The history of Helicopter development only dates back just over half a centry. The helicopter was born on 14th September 1939 when Igor Sikorsky made the first flight in a single rotor helicopter, the VS-300. During WW2 the advantages of this flying machine quickly became apparent and then began the hectic development to which the German aircraft industry also made a positive contribution. The first modern helicopters came into being after WW2 with Sikorsky as the main manufacturer. According to experience up to then a "large helicopter" had a maximum capacity of ten passengers or eight stretchers or 7.268 kg disposable load. The machines which were built on the semimonocoque principle received the designation S-55. Equipped with a 600 shp Pratt & Whitney R 1340 Wasp radial engine the S-55 could cover a range of 340 km on 710 liters of fuel, which immediately aroused the interest of the military, as such a performance had not yet been achieved by any other helicopter. The military version of the SS-55 was designated the H-19A and by 1951 a black painted H-19A  was makin it's first flight trials in the Korean War on behalf of the CIA.  In 1952 the Sikorsky H-19  came to the attention of the public when two machines landed in Prestwick (Scotland)   after a  5,488 km Alantic Crossing.

        The flight took 42 hours 30 minutes at an average speed of 129km/h. The first production machines were supplied to the American Air Force, primarily for use on search and rescue missions. The experience gained there gave rise to continuous further development. Consquently the section between fuselage and tail rotor outrigger was given its characteristic triangular fairing to improve lateral stability.

     This Sikorsky H 19B Helicopter was designed towards the end of the forties for The U S Army, which introduced it during the final phase of The Korean War in 1953. Not withstanding the fact that it was equipped with an insufficiant engine, the H-19 became a reliable aircraft and was quickly used by the other departments too: by The Marines, The Navy and The U S Coastguard for transport task, rescue and anti-submarine missions. The ChickAsaw was also introduced in various countries and was furthermore produced under the name of <"Whirlwind">.

Length of fuselage: 12.88 m

Rotor Diameter: 16.15 m

Max. Weight: 3538 kg

Max. Speed: 187 km/h

Range: 570 km.