SIKORSKY H-5 DRAGONFLY
H-5 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division, United Aircraft Corp.,
Stratford, Connecticut, USA (In 1943, became Sikorsky Aircraft Division, United Aircraft Corp., Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA) |
| Models: | VS-327, S-51 |
| Designations: | R-5; H-5; HO2S, HO3S |
| Name: | Dragonfly |
| First official flight: | (XR-5) 18/08/1943 (Model S-51) 16/02/1946 |
| Factory production period: | 1943 - 1953 |
| Primary service period: | 1945 - 1950's |
| Last official flight: | ? |
H-5 VARIANTS
| 1943 | Model VS-327 | XR-5 | 5 | |
| 1943 | Model VS-327 | YR-5A | 26 | |
| 1943 | Model VS-327 | R-5A | 34 | Total: 065 |
| 1947 | Model S-51 | R-5F | 11 | |
| 1948 | Model S-51 | H-5G | 39 | |
| 1949 | Model S-51 | H-5H | 16 | Total: 066 |
| ? | Model S-51 | HO3S-1 | 92 | |
| ? | Model S-51 | HO3S-1G | 9 | Total: 101 |
| 1946 | Model S-51 | Model S-51 | 53 | Total: 053 |
|
Grand Total: 285 |
| 1948 |
Foreign built - England: Model WS-51 |
Dragonfly Series | 139 | Grand Total: 139 |
H-5 PRODUCTION
Military Helicopters
XR-5
Prototype, single-engined, 3-bladed rotor,
tandem 2-seater, tail wheel, general
purpose helicopter for USAAF.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut (SI)
| 43-28236 / 43-28239 | ? | ||
| 43-47954 | ? | 5 | Total: 005 |
YR-5A
As XR-5, service test version, minor changes.
Redesignated as YH-5A in 1948.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut (SI)
| 43-46600 / 43-46625 | ? | 26 | Total: 026 |
R-5A
As YR-5A, production version
equipped for rescue duties.
Redesignated as H-5A in 1948.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut (SI)
| 43-46626 / 43-46659 | ? | 34 | Total: 034 |
| 66 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
R-5B - Proposed R-5A modification, cancelled.
YR-5C - cancelled project.
R-5F
As R-5D, 4-seater cabin, minor changes.
Redesignated as H-5F in 1948.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut (SI)
| 47-480 / 47-490 | ? | 11 | Total: 011 |
H-5G
As R-5F, minor changes.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut (SI)
| 48-524 / 48-562 | ? | 39 | Total: 039 |
H-5H
As H-5G, wheel / pontoon landing gear.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut (SI)
| 49-1996 / 49-2011 | ? | 16 | Total: 016 |
HO3S-1
As H-5F, rescue version for US Navy.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut (S)
| BuNo.57995 / 57998 | ? | ||
| BuNo.122508 / 122529 | ? | ||
| BuNo.122709 / 122728 | ? | ||
| BuNo.123118 / 123143 | ? | ||
| BuNo.124334 / 124353 | ? | 92 | Total: 092 |
HO3S-1G
As HO3S-1, USCG version.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut (S)
| (USCG) 1230 / 1238 | ? | 9 | Total: 009 |
HO3S-2 - Reserved for US Navy version of H-5H, cancelled.
Civil Helicopters
Model S-51
Civil version with 4-seater cabin,
developed from the R-5D.
Produced
Sikorsky Bridgeport, Connecticut
| civil reg. | ? | 53 | Total: 053 |
|
Grand Total: 285 |
Foreign built - England:
Dragonfly Series
Licence built version for UK. 6 ex-US
machines imported for tests. 2 to RAF
as VW209 and WB220 (c/n: 51-017).
Produced 1947 - 1953
Westland Helicopters Ltd., Yeovil,
Somerset, England
Dragonfly Mk. 1A / 1B
1948, civil version.
Mk. 1A had the British Alvis engine.
Mk. 1B had the US Pratt & Whitney engine.
Later developed into the Westland (S-51A Series 2)
Widgeon (1955, 15 built).
|
civil reg. - 4 to RAF as WB810, WF308, WZ749, XD649. |
mixed WA/H/1 to WA/H/139 | 53 |
Dragonfly HR.Mk. 1
Royal Navy Helicopter Rescue version.
| (RN) VX595 / VX600 | ? | ||
| (RN) VZ961 / VZ966 | ? | 12 |
Dragonfly HC.Mk. 2
RAF Helicopter Cargo version.
| (RAF) VZ960 | ? | ||
| (RAF) WF311, WF315 | WA/H/16, WA/H/17 | 3 |
Dragonfly HR.Mk. 3
Royal Navy Helicopter Rescue version.
| (RN) WG661 / WG672 | WA/H/31 / WA/H/42 | ||
| (RN) WG705 / WG709 | WA/H/43 / WA/H/47 | ||
| (RN) WG714 | WA/H/48 | ||
|
(RN) WG718 / WG726 - WG725 to RAF. |
WA/H/49 / WA/H/57 | ||
| (RN) WG748 / WG754 | WA/H/58 / WA/H/64 | ||
| (RN) WH989 / WH992 | WA/H/65 / WA/H/68 | ||
| (RN) WN492 / WN500 | WA/H/69 / WA/H/77 | ||
| (RN) WP493 / WP504 | WA/H/78 / WA/H/89 | 59 | |
| 18 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
Dragonfly HC.Mk. 4
RAF Helicopter Cargo version.
| (RAF) WT845, WT846 | WA/H/108, WA/H/109 | ||
| (RAF) WX953 | WA/H/110 | ||
| (RAF) XF259 / XF261 | WA/H/105 / WA/H/107 | 6 |
Dragonfly HR.Mk. 4
RAF Helicopter Rescue version.
| (RAF) XB251 / XB256 | WA/H/124 / WA/H/129 | 6 | Grand Total: 139 |
H-5 CONVERSIONS
USAAF / USAF
| XR-5A | 2 | XR-5, fitted with different equipment to RAF specs. |
| R-5D | 21 | 1 YR-5A / 20 R-5A, 1944, engine upgrade, nose wheel, rescue hoist, external fuel tank. Original designation was YR-5D. |
| (H-5D) | 21 | 1948, redesignation of the R-5D. |
| YR-5E | 5 | YR-5A, 1947, conversions with dual controls. |
| (YH-5E) | 5 | 1948, redesignation of the YR-5E. |
US Navy
| HO2S-1 | 2 | YR-5A, 1945, transfers to the USN for evaluation, later to USCG. Assigned BuNo. 75689 (43-46613), 75690 (43-46618). Production for 42 cancelled. |
| XHO3S-3 | 1 | HO3S-1, 1950, prototype with redesigned rotor. |
Foreign Conversion
| Dragonfly HR.Mk. 5 |
1+ |
HR.Mk. 1 / 3, Royal Navy conversions, updated equipment. |
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- H-5 helicopters in both military and civil service with Belgium, Brazil, Ceylon,
Canada, Ceylon, Egypt, France, Iraq, Italy, Japan, The Philippines, Thailand,
United Kingdom and Yugoslavia.
- The S-51 was the world's first helicopter to enter commercial service.