum in Skjern, Ringkøbing-Skjern.^[22]

Germany

• 53-4458 – H-19B on static display at the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Bavaria.^[23][24]

India

• IZ1590 – S-55C on static display at the Indian Air Force Museum in Palam, Delhi.^[25]

Israel

• 03 – H-19 on static display at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim, South District.^[26]

Japan

• JG-0001 – H-19C on static display at the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum in Tokorozawa, Saitama.^[27][28]
• 40012 – H-19C in storage at the Kawaguchiko Motor Museum in Narusawa, Yamanashi.^[29]

Norway

• 56-4279 – H-19 D-4 on static display at the Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection in Gardermoen, Akershus.^[30]

Portugal

• 9101 – UH-19 at the Museu do Ar on Sintra Air Base near Lisbon.

Serbia

• 11714 – S-55 on static display at the Museum of Aviation in Surčin, Belgrade.^[31]

Thailand

• H3-3/97 – Type 3 on display at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum in Bangkok, Bangkok.^[32][33]

Turkey

• 52-7577 – UH-19B on static display at the Istanbul Aviation Museum in Istanbul, Istanbul.^[34][35]

Sikorsky HO4S-1 on display at the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum

United States

• Unknown ID – UH-19F on static display at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.^[36]
• 130151 – CH-19E on static display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida. It is displayed in a US Coast Guard paint scheme.^[37][38]
• 130252 – HRS-3 on static display at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in San Diego, California. It is painted with the unit markings of HMR-161.^[39]

• 

  Sikorsky YH-19A as shown at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

  49-2012 – YH-19 on static display at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. This airframe was the first S-55 built.^[40][41]
• 52-7537 – UH-19B on static display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. It is painted as a rescue helicopter with the 534th Air Defense Group.^[42]
• 52-7573 - H-19B on static display at the Connecticut Air & Space Center in Stratford, Connecticut.^[43]
• 52-7587 – UH-19 on static display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. It is painted as Hopalong, one of the helicopters to make the first transatlantic flight.^[44]
• 52-7602 – H-19D on static display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. It is painted in U.S. Army scheme.^[45][46][47]
• 53-4426 – H-19B on static display at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland, Nebraska.^[48]
• 55-0433 – H-19D in storage at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.^[49][50]
• 55-3221 – H-19D Chickasaw on static display at the United States Army Aviation Museum at Fort Novosel, Alabama.^[51]
• 55-4943 – UH-19D on static display at the Estrella Warbird Museum in Paso Robles, California. This airframe had previously been on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.^[52]
• 57-5937 – UH-19D on static display at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville, Florida. It is painted in a USAF rescue scheme. It was previously on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.^[53][54] This aircraft is a former Winnebago Heli-Home.^[12]
• 59-4973 – UH-19D on static display at the Camp San Luis Obispo Museum and Historical Site in San Luis Obispo, California.^[55][56]

Specifications (UH-19C)

3-view line drawing of the Sikorsky HO4S-2

A 3-view line drawing of a Sikorsky H-19A Chickasaw on floats

Data from U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947^[57]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: ten troops or eight stretchers
• Length: 42 ft 2 in (12.85 m) fuselage length excluding tail and main rotors
• Height: 13 ft 4 in (4.06 m)
• Empty weight: 4,795 lb (2,175 kg)
• Gross weight: 7,500 lb (3,402 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-57 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 600 hp (450 kW)
• Main rotor diameter: 53 ft (16 m)
• Main rotor area: 2,206 sq ft (204.9 m²)
  
• Tail rotor diameter: 8 ft 8 in (2.64 m)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 101 mph (163 km/h, 88 kn)
• Cruise speed: 85 mph (137 km/h, 74 kn)
• Range: 450 mi (720 km, 390 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)

Notable appearances in media

Main article: Aircraft in fiction § Sikorsky H-19 / Westland Whirlwind

See also

Related development

• Sikorsky H-34 – developed from H-19 (by lengthened airframe and upgrading engines)
• Westland Whirlwind (helicopter) – British licensed version of S-55

