Sikorsky H-5
The Sikorsky S-51 was one of the first commercially successful helicopters and served with several air forces as a rescue and utility machine. In US military service it was known as the H-5, while Britain built it under licence as the Westland Dragonfly. Its piston engine sat in the nose beneath a simple two-blade rotor, a layout typical of early post-war helicopters. The type helped prove that helicopters could become practical civilian and military transport rather than experimental curiosities.
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Did you know?
The Sikorsky S-51, built in Britain as the Westland Dragonfly, helped prove helicopters could become practical transport rather than experimental machines.
Specifications
| Length | 12 m (39 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 3.2 m (10 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 14.3 m (47 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 4 |
| Persons on board | 4 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 2.2 t |
| Range | 260 NM (482 km) |
| Maximum speed | 100 kt (185 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 14,000 ft (4,267 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 8,000 ft (2,438 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,001 ft/min (5.1 m/s) |
| Engines | 1x Pratt & Whitney R-985 |
| Units built | 220 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Sikorsky H-5 starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Sikorsky, the H-5 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
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