Sikorsky S-58s and Vertol Bananas For The USSR

[Fogg1]

Dear forum,

Since visiting the museum in Monino, Russia, in 2005, I've been intrigued by the presence there of a Vertol 44 in old Vertol company colours:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Vertol-A ... 0991268/M/

With the aid of the airliner.net forums and Google, I discovered a very interesting story which seems to be little known. The Russian side is relatively well documented, but I can't find any details from the US side about the sale of Sikorsky S-58 and Vertol 44 helicopters for use by the Kremlin, during the Cold War - yes!

The story is as follows.

Soviet Premier Khrushchev visited the USA in September 1959, and rode in a Marine One S-58 with Eisenhower. Khrushchev, who didn't trust helicopters before, did enjoy this flight. Eisenhower said something like, so why don't you order a few of these, and surprisingly, Khrushchev said yes! Oddly enough, two S-58s as well as two Vertol 44s were actually sold and shipped to the USSR.

To put this in perspective, there was a bit of a thaw in the Cold War, Khrushchev was an original character, and the fact that Igor Sikorsky was a Russian may also have played a part.


Old photo of a Mil Mi-10 with a S-58 visible in the background:


Old photo of a Mil Mi-6 with a Vertol 44 visible in the background:

If you still don't buy it, believe it, or want details, read on.

US account of Khrushchev 's flight over Washington:
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/03may/05.htm

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/uh/vh34.html#camo, translated by a translation engine. () = my interpretation; **= no idea of what's meant:

The first president of the USA flying by helicopter, became the hero of the Second World War general Dwight Eisenhower.
In 1959 during visit to the USA Eisenhower *rolled* N. Khruschev on S-58, having hinted preliminary to pilots in flights (to put on a bit of a show). The general only has not considered, that to frighten Khruschev was impossible.
After one of valiant flights Eisenhower, proud for the American technics, has victoriously asked Khruschev, whether he has liked Sikorsky's helicopter and if he would not like to order it. "I want, I take" - the Soviet prime-minister unexpectedly has answered and has asked stunned president to sell the most perfect variant - HUS-1Z. Eisenhower (could not back out as he) also has promised to sell absolutely confidential American technics.

The Department of State has (allowed) the transaction but (insisted) that the Salon (VIP) helicopters will be used only on the direct purpose. Eisenhower's precipitate act has caused a shock. Veterans of "Sikorsky Aircraft" till now remember, how they feverishly tried to replace in the helicopter for the USSR the up-to-date equipment with more primitive. *Certainly, to make it it was not possible.* In addition, "Sikorsky's" competitors, firms "Vertol", "Hiller” and "Bell" have demanded from Department of State equal conditions in trade with the Reds.

For a choice of technics from the USA, N.S.Stroev and M.L.Mil, chose S-58 and "Vertol" V-44. Have decided to buy on two machines of each firm. Under the contract signed in March 1960, Americans undertook to train our experts. (…) Mil were especially interested the autopilot and system of improvement of stability. (…)

Our experts were admired with *high weight culture* S-58, have liked them and good access to all units and convenience of operation. The Soviet experts were amazed also with pilotage S-58, absence of many restrictions is more true. For example, our pilots learned landing with autorotation with the engine, not switching off it. (…)

Toward the end Sikorsky has accepted stay of delegation in Stratford. In December 1960 two S-58 (HUS-1Z/VH-34d) were accepted by the Soviet party. They were covered with a spray and sent to the USSR by sea. They have arrived to Moscow in March of 1961. One has (served) in LII (Flight Research Institute) and another on *LIS ÌVZ*. (At Mil), various researches were carried out: *pressure in blades, for example, were measured, for revealing the reasons of a high resource and Letno-characteristics were compared.*.

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/uh/vh34.html#camo adds the following information, again interpreted by me from a translation engine:

The sale of two S-58s and two V-44's was signed in March 1960, worth $2m. The shootdown of Gary Powers' U-2 in May 1960 soured relations, but the deal still went ahead, Russian experts visiting the USA in September 1960. Pilot J.A. Garnayev was to fly both the S-58 and V-44. The Russians were impressed with the sophistication and ease of maintenance of the S-58: « All such thin, easy, gentle. Here a footstep, so a footstep. And on ours [like a]tank ».
Transported to Russia by sea, they arrived in March, 1961. They did not go to Moscow as Khrushchev used a Mi-4 by then, but to the aforementioned research institutes, and the VIP interior was removed. One S-58 was ultimately taken apart by MAI (Moscow Aviation Institute), the other was in a hangar at Monino for a long time and then scrapped.

A S-58 was indeed in Monino for some time. The article doesn't say much about the V-44s. The one that is now at Monino is in Vertol company coulors with its N number, so perhaps it was never flown in Russia.

Two S-58s are listed in the Soviet civil helicopter historical register at http://www.geocities.com/rotorspot/cccp-1.htm:

Sikorsky HUS-1Z (c/n 581241() 5(N), N74162,CCCP-L27491, CCCP-27491
Sikorsky HUS-1Z (c/n 581242) 6(N), CCCP-L27492, CCCP-27492

So, one of them was once registered N74162. I'm not sure what 5(N) and 6(N) means.

Interestingly, they are both listed as HUS-1Z variants. According to http://www.uswarplanes.net/h34.html, there were seven of these built, 1960-62, for US presidential duties!

I'm interested in information about this sale from the US side, and about these HUS-1Z and Vertol 44 airframes. I'm also curious why information is hard to come by - was this a semi-secret in the USA?

Thanks for any information

Peter

[mainsail]

Hi,

Just following up on this old thread, can anyone confirm that the other V.44 sent to Russia was N10108 (c/n RU-1)?

I know the museum aircraft is N74056 (c/n 417/163-13).

Many thanks,
Colin

[sandiego89]

Very interesting side note- never would have thought that happened given the politics of the era.