Sikorsky HRS
The Sikorsky S-55 was a breakthrough transport helicopter because its piston engine was mounted in the nose, leaving a large cabin behind the cockpit. Earlier helicopters often put the engine near the centre of gravity, severely restricting usable cabin space. In US military service it was known as the H-19 Chickasaw and served in Korea and Vietnam. Its long nose and high cabin became a defining silhouette of 1950s helicopter design.

Did you know?
In US military service the Sikorsky S-55 was called the H-19 Chickasaw, its nose-mounted engine freeing a large cabin behind the cockpit.
Specifications
| Length | 14.3 m (47 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 4.1 m (13 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 16.2 m (53 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 10 |
| Persons on board | 12 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 3.2 t |
| Range | 380 NM (704 km) |
| Maximum speed | 105 kt (194 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 14,000 ft (4,267 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 8,000 ft (2,438 m) |
| Rate of climb | 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s) |
| Engines | 1x Wright R-1300 |
| Units built | 1,281 |
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 HRS 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 HRS 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.
Browse all aircraft types, or learn to tell Airbus from Boeing.