Sikorsky H-5A Dragonfly
Igor Sikorsky had pioneered military helicopter use by developing the R-4 not long after the beginning of World War II. Overcoming many obstacles and fears from the military, Sikorsky’s R-4 had proven its worth in the closing years of the war, performing the world’s first helicopter rescues in Burma in late 1944. While built in small numbers, the R-4 had proven the helicopter to be a viable tool of war.
Sikorsky had already begun working on an improved version, the R-5, in 1943, which was ordered into production as the YR-5A for the USAAF in 1944 following its first flight in August 1943. The R-5 was larger than the R-4, with an enclosed fuselage, stretched passenger compartment, greater rotor diameter, and an uprated engine. Even this was not enough for Sikorsky, who improved on the basic R-5 to market it to a postwar civilian market as the S-51. Though intended for commercial use, the USAAF liked the S-51 and ordered a batch as the R-5F. The S-51 brought Sikorsky the attention he wanted for his company, resulting in some civilian orders and a license-agreement for Westland to produce it for the British armed forces as the Dragonfly.
The US Navy had used the R-4 during World War II on a limited basis, but were not really interested in the R-5 until Operation Highjump in 1946, the Navy’s extensive postwar research on operations in Antarctica. Four S-51s were bought directly, unmodified, from Sikorsky as the HO3S-1. These helicopters proved perfect for Antarctic operations, able to be used from smaller ships and locations that conventional aircraft could not. Impressed, the Navy ordered a further 42 HO3S-1s in 1948. These were never given a formal name, though sometimes the British Dragonfly name was used; crews referred to it as the “Horse,” both because of its workhorse nature and as a play on its designation (HO3S can be read as “horse”).
The Navy experimented with roles for the HO3S-1, including cargo transport and infantry transport, preceding the US Army’s later airmobile concept. However, it was very limited in cargo capacity and could only carry three Marines, with only light armament. The HO3S-1’s best role, then, would be search and rescue. The helicopter was tailor-made for the role: it was small enough so as not to take up much room, did not need to be fitted for catapult use, and did not have to land on water to pick up a downed crewman, hovering instead and lowering a rescue hoist. An entire career field would eventually spring up on rescue swimmers and hoist operators. These were initially drawn from volunteers or simply assigned to the strongest swimmer in the squadron, but soon it was realized that this needed specialized training. Helicopters could also be used over land to rescue pilots from remote areas or terrain other aircraft could not reach—something the H-4 had proved in World War II.
During the Korean War, HO3S-1 detachments were assigned to every aircraft carrier in theater, along with cruisers and battleships, while others were assigned to special rescue barges (converted LSTs) stationed close to the coast for overland operations. Marine squadrons also received detachments in Korea proper. These helicopters proved invaluable and saved many lives of pilots: if a pilot was hit over Korea and made it to the Sea of Japan, he stood a good chance of being rescued once he ejected or ditched. Survival time was limited: the cold water gave a pilot only ten minutes before he froze to death, and many uninjured pilots would be so crippled by hypothermia that a swimmer had to jump into the freezing water himself. It proved the concept of search-and-rescue helicopters, and supplemented efforts by USAF H-19 Chickasaws and US Army OH-13s, which became the most famous helicopter of the Korean War, thanks to its assistance to Mobile Surgical Army Hospitals (MASH).
Though the HO3S-1 served well in Korea, it was becoming obsolete even as it hit the height of its use. With larger, better, and faster helicopters now entering service, namely the Chickasaw, the HO3S-1 was withdrawn from service by 1957. Though some foreign air forces and even some airlines used them into the early 1960s, few survived longer. Of about 300 produced, only ten are known to survive today.
The Dragonfly was the first helicopter to be operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. It was designated H-5 and was mainly used for training and familiarization for more advanced helicopters to follow. Though the RCAF never operated many H-5s, they were regarded as reliable and proof even against a Canadian winter. They were retired in 1965 in favor of the UH-1 Iroquois, the famous "Huey."
This particular H-5, RCAF 9607, may have been part of the first batch of seven H-5s to be acquired by the RCAF. It served at the Joint Air Training School (JATS) at CFB Rivers, Manitoba, until it was retired in 1960. It was then acquired by the Air Museum of Canada at Calgary, and spent much of its time in storage before it was restored and went on display. Here it gleams under a coat of new paint: the overall gloss yellow finish was a holdover in British Commonwealth training units from World War II, and was intended for high visibility.