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Harbin Z-5 – Chinese variant of Mi-4
• Mil Mi-4 – similar design and built in response to H-19

Related lists

• List of civil aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of rotorcraft

References

Notes

1. The accessories for a radial engine were traditionally located on the side of the engine opposite the crankshaft; in a prop-powered airplane that used the more commonplace tractor configuration, the accessories were typically buried inside a cowling or nacelle, resulting in less convenient access than the reversed orientation used in the H-19.
2. Military aircraft typically do not receive type certificates and thus cannot lawfully be operated commercially, except in certain special cases, such as a civil transport being adopted for military service without significant modifications.

Citations

1. Devine, Vinny (November 2012). "S-55/H-19/HO4S/HRS Helicopter". Sikorsky Product History. Igor Sikorsky Historical Archives. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
2. "Helicopter Gets Power Boost from Rockets." Popular Mechanics, November 1954, p. 94.
3. Bazzani, Mario (October 2011). "Sikorsky S-55/H-19 – History and technical description". heli-archive. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
4. "Sikorsky Archives – S-55". sikorskyarchives.com. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
5. Allen, Jim (16 April 2018). "Backward Glances: 1960 AMC M-422 Mighty Mite". Motor Trend. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
6. "Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw." National Museum of the US Air Force. Retrieved: 13 September 2015.
7. Werrell, Kenneth P. (2005). Sabres over MiG Alley: The F-86 and the Battle for Air Superiority over Korea. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 115–116. ISBN 1-59114-933-9.
8. Mesko, Jim. Airmobile: The Helicopter War in Vietnam, pages 4-6. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1984. ISBN 0-89747-159-8
9. "Arms transfers database". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
10. Fricker, John (1979). Battle for Pakistan. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0711009295.
11. Hussain, Shabbbir; Quraishi, Tariq (1982). History of the Pakistan Air Force, 1947-1982.
12. Chiles, James R. (January 2012). "The Flying Winnebago". Air & Space Magazine. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
13. Robinson, Skip (8 April 2011). "Remaking a classic". verticalmag.com. Vertical Mag. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
14. "Sikorsky HO4S-2G / 3G; HH-19G "Chickasaw"" (PDF). U.S. Coast Guard Aviation History. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
15. Murray, Robert. "Canada Aviation Museum Aircraft – Sikorsky HO4S-3 (S-55) Horse – Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)" (PDF). Canada Aviation Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
16. "Here Comes the Leathernecks!" Popular Mechanics, April 1952, p. 97.
17. "Sjö fórust". Vísir (in Icelandic). 17 January 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
18. "Flugmanni varð ekki á stórkostleg vangá". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 March 1983. p. 4. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
19. Padín & Cicalesi (2003), pag.26
20. "Sikorsky S-55 Horse (H-19, H04S)". The Hangar Flight Museum. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
21. "Sikorsky HO4S-3 "Horse"". Shearwater Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 13 October 2006. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
22. "Danmarks Flymuseum – Sikorsky S-55C". Flymuseum.dk. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
23. Deutsches Museum. "Deutsches Museum: Sikorsky S-55". deutsches-museum.de. Archived from the original on 17 September 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
24. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky S-55 / H-19 / HRS / HO4S / Whirlwind, s/n 53-4458 USAF, c/n 55-0845". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
25. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky S-55C, s/n IZ1590 IAF, c/n 55-1077". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
26. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky H-19D-4-SI Chickasaw, s/n 03 IDF, c/n 55-0992". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
27. "Experience Exhibits". Tokorozawa Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
28. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky H-19C Chickasaw, s/n 40001 JASDF, c/n 55.690". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
29. Thompson, Paul. "Aviation Museums". J-Hangar Space. J-HangarSpace. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
30. Kjærnes, Erling (26 September 2011). "Sikorsky H-19 D 4 Chickasaw". Forsvaret. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
31. "Sikorsky / Westland / Soko S-55 Mk-5". Aeronautical Museum Belgrade. Aeronautical Museum-Belgrade. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
32. "Building 5:Helicopters and last propeller fighter". Royal Thai Air Force Museum. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
33. "Airframe Dossier – SikorskyS-55 / H-19 / HRS / HO4S / Whirlwind, s/n H3-3/97 RTAF, c/n 55-0757". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
34. "UH-19B Chickasaw". Hava Kuvvetleri Muzesi (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
35. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw, s/n 52-7577 THK, c/n 55-714". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
36. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky UH-19F Chickasaw, s/n 138499". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
37. "HO4S". National Naval Aviation Museum. Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. Archived from the original on 13 July 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
38. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky CH-19E Chickasaw, s/n 130151 USN, c/n 55-0208". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
39. "Aircraft Listing" (PDF). Flying Leathernecks. Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
40. "Sikorsky YH-19". Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
41. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky YH-19A Chickasaw, s/n 49-2012 USAF, c/n 55-0001, c/r N2797". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
42. "CHICKASAW". Pima Air & Space Museum. Pimaair.org. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
43. "Chickasaw". Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
44. "Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw". National Museum of the US Air Force. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
45. "Helicopters". Evergreen Museum Campus. Evergreen Museum. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
46. "Airframe Dossier – SikorskyS-55 / H-19 / HRS / HO4S / Whirlwind, s/n 52-7602 USAF, c/r N55233". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
47. "c/n 55-520". helis.com. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
48. "H-19B "Whirlwind"". Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
49. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky H-19D Chickasaw, c/n 55-0433, c/r N111VA". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
50. "FAA REGISTRY [N111VA]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
51. "Our Collection". United States Army Aviation Museum. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
52. "Sikorsky UH-19D Chickasaw". Estrella WarBirds Museum. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
53. "Static Non-Flying Collection". Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum. Valiant Air Command. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
54. "Airframe Dossier – Sikorsky UH-19D Chickasaw, s/n 57-5937 USAF, c/n 55-1221, c/r N37788". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
55. "H-19 "Chickasaw"". The California Military Museum. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
56. "Airframe Dossier – SikorskyS-55 / H-19 / HRS / HO4S / Whirlwind, s/n 59-4973 USAF, c/n 55-1277". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
57. Harding 1990, p. 231.

