The Sikorsky H-34 (company designation S-58) is a piston-engined military helicopter originally designed by American aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft for the United States Navy. It has seen extended use when adapted to turbine power by the British licensee as the Westland Wessex and Sikorsky as the later S-58T.
H-34s served, mostly as medium transports, on every continent with the armed forces of 25 countries. It saw combat in Algeria, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and throughout Southeast Asia. Other uses included saving flood victims, recovering astronauts, fighting fires, and carrying presidents. It was the last piston-engined helicopter to be operated by the United States Marine Corps, having been replaced by turbine-powered types such as the UH-1 Huey and CH-46 Sea Knight. A total of 2,108 H-34s were manufactured between 1953 and 1970. Wikipedia
RCAF H-34 Serials - Kestrel Publications
last update: 2022-01-01 13:37:50Known Squadron Assignments:
With No. 108 (Com) Flight at Rockcliffe when it was detached to Great Whale, Quebec on 11 April 1957. Carried Minister of Defence, Mr. Pearks, and high ranking RCAF staff, from Rockcliffe to Lac St. Denis in August 1957. Reached 1,000 flight hours later in August 1957, first RCAF H-34 to reach this time. Detached to Sept Isle, Quebec in January 1957. Flew 108 Flight's 25,000th hour in February 1958. Ferried from Goose Bay to Rockcliffe by the newly named No. 5 (Helicopter) Operational Training Unit (formerly No. 108 Flight) in June 1958, as Mid Canada Line helicopter operations were passed to civil contractors. Sold to Carson Helicopters, registered as N1563. This registration cancelled in 1971.Known Squadron Assignments: ;111
With No. 108 (Com) Flight detachment at Great Whale, Quebec in April 1956. Damaged in hard landing after engine failure near Site 342 on 2 May 1956. Category B damage. Slung out from crash site by another H-34. Returned to service in June 1957. Crashed again at Great Whale River on 3 September 1957, only minor damage. Received further damage when it was dropped while being slung out of the crash site by 9630. Rescued T-33 pilot from 30 miles south of Ottawa during night of 18 May 1958. With No. 5 (H) Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario in summer of 1958. Took part in air show at Stanstead, Quebec on 1 July 1958. Received VIP interior in July 1958, used to transport Princess Margaret and party around western and eastern Canada in July and August. Medivac mission to Amos, Quebec in November 1958. To North Bay in December 1958, to take part in search for missing CF-100 crew. With No. 111 (C&R) Flight out of Winnipeg in summer of 1959. With No. 111 (K) Unit, detached to RCAF Station Cold Lake, Alberta when it crashed on 27 April 1961 after an engine failure. Was transporting construction workers from Primrose Lake range back to Cold Lake, several fatalities.Known Squadron Assignments:
Delivered to No. 108 (Com) Flight at Rockcliffe in December 1955. Still with this Flight when it performed a medevac flight from Grandmere, Quebec to Montreal on 7 October 1957. At Great Whale River, Quebec in November 1957, engine changed at detachment. Forced landing in Quebec in January 1958, after engine failure. With No. 5 (H) Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario in summer of 1958, when it undertook a medivac from Perth, Ontario to Montreal on 23 June 1958. Detached to Chibougamau, Quebec on 9 September 1958 for "Secret operation", probably in support of the Pinetree radar station being built there. Used at RCAF Cold Lake in mid 1960s. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number. Operated from CFB Cold Lake, Alberta in 1970. To civil register as C-FFZM, operated by Kenting Helicopters and Klondike Helicopters. To US civil register as N99482 in 1977, operated by Chicago Helicopters, Jacksonville Helicopters, Garlick Helicopters and Western Helicopter. Returned to Canada in 1980, registered as C-FFZM. Operated by Northwestern Helicopters and Cypress Helicopters. Registration cancelled 2005. Aircraft with this serial on display at the Canadian Museum Of Flight at Langley, BC in 2005 has been assembled from spares, still there in 2007.Known Squadron Assignments:
With No. 108 (Com) Flight detachment at Great Whale, Quebec in April 1956. Loaned to RCN from September 1957 for deck landing trials at sea, on HMCS Ottawa. Received radio modifications and additional floatation gear at Pratt & Whitney Canada for this loan. On board for NATO exercises in eastern Atlantic in the fall of 1957. Returned to Rockcliffe in December 1957. With No. 5 (H) Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario in summer of 1958. Performed medivac from Molson's Stadium, Montreal on 19 August 1958, interrupting CFL football game. Used to evaluate instrument training goggles in September 1958. To North Bay in December 1958, to take part in search for missing CF-100 crew. With No. 102 (K) Unit at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario c.1960. With No. 448 (Test) Squadron at RCAF Station Cold Lake, Alberta in 1960s. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number, still at Cold Lake. In storage at Saskatoon when struck off. To civil register when sold, as CF-JTH. Operated by CAT Logging and Nahanni Helicopters. Operating on special flight permit in 1973, for fire fighting only. Converted to S-58E configuration by July 1974, when it received a full Certificate of Airworthiness as C-FJTH. Noted with 5640.0 logged time on that date. Written off in hard landing near Ignace, Ontario on 19 August 1976. Helicopter was taking off from Catastrophe Lake, Ontario camp with fire crew, sucked a garbage can lid through the main rotor. Registration cancelled 23 March 1977. Sold to Rilpa