Sikorsky SH-3D Sea King
Sikorsky Aircraft · United States · first flew 1968 · helicopter
The SH-3D is the uprated engine variant of the Sikorsky Sea King anti-submarine helicopter, featuring General Electric T58-GE-10 turboshafts in place of the earlier T58-GE-8B, and achieving fame as the Apollo recovery helicopter.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | General Electric T58-GE-10 engines replacing earlier T58-GE-8B — same five-bladed main rotor and boat-hull fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- General Electric T58-GE-10 engines replacing earlier T58-GE-8B — same five-bladed main rotor and boat-hull fuselage
- Sonar dome retracted under forward hull; MAD 'bird' towed from rear fuselage
- Provided the recovery helicopter for Apollo 11 through 17 astronauts — most historically notable Sea King variant
Externally identical to SH-3A. The boat-hull amphibious fuselage, five-bladed main rotor with folding blades, retractable undercarriage sponsons and the distinctive chin search radar radome are consistent across all Sea King variants. Engine cowling details differ between T58 marks but are not reliably distinguishable at field distances.
Specifications
- The Sikorsky SH-3D Sea King has a length of 16.69 m (55 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18.9 m (62 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 267 km/h (166 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Sikorsky delivered the first SH-3D to the US Navy in 1968 with the more powerful T58-GE-10 engines. Seventy-three new-build SH-3Ds were produced, plus two converted from SH-3A standard. The SH-3D gained global recognition as the helicopter used by the US Navy to recover Apollo astronauts after splashdown, appearing in live television broadcasts of Apollo 11 in July 1969.
Variants
SH-3D is succeeded by the SH-3G (utility conversion) and SH-3H (multirole upgrade); many SH-3Ds were later converted to SH-3H standard.
Where you'll see it
US Navy HSL and HS squadrons from 1968; also licence-built in Italy by Agusta (as the ASH-3D) for the Italian Navy, and in Japan by Mitsubishi.
Related aircraft
- Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King
- Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe
- Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King
- Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk
- Aérospatiale N 500
- Breda-Nardi NH 500E
- Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama
- Aérospatiale SA 341/342 Gazelle
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