Sikorsky HO2S-1

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation · USA · first flew 1946 · helicopter

The HO2S-1 was a US Navy designation for a variant of the Sikorsky S-51, the company's first commercial helicopter design and a refined successor to the wartime R-5. It provided four-seat capacity for observation and utility work.

Recognition (WEFT)

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

• US Navy S-51 observation helicopter
• Four-seat utility helicopter
• Bubble canopy nose with large Plexiglas panels

Distinctive four-seat helicopter with a large bubble nose, semi-monocoque fuselage, three-bladed main rotor, and fixed tricycle undercarriage with substantial fairings; larger than contemporary light helicopters.

Specifications

• The Sikorsky HO2S-1 has a length of 12.5 m (41 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 14.9 m (49 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 169 km/h (105 mph).
• Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The S-51 grew from the R-5 developed during World War II and became Sikorsky's first commercially successful helicopter, sold to civil operators and military forces worldwide. The US Navy operated it under the HO-series designation for shipboard observation.

Variants

The US Navy operated both HO2S-1 and HO3S-1 variants of the S-51 family; the British operated it as the Dragonfly. Minor differences in engine fit and equipment distinguished the marks.

Where you'll see it

Served with the US Navy for shipboard plane-guard and observation duties; the British Royal Navy operated the Westland-built Dragonfly variant extensively in the early 1950s.

Related aircraft

• Sikorsky HO3S-1
• Sikorsky HO5S-1
• Sikorsky HOS-1
• Sikorsky HRS-1
• Bell YR-13 Sioux
• Brantly B-1
• Firestone XR-9
• McDonnell XHJH Whirlaway

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