R4-B Sikorsky

gliderman1 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:06 pm

Can anyone tell me the useful load of this helicopter?

Everyone seems to be proud of the fact that the gross weight was 2,581 lb.

I would like to know the flying weight including pilots and a full fuel load.

gliderman1

JBoyle · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:47 pm

Easy...well part of it anyway.
Empty weight was 2011 lbs.

Std. pilot weight back them was esimated at 180lbs....so that's 360.
(Or was the std. weight back then just 150?..I need to look at the side panel of a Stearman or T-6, it was listed there).

So that left 210 puonds of fuel and any other payload...but since it had no real cargo area and only had two seats, it seems pretty academic.
I have no idea how big the tank was...but 6 lbs per gallon..figure it had to have at least 20 gallons, probably more with the fuel burn of those radials. Let's say 30...that's 180 pounds.
Figure 2-3 gallons of oil, and there's not a lot of load left.

The later H-5G (fitted with lots of rescue equipment) was described of having a useful load of "several verbal messages".

gliderman1 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:35 pm

Thanks.

I knew the useful load was not great. Now I know the person who wrote the story I was reading this morning did not know about what she was writing. ....

JDK · **Posted:** Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:05 pm

Thy certainly made much play of being, sometimes, able to lift one person with just the pilot aboard already. I suspect the vagueness might have to do with issues over performance retardants - hot, high, pilot sneeze, that kind of thing.

Capt Eric Brown evaluated them, and flew it hands off... :shock:

and he discusses it in one of his books. Also the Air Britain book looks useful on the type. I'll have a check if they say anything on load.

JBoyle · **Posted:** Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:08 am

JDK wrote:

Also the Air Britain book looks useful on the type. I'll have a check if they say anything on load.

JDK... That's where I got my information...(however my trusty Putnam US Military Aircraft... lists it at 9 pounds heavier).
Even we colonials get (some anyway) Air Britain books... :wink:

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:55 am

JBoyle wrote:

JDK... That's where I got my information...(however my trusty Putnam US Military Aircraft... lists it at 9 pounds heavier).

That'll be the cigar holders on the US version.

JDK · **Posted:** Sun Mar 02, 2008 6:23 am

You never know who is watching. This PM on another forum...

Quote:

As you might know I am the Air-Britain 'specialist' for Flight Manuals and Pilots Notes. The June 1944 FM for the type gives the normal fuel load as 14 US gallons but a full tank held 30 US gallons. A bomb rack for three 100 lb bombs could be fitted.
Maximum range was 128 nautical miles (30 gals) or 35 nm at 10 gals.
Hot stuff, eh?
Cheers,
Glyn.

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:31 am

The CAF had one at one time. Could never find the proper engine. Does anyone know what happened to it?

gliderman1 · **Posted:** Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:05 am

A pilot told me he flew the R4-B in Texas in 1945 or 1946 in the summer. They had to fly very early in the morning and be down well before 1000 because the thing could not fly in the hot air.

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:05 pm

One of my dreams is to build a replica R-4 with at much more modern (and safe) power and rotor system.
I think it would be pretty neat to show up at a show flying a WWII helo!
Jerry

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