Aircraft Gallery
SIKORSKY HO3S Helicopter
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: two
Capacity: two stretchers in external panniers
Length: 57 ft 1 in (17.40 m)
Rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
Height: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m)
Empty weight: 3,780 lb (1,718 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior, 450 hp (335 kW)
Maximum speed: 92 knots (106 mph, 171 km/h)
Range: 313 nmi (360 mi, 580 km)
Service ceiling: 14,400 ft (4,390 m)
Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 15 min
Sikorsky’s HO3S design was the first naval helicopter to see widespread service beginning in December 1945. Its ability to hover and operate from a variety of ships led to the HO3S being the first helicopter to supplant a fixed wing aircraft when it replaced catapult floatplanes on battleships and cruisers. In the Korean War, HO3S helicopters from squadron HU-1 demonstrated the potential of the helicopter in a naval warfare environment. Today, the design is famous for its portrayal in the feature film “The Bridges at Toko-Ri” starring William Holden and Mickey Rooney.
