H-19D/ S-55 Eléphant Joyeux/ WA-51A Whirlwind

H-19D/ S-55 ELEPHANT JOYEUX/ WA-51A WHIRLWIND

H-19D belonging to the 33F squadron. (Guhl)

MULTI-ROLE HELICOPTER

Few designs advanced the cause of rotary-winged flights as much as the Sikorsky S-55, which was built in previously unseen numbers for a helicopter : over 1,700 in the USA, UK and Japan. Constructed with the cabin directly beneath the rotor hub to avoid centre of gravity problems with varying payloads, the S-55 had its engine fitted in the nose behind two clamshell doors. The drive produced by the powerplant was relayed to the gearbox beneath the rotor hub via a diagonal shaft. Positioned above the fuselage was the cockpit, with the pilots seated on either side of the driveshaft. Used by all three services and the USCG, the first production examples (HO4S-1s) were issued to the USN in late December 1950. Subsequent detail changes to the tail boom and stabilisers resulted in the USAF H-19B being produced, this variant also utilising the more powerful Wright Cyclone in place of the Wasp engine. Built as the H-19D Chickasaw for the US Army, the HO4S-3 and the HRS-3 for the Marines, it was this version of the helicopter which formed the bulk of the type's huge production run. Westland helicopters produced their first licence-built Whirlwind in 1952, and over the decade more than 400 were delivered to the RAF and Fleet Air Arm (FAA) in a handful of versions. Easily the best of these was the turboshaft-powered HAR9 (FAA) and 10 (RAF), which remained in service into the late 1970s.

Fifteen S-55/ H-19Ds equipped with a P&W 600 hp were used by the Aéronautique Navale Française between 1956 and 1960. They were allocated to the 10S (1953-1956), 20S (1956-1957), 58S (1959-1960) and 33F (1957-1959) squadrons. While only one Westland-built WA-51A Whirlwind (equipped with a Alvis-Leonides of 500 hp) was used by the 20S squadron. Few S-55s were fielded in Algeria (from 1955) and Tonkin.

Sikorsky S-55 belonging to the 20S squadron. (ARR)

Sikorsky S-55 belonging to the 20S squadron. (ARR)

Sikorsky H-19Ds of the French Navy

USAF serial 55-1084

33F.1

USAF serial 55-1085

33F.2

USAF serial 55-1086

33F.3

USAF serial 55-1087

33F.4

USAF serial 55-1095

33F.5 (crashed on December 4th 1958)

USAF serial 55-1096

33F.6

USAF serial 55-1097

33F.7

USAF serial 55-1098

33F.8

USAF serial 55-1107

33F.9

USAF serial 55-1108

33F.10

USAF serial 55-0879

33F.5

USAF serial 55-0873

10S.26

USAF serial 55-0874

10S.27

Specifications :

/ (US) (FR)

LENGTH 42 ft 3 in 12. 88 m

ROTOR DIAMETER 53 ft 0 in 16. 16 m

HEIGHT 13 ft 4 in 4. 07 m

WEIGHTS 5 250 lb (empty)/ 7 900 lb (full) 2 381 kg (empty)/ 3 583 kg (full)

MAX SPEED 112 mph 180 km/ h

RANGE 360 miles 578 km

OUTPUT 600 (S-55)/ 500 (WA-51A) hp 447 (S-55)/ 372 (WA-51A) kW

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*Sikorsky H-19Ds of the French Navy*
*USAF serial 55-1084*	*33F.1*
*USAF serial 55-1085*	*33F.2*
*USAF serial 55-1086*	*33F.3*
*USAF serial 55-1087*	*33F.4*
*USAF serial 55-1095*	*33F.5 (crashed on December 4th 1958)*
*USAF serial 55-1096*	*33F.6*
*USAF serial 55-1097*	*33F.7*
*USAF serial 55-1098*	*33F.8*
*USAF serial 55-1107*	*33F.9*
*USAF serial 55-1108*	*33F.10*
*USAF serial 55-0879*	*33F.5*
*USAF serial 55-0873*	*10S.26*
*USAF serial 55-0874*	*10S.27*

/	(US)	(FR)
LENGTH	42 ft 3 in	12. 88 m
ROTOR DIAMETER	53 ft 0 in	16. 16 m
HEIGHT	13 ft 4 in	4. 07 m
WEIGHTS	5 250 lb (empty)/ 7 900 lb (full)	2 381 kg (empty)/ 3 583 kg (full)
MAX SPEED	112 mph	180 km/ h
RANGE	360 miles	578 km
OUTPUT	600 (S-55)/ 500 (WA-51A) hp	447 (S-55)/ 372 (WA-51A) kW