From an information panel on site:
The single-rotor Sikorsky S-55 went into service in 1950, the second Sikorsky helicopter to be built on a large scale. Produced for more than a decade, almost 2,000 were manufactured and supplied to the military and naval forces of 36 countries. Commercial users, New York Airways, Los Angeles Airways, and Okanagan Air Services of Vancouver also purchased S-55s.
By placing ht engine in the nose, the main cabin was free to carry a pilot, co-pilot, and ten military or seven commercial passengers, or when used as an ambulance, six stretchers and a medical attendant.
The S-55 was the first helicopter to fly the Atlantic. In 1952 two H-19A versions flying from Westover aire Force Base, Maine to Prestwick, Scotland, via Goose Bay, Greenland and Iceland, took from July 15 to 31, to complete the trip, delayed by poor weather conditions. Two S-55s of Los Angeles Airways were used in the world's first helicopter mail service in June of the same year.
The S-55 was produced in several versions. In 1952, the Royal Canadian Navy purchased 13 of the H04S-3 version and in 1954 the Royal Canadian Air Force followed with the purchase of 15 H-19s. The naval H04S-3s performed a variety of duties. Fitted with sonar equipment that could be lowered into the sea, they were used to pioneer submarine detection and, armed with a homing torpedo, they could be used also for attacking submarines.
The Museum's helicopter was stationed with HMCS Shearwater at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, for most of its distinguished career, but it served also on the carriers Magnificent and Bonaventure. It became known as the "Shearwater Angel" after carrying out eight rescue missions. The most famous of these occurred on November 17, 1955, when it rescued 21 crew members of the Liberian freighter Kismet II, along with the ship's dog and cat after the ship ran aground at the base of a cliff on Cape Breton Island. The two pilots received the George Medal for bravery, and the two crew members the Queen's recommendation. The "Shearwater Angel" was retired and handed over to the Museum in 1970.
The following is from the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum's website:
Sikorsky S-55 HO4S-3
American-built helicopter used during the 1950s and 1960s for various purposes, including civilian and military transportation
Flown by the military and naval forces of thirty-six countries, including the RCAF and RCN
Used to test an idea that led to the "Beartrap", a highly innovative Canadian device still used today to safely land helicopters on small warships
Became the first certified transport helicopter, the first helicopter to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, and the first helicopter to be equipped with anti-submarine sonar and torpedoes
First flight was on November 10, 1949.
Artifact no.:
1970.1486
Manufacturer:
Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corporation
Manufacturer Location:
United States
Manufacture Date:
1955
Registration no.:
55877 (RCN)
Acquisition Date:
1970
History:
The S-55 was the first helicopter with both the space and power to carry large loads. It was in heavy demand by both civil and military operators. Okanagan Helicopters operated 21 S-55s while the RCAF flew 15 transport versions and the RCN operated 13 HO4S-3. A total of 1 100 were built in the United States and a further 550 in other countries. The HO4S-3 retired from Canadian service in 1970.
The S-55 was the world’s first certified transport helicopter, the first helicopter to fly the Atlantic, and the first equipped with anti-submarine sonar and torpedoes. The HO4S-3 was used by the RCN to test an idea that led, after several years of research, to the development of the "Beartrap" equipment which allowed helicopters to operate from small warships in the open ocean.
Current Location:
Helicopters Exhibition, Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Provenance:
Donated by CAF
Built in 1955, this S-55, known as "Shearwater Angel," served the RCN for fifteen years until 1970, when it was retired and donated to the Museum. It participated in eight rescue missions and was credited with rescuing thirty-two people and four animals over its lifetime. Eight maple leaves decorate the nose of the helicopter, one for each rescue mission.
Its most famous mission was its rescue of twenty-one crew members of the Liberian freighter Kismet II, along with the ship's dog and cat, which took place on November 26, 1955 off the coast of Cape Breton Island.
Technical Information:
Rotor diameter: 16.2 m (53 ft)
Length 12.9 m (42 ft 2 in)
Height 4.5 m (14 ft 8 in)
Weight, Empty 2,380 kg (5,250 lb)
Weight, Gross 3,420 kg (7,540 lb)
Cruising Speed 148 km/h (91 mph)
Max Speed 180 km/h (112 mph)
Rate of Climb 311 m (1,200 ft) /min
Service Ceiling 3,231 m (10,600 ft)
Range 570 km (360 mi)
Power Plant one Wright R-1300-3D Cyclone 7, 600 hp radial engine
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