Sikorsky H-5A Dragonfly
Igor Sikorsky had pioneered military helicopter use by developing the R-4 not long after the beginning of World War II. Overcoming many obstacles and fears from the military, Sikorsky’s R-4 had proven its worth in the closing years of the war, performing the world’s first helicopter rescues in Burma in late 1944. While built in small numbers, the R-4 had proven the helicopter to be a viable tool of war.
Sikorsky had already begun working on an improved version, the R-5, in 1943, which was ordered into production as the YR-5A for the USAAF in 1944 following its first flight in August 1943. The R-5 was larger than the R-4, with an enclosed fuselage, stretched passenger compartment, greater rotor diameter, and an uprated engine. Even this was not enough for Sikorsky, who improved on the basic R-5 to market it to a postwar civilian market as the S-51. Though intended for commercial use, the USAAF liked the S-51 and ordered a batch as the R-5F. The S-51 brought Sikorsky the attention he wanted for his company, resulting in some civilian orders and a license-agreement for Westland to produce it for the British armed forces as the Dragonfly.
The US Navy had used the R-4 during World War II on a limited basis, but were not really interested in the R-5 until Operation Highjump in 1946, the Navy’s extensive postwar research on operations in Antarctica. Four S-51s were bought directly, unmodified, from Sikorsky as the HO3S-1. These helicopters proved perfect for Antarctic operations, able to be used from smaller ships and locations that conventional aircraft could not. Impressed, the Navy ordered a further 42 HO3S-1s in 1948. These were never given a formal name, though sometimes the British Dragonfly name was used; crews referred to it as the “Horse,” both because of its workhorse nature and as a play on its designation (HO3S can be read as “horse”).
The Navy experimented with roles for the HO3S-1, including cargo transport and infantry transport, preceding the US Army’s later airmobile concept. However, it was very limited in cargo capacity and could only carry three Marines, with only light armament. The HO3S-1’s best role, then, would be search and rescue. The helicopter was tailor-made for the role: it was small enough so as not to take up much room, did not need to be fitted for catapult use, and did not have to land on water to pick up a downed crewman, hovering instead and lowering a rescue hoist. An entire career field would eventually spring up on rescue swimmers and hoist operators. These were initially drawn from volunteers or simply assigned to the strongest swimmer in the squadron, but soon it was realized that this needed specialized training. Helicopters could also be used over land to rescue pilots from remote areas or terrain other aircraft could not reach—something the H-4 had proved in World War II.
During the Korean War, HO3S-1 detachments were assigned to every aircraft carrier in theater, along with cruisers and battleships, while others were assigned to special rescue barges (converted LSTs) stationed close to the coast for overland operations. Marine squadrons also received detachments in Korea proper. These helicopters proved invaluable and saved many lives of pilots: if a pilot was hit over Korea and made it to the Sea of Japan, he stood a good chance of being rescued once he ejected or ditched. Survival time was limited: the cold water gave a pilot only ten minutes before he froze to death, and many uninjured pilots would be so crippled by hypothermia that a swimmer had to jump into the freezing water himself. It proved the concept of search-and-rescue helicopters, and supplemented efforts by USAF H-19 Chickasaws and US Army OH-13s, which became the most famous helicopter of the Korean War, thanks to its assistance to Mobile Surgical Army Hospitals (MASH).
Though the HO3S-1 served well in Korea, it was becoming obsolete even as it hit the height of its use. With larger, better, and faster helicopters now entering service, namely the Chickasaw, the HO3S-1 was withdrawn from service by 1957. Though some foreign air forces and even some airlines used them into the early 1960s, few survived longer. Of about 300 produced, only ten are known to survive today.
The Dragonfly was the first helicopter to be operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. It was designated H-5 and was mainly used for training and familiarization for more advanced helicopters to follow. Though the RCAF never operated many H-5s, they were regarded as reliable and proof even against a Canadian winter. They were retired in 1965 in favor of the UH-1 Iroquois, the famous "Huey."
This particular H-5, RCAF 9607, may have been part of the first batch of seven H-5s to be acquired by the RCAF. It served at the Joint Air Training School (JATS) at CFB Rivers, Manitoba, until it was retired in 1960. It was then acquired by the Air Museum of Canada at Calgary, and spent much of its time in storage before it was restored and went on display. Here it gleams under a coat of new paint: the overall gloss yellow finish was a holdover in British Commonwealth training units from World War II, and was intended for high visibility.