Sikorsky XH-39

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Sikorsky S-59
Type Helicopter
Manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
Introduced not produced
Number built one[1]
Variants H-18

The Sikorsky XH-39 (manufacturer designation S-59), developed by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in 1954, was the U.S. Army’s first turbine-powered helicopter. It was fast and innovative, but ultimately rejected by the U.S. Army, in favor of the Bell UH-1.

It was a four seat helicopter that used a 400hp (298 kW) XT51-T-3 (Artouse II) turbine engine. It was developed from the previous Sikorsky model, the H-18 (company model S-52), and had the same layout. It differed in using retractable tricycle landing gear,[2] modified tail rotor, and four-blade main rotor.[3]

On August 26, 1954, the S-59 set a world helicopter speed record of 155.9 mph (251 km/h). The same year, it set a world helicopter altitude record of 24500 ft (7474 m).

Contents

[edit] Specifications (H-39)

Data from U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947 [4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: Four
  • Length: 41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)
  • Rotor diameter: 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m)
  • Disc area: 962 ft² (89.4 m²)
  • Empty weight: 2,105 lb (957 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 3,361 lb (1,528 kg)
  • Powerplant: × Turbomeca XT51-T-3 Artouste turboshaft, 400 shp (298 kW) each

Performance

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Polmar, Norman, and Kennedy, Floyd D., Jr. Military Helicopters of the World (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1981), p.288.
  2. ^ Polmar and Kennedy, p.288.
  3. ^ Polmar and Kennedy, p.288.
  4. ^ Harding 1990, p.233.

[edit] Bibliography

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USAAC/USAAF/USAF/Joint Service Helicopter designations 1941-

USAAC/USAAF/USAF 1941-Present; US Army 1948-1956, 1962-; US Navy 1962-
Prefix R- used from 1941-1948, H- from 1948-1962, H- and a mission prefix 1962-present

R-1 • R-2 • R-3 • R-4 • R-5/H-5 • R-6/H-6 • R-7 • R-8 • R-9/H-9 • R-10/H-10 • R-11/H-11 • R-12/H-12 • R-13/H-13/OH-13 • R-14 • H-15 • R-16/H-16 • H-17 • H-18 • H-19/UH-19 • H-20 • H-21/CH-21 • H-22 • H-23/OH-23 • H-24 • H-25/UH-25 • H-26 • H-27 • H-28 • H-29 • H-30 • H-31 • H-32 • H-33 • H-34/CH-34 • H-35 • (H-36 not assigned) • H-37/CH-37 • (H-38 not assigned) • XH-39 • H-40 • H-41 • H-42 • H-43/HH-43 • (H-44 and H-45 not assigned) • CH-46/HH-46 • CH-47 • UH-48 • H-49 • QH-50 • XH-51 • HH-52 • CH-53/HH-53/MH-53 • CH-54 • TH-55 • AH-56 • TH-57 • OH-58 • XH-59 • UH-60/SH-60/HH-60 • YUH-61 • XCH-62 • YAH-63 • AH-64 • HH-65 • RAH-66 • TH-67 • MH-68 • ARH-70 • VH-71 • UH-72

Redesignations created starting in 1962 that reused old USAAC or USAAF numbers

AH-1/UH-1 • SH-2 • SH-3/CH-3/HH-3 • OH-4 • OH-5 • OH-6/AH-6/MH-6
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Sikorsky Aircraft

Airplanes: S-29-A · S-38 · S-39 · S-40 · S-42 · S-43 · VS-44

Helicopters (Company designations): VS-300 · S-47 · S-48 · S-49 · S-51 · S-52 · S-53 · S-54 · S-55 · S-56 · S-58 · S-59 · S-60 · S-61 · S-61L/N · S-61R · S-62 · S-64 · S-65 · S-67 · S-69 · S-70 · S-72 · S-75 · S-76 · S-80 · S-92/H-92

Helicopters (Military designations): SH-3 · HH-3E/F · R-4 · H-5 · H-18 · H-19 · H-34 · CH-37 · XH-39 · HH-52A · CH-53 · CH-53E · CH-53K · CH-54 · HH-60G · HH-60J · MH-60 · SH-60 · UH-60 · VH-60 · RAH-66 · CH-124 · CH-148

Experimental aircraft designations: X2 · Cypher · Cypher II
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