Bibliography

• Duke, R.A., Helicopter Operations in Algeria [Trans. French], Dept. of the Army (1959)
• Elliott, Bryn (January–February 1999). "On the Beat: The First 60 Years of Britain's Air Police". Air Enthusiast (79): 68–75. ISSN 0143-5450.
• France, Operations Research Group, Report of the Operations Research Mission on H-21 Helicopter Dept. of the Army (1957)
• Harding, Stephen. U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947, Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing (1990). ISBN 1-85310-102-8.
• Riley, David, French Helicopter Operations in Algeria, Marine Corps Gazette, February 1958, pp. 21–26.
• Shrader, Charles R., The First Helicopter War: Logistics and Mobility in Algeria, 1954–1962, Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers (1999)
• Sonck, Jean-Pierre (January 2002). "1964: l'ONU au Congo" [The United Nations in the Congo, 1964]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (106): 31–36. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Sonck, Jean-Pierre (February 2002). "1964: l'ONU au Congo". Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (107): 33–38. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Spenser, Jay P., Whirlybirds: A History of the U.S. Helicopter Pioneers, Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press (1998)

Further reading

• Núñez Padin, Jorge Felix; Cicalesi, Juan Carlos (2011). Núñez Padin, Jorge Felix (ed.). Sikorsky S-55/H-19 & S-58/T. Serie en Argentina (in Spanish). Vol. 6. Bahía Blanca, Argentina: Fuerzas Aeronavales. ISBN 978-987-1682-13-3. Archived from the original on 27 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.

External links

• H-19 US Army Aviation history fact sheet
• USMC Sikorsky HRS (H-19) Database
• HELIS.com Sikorsky S-55 (H-19/HRS/HO4S) Database
• Transitional Helicopter Flight Training: Part I – Transition to the H-19 is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive