Warbird Information Exchange

On the same thread with the P-35, I was thinking about a locally built bird here, the Sikorsky S-52 / HO5S-1 helicopter. Its predecessor, the Sikorsky S-51 was nicknamed the "Dragonfly", but why no name for the stubby looking 52?


The Connecticut Air & Space Center's S-52 / H05S-1 at the 2019 Corsair Car Show. Photo by: Jerry O'Neill

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Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis
Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

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Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?

Because it was little used and in service for such a short time?

Heck, I don't think the Navy got around to naming their more numerous S-55 (H-19) variants...the HO4S/HRS.
The Air Force used a lot, and if they used a name at all (not that I have heard one) they used the Army name Chickasaw.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

Yeah, the purist in me hates in when the HRS/HO4S gets identified by the Army nickname, Chickasaw. Only the Army named their copters using tribe names. I’ve heard both referred to as “The Horse” by veterans but, I certainly wouldn’t call that “official.”

So, as the HO5S was only purchased/operated by the Naval Bureau, I guess that explains the “why” as to no nickname.

As to the S-51 “Dragonfly,” I don't know, was the nickname official or unofficial?

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Cheers,

Craig

Facebook Groups:

U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky HRS / CH-19 Helicopter Database
U.S. Coast Guard Sikorsky HO4S / HH-19 Helicopter Database

About the S-51/H-5 Dragonfly name...official?
I think the name came from Sikorsky, not the U.S. Military.

In period, Dragonfly was almost a generic nickname for any helicopters for awhile, rather like "whirlybird".
Also, the Brits used that name....so it could be a case of the Americans adapting a Brit nickname like some WWII warbirds.
Or did they adopt a Sikorsky nickname?

To further confuse the matter, the Brits (Westland) developed a version with a more modern looking front cabin and named it the Widgeon...which was not commercially successful.

Even the Army didn't use many of the Army nicknames.
Has anyone here ever called the H-34 (S-58) the Choctaw?
Or the Navy Seahorse or Seabat?
Likewise the Iroquois (Huey).

The British army did adopt the Army nickname for their version of the Bell 47/H-13 Sioux built under license by Augusta and Westland.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.