Shots of an HH-53 Heli VERY close to my house

[10_Gs]

I was messing around on the computer one day and I hear a helicopter land about 100 yards away, at an industrial building (Burlington Northern RR tech buliding). He's behind some houses so I can't see him. About an hour later, he fires it back up and goes to work.

As best I can figure, he was relocating/replacing several rooftop A/C units on the building (even though its only 1-2 stories tall). He was working from about 10am-3pm non-stop and only moving about 200 yards back and forth. Talk about an expensive job!!

[Jared]

Sweet shots! sounds a lot like the night my family was eating outside on our deck 3 years ago and a hot air balloon comes over about 10 feet above roof top and lands in our backyard... :-)  :o

[Ben_M_K]

Cool!

[Romulus111VADT]

I maybe wrong but the HH-53 is a Sikorsky HH-53

[Hagar]

This looks more like a Westland Wessex 60

It's possible I suppose but as this looks like the US I would think it's more likely to be a Sikorsky S-58 (US H-34) which the Wessex was derived from. Different variants are also known as the HSS "Seabat",

[Woodlouse2002]

[quote]
It's possible I suppose but as this looks like the US I would think it's more likely to be a Sikorsky S-58 (US H-34) which the Wessex was derived from. Different variants are also known as the HSS "Seabat",

[Hagar]

So who designed it first? Westland or Sikorsky? And which of these companies designed the Sea King first too?

Until quite recently the majority of Westland helicopters were original Sikorsky designs modified for use in the UK. This usually involved replacing US-built components like engines with UK-built alternatives to make them acceptable for use by the UK military services. This goes right back to their first helicopter, the Dragonfly, in 1948 which was originally the Sikorsky S-51 (H-5). I believe the UK version was known at the time as the Westland-Sikorsky WS51 Dragonfly HR5. This was was fitted with an Alvis Leonides in place of the original Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior. The Westland Sea King is basically a licence-built version of the Sikorsky SH-3D (S-61) with British engines & avionics.

http://www.whl.co.uk/history_overview3.html
Here endeth the first lesson on the history of Westland Helicopters Ltd. now part of the AugustaWestland Group..

[Romulus111VADT]

Your quite correct Doug. After a bit closer look....it appears to be a Sikorsky S-58.








Note the UH-34D Choctaw that is in front of the S-58.

[Hagar]

Hi Rommie. Well spotted anyway. I wouldn't have noticed anything wrong in the first place.

I'm no expert on helicopters, in fact I don't care for them much but that "Choctaw" in your last photo looks more like an S-55 Chicksaw to me. http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/sik_s-55-r.html

The Westland version was known as the Whirlwind.

[Romulus111VADT]

Actually, I believe it to be a H-34 G


Note Exhausts



Both these pics are of a H-34 G

[Woodlouse2002]

Going by the nose I'd say you were right the first time.

[Hagar]

All these different designations for basically the same type confuse me.

If you look closely you will notice the nose of the one in question is rounded. This is typical of the S-55 which was originally piston engined although there might have been later gas-turbined developments. The mesh covering the large air intake above the nose is plainly visible & typical for a piston engined type. I think the Westland Whirlwind had a single exhaust pipe rather than the triple version shown in your latest shots of the H-34 G. If I remember correctly the S-58 (Wessex or whatever else you wish to call it) was gas-turbine powered, hence the elongated nose & dual air intakes plus the much larger diameter exhaust. The layout depends on the engine make & type. Not sure if I'm correct but I always thought the S-58 (Wessex) was basically the final gas-turbined development of the S-55 (Whirlwind).

[C]

All these different designations for basically the same type confuse me.

Yep. Sensible people give them names (eg, Wessex, Sea King, Whirlwind), and then give derivations of the type (ie, a Mark number)

Charlie

[Romulus111VADT]

Sikorsky S-55 Chicksaw
First World's certified commercial transport helicopter (1951)
The S-55 was also build with license in Great Britain by Westland as Whirlwind , in France by Sud-Est and in Japan by Mitsubishi. The whole production reaches near 1300 units.

During their early years, the naval designation was HO4S and the variant of the US marines were the HRS-1 , HRS-2 and HRS-3 before the normalization to the H-19 family.
A later variant called S-55T was turbine powered with 1 * 840 hp AirResearch TSE-331

UH-19B :
Engines: piston powered : 1 * 800 hp Wright R-1-300-3
Top Speed: 180 km/h
Cruise Speed: 146 km/h
Range: 579 km
Weight: Empty: 2381 kg -- Max: 3583
Rotor Span: 16.15 m
Length: 12.88 m
Height: 4.06 m
Disc Area: 204.95 m2

Sikorsky S-58 Choctaw
Country Of Origin: USA

Designation: Medium-lift utility helicopter
Aircraft Crew: Two pilots and crew chief
Transport Capacity: 16 passengers

Aircraft Dimensions:  
Length: 47 ft 3 in (14.4 m)
Rotor Size: 56 ft (17.1 m)
Height: 15 ft 11 in (4.8 m)

Aircraft Weights:  
Empty: 7,577 lb (3,437 kg)
Max T/O: 13,000 lb (5,896 kg)

Aircraft Performance:  
Max Speed: 138 mph (222 kmh)
Range: 260 nm (481 km)
Powerplant: One Pratt Et Whitney Canada
PT6T-3 Twin Pac turboshaft
Power: 1,800 shp (1,342 kW)
Payload: N/A

Designations
S-58: Sikorsky model number
HSS-1: U.S. Navy Anti-Submarine Helicopter (named Seabat)
HUS-1: U.S. Marine Corps Utility Helicopter (named Seahorse)
H-34: U.S. Army Helicopter (named Choctaw) This designation was also used by the other U.S. services after 1962.
Wessex: Turbine powered version built by Westland (UK)

[Hagar]

Exactly. As I pointed out earlier, the main difference between the S-55 & S-58 is the powerplant. The S-55 is piston-engined & the S-58 is gas-turbine powered. Whichever name or designation you wish to give it, the one in 10_Gs's photos is basically an S-58, & not an HH-53 which is a completely different & much later type. The basic H-53 series also comes in several different variants. Confusing ain't it.
http://www.aviation-central.com/helicopters/aha60.htm

Sikorsky HH-53 "Super Jolly Green Giant"

SPECIFICATIONS

Rotor diameter: 72 ft. 3 in.

Overall length: 88 ft. 3 in.

Height: 24 ft. 11 in.

Weight: 42,000 lbs. max.

Armament: Three 7.62mm miniguns

Engines: Two General Electric T64-6 turboshaft engine of 2,850 shp each

PERFORMANCE

Maximum speed: 196 mph

Cruising speed: 140 mph

Range: 540 Miles

Service Ceiling: 20,400 ft.