This Day in Aviation History

November 10th, 1949
First flight of the Sikorsky H-19, an improved version of HRP helicopter which also will serve as H-21 Shawnee and H-21 Workhorse.

The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw, (also known by its Sikorsky model number, S-55) was a multi-purpose helicopter 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.

The H-19’s first flight was on 10 November 1949 and it entered operations in 1950. Over 1,000 of the helicopters were manufactured by Sikorsky for the United States. An additional 550 were manufactured by licensees of the helicopter including Westland Aircraft, the SNCASE in France and Mitsubishi in Japan.
The helicopter was widely exported, used by many other nations, including Portugal, Greece, Israel, Chile, South Africa, Denmark and Turkey.

In 1954 the Marines tested an idea to assist the rotors lift better in hot or high climates and if the helicopter was overloaded, 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…

Source:
Wikipedia, Sikorsky H-19:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_H-19

YouTube, Sikorsky H-19 Helicopter Flight Training – 1956 US Army instructional film:
Sikorsky H-19 Helicopter Flight Training – 1956 US Army instructional film – WDTVLIVE42

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