Sikorsky H-5 Dragonfly

s/n 9601

m/d S-51

c/n 51-18

9601

First RCAF helicopter. Delivered to Canadian Pratt & Whitney at Longueil, Quebec on 12 March 1947 by RCAF and Sikorsky crew, then on to Trenton next day. Crashed at Trenton at 09:50 on 28 March 1947 while being operated by the Central Flying School, first RCAF helicopter crash. Tail rotor disintegrated on take off, after being damaged by ground contact due to over rotation in practice auto rotation. Pilot seriously injured. Originally reported as Category A, but repaired and returned to service. Visited No. 10 Repair Depot at Calgary in April 1948. To rescue flight at Edmonton on 19 April 1948. Damaged again during training flight at Rivers, Manitoba in December 1948, power settling during recovery from practice autorotation. Tail boom nearly severed. On loan to No. 112 (T) Flight at that time. With K Flight of North West Air Command at RCAF Station Edmonton in 1950, marked "VC*CCX". Had 353:00 airframe time in February 1950. Turned on side during cross wind landing at an air show in August 1950. Category C damage on 19 June 1952 at Rivers. Main rotor blades contacted tail boom on shut down. With Helicopter Conversion flight of the Light Aircraft School in summer of 1954. Later with Central Experimental Proving Establishment at RCAF Station Cold Lake, Alberta. Last used operationally at RCAF Station Chatham, NB. Withdrawn from use in January 1965. Transferred to National Aeronautical Collection on 26 February 1969. On display at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton in 2010, on loan. Back at National Aeronautical Collection in 2012. Still belongs to Department of National Defence. Now on display at National Airforce Museum in Trenton.
last update: 2024-December-25 📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 359

s/n 9602

m/d S-51

c/n 51-19

9602

With Central Flying School at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario for pilot training summer of 1947. Delivered to No. 103 Search and Rescue (SAR) Flight, RCAF Station Dartmouth, NS, on 11 October 1947. First military helicopter in Maritimes. Carried ICAO registration "VC*CHD" while with this unit, marked as "CH*D" on tail boom. Transported sick girl from Point Sapin, NB to RCAF Station Chatham, NB following major snow storm, on 23 March 1952. With No. 103 (R) Unit, Greenwood, NS in July 1952, when it was dispatched to Joli Lake to aid in forest fire fighting. With Helicopter Conversion flight of the Light Aircraft School at CJATC, Rivers, Manitoba in summer and fall of 1954. Still with Light Aircraft School in May and October 1955, and November 1956. US civil registration N5219 issued for this helicopter, date unknown. Reported sold in 1980. On display at the Hew England Air Museum in Bradley, Connecticut by 1998, in civil markings. Had been restored by volunteers from nearby Sikorsky plant. Still there in 2013. Civil registration cancelled in 2014.
last update: 2024-December-25 📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 359

s/n 9603

m/d S-51

c/n 51-30

9603

Delivered in natural metal finish, carrying early red and blue RCAF roundels. Operated by Central Experimental and Proving Establishment, on East Coast during Operation Chatham, spring of 1949. Marked "VC*BVU" in June 1950, operated by No. 444 (AOP) Squadron at Rivers Camp, Manitoba. At RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario when it dropped the first pararescue tech from an RCAF helicopter on 19 December 1950. Operated by the Central Air Command Composite Flight at Trenton. Displayed at CNE air show in August 1951, carrying registration VC-CBO. Used by No. 103 (S&R) Flight at RCAF Station Greenwood, NS in 1950s, marked "VC*CHD". At RCAF Station Chatham, NB in 1955 and 1959. With Light Aircraft School at CJATC, Rivers, Manitoba in 1960s. Sold to Alberta Institute of Technology, used as a training aide at Calgary campus. Preserved, displayed at American Helicopter Museum in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Still there in 2012.
last update: 2024-December-25 📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 359

s/n 9604

m/d S-51

c/n 51-109

9604

Ferried from RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario to Rivers Camp, Manitoba October 1948, via Ottawa, Oshawa, Downsview, North Bay, Porquis Junction, Kapuskasing, Nakina, Armstrong, Sioux Lookout, Kenora, and Winnipeg. Coded "VC*BVS" while with No. 444 (AOP) Squadron and Light Aircraft School helicopter flight at Rivers. Later with No. 102 (C&R) Unit at Rivers, marked "OU*604". Took part in flood relief operations on Red River at Winnipeg in spring of 1950. Dispatched to the NWT on 28 May 1951, to support surveying activities near Wrigley. Crashed on mountain side 30 miles west of junction of the Liard and Nahanni Rivers on 10 June 1951. Pilot and passengers uninjured, walked out. Temporary repairs on site, then ferried to Calgary, Alberta for final repairs. Returned to Rivers in early 1953. Damaged in hard landing during practice autorotation near Rivers on 25 September 1953. Pilot Lt. G.C. Walker, RCASC uninjured. Engine failure during training at Rivers on 2 December 1953, successfully autorotated. With Helicopter Conversion flight of the Light Aircraft School in summer of 1954. Still with Light Aircraft School in May and October 1955. Category A crash while at Rivers, in 1962. Marked "OU*604" at time of crash.
last update: 2024-December-25 📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 359

s/n 9605

m/d S-51

c/n 51-117

9605

Operated by the Helicopter Conversion Flight at CJATC, Rivers, Manitoba when it tipped over while attempting to take off on 6 February 1950. One main gear snagged a snow bank at lift off, today we would call this a dynamic roll over accident. Returned to factory for repairs. Back at CJATC in summer of 1951, when it was dispatched to Medicine Hat, Alberta to support flood relief activities, 3 to 4 April 1951. Delivered explosives to ground parties attempting to clear an ice jamb. Departed CJATC for the NWT on 7 August 1951, where it replaced the crashed 9604 , and took part in the recovery of 9604. To the NWT summer of 1952, to support survey work. Damaged in landing due to gusty winds, near Norman Wells, on 11 June 1952. Tail rotor and main rotor blades replaced on site. With No. 102 (CR) Unit at CJATC in 1954, coded "OU*605". With Light Aircraft School at CJATC in May and October 1955.
last update: 2024-December-25 📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 359

s/n 9606

m/d S-51

c/n 51-161

9606

Based at RCAF Station Sea Island, BC from May 1949 with No. 121 (S&R) Flight, coded "QT*606". Flew rescue party to crash site of Mitchell 5246 . Made a total of 10 round trips between the crash site and the yard of Viscount Alexander School in Port Coquitlam, BC (today known as Kwayhquitlum School) in September and October 1953. Carried out radar calibration exercise with HMCS Sioux on 26 February 1954. Coded "KR*606" while on west coast, exact date not clear. Destroyed in hangar fire at Sea Island on 4 May 1954, the only RCAF rescue helicopter on the west coast at that time. Replaced by H-21 9613 in December 1955.
last update: 2024-December-25 📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 359

s/n 9607

m/d S-51

c/n 51-166

9607

Based at RCAF Station Sea Island, BC from May 1949 with No. 121 (S&R) Flight. Marked "VC*GBC" at this time. Loaned to Army Survey Establishment c.1950, used to support survey work in northern BC. At CJATC, Rivers Camp, Manitoba in the mid 1950s with the Helicopter Conversion Flight of the Light Aircraft School, coded "RI*607". Minor damage in a hard landing at Rivers on 31 May 1954, when engine failed at 50 feet on landing approach. No injuries. Took part in search for missing USAF B-47 in February 1955, damaged in hard landing during this search. Still with Light Aircraft School in May 1955 and November 1956. To Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, for use as a training aide. Ownership to City of Calgary in 1960s. Later displayed in City Planetarium in Calgary. Preserved, at Calgary Aerospace Museum.
last update: 2024-December-25 📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 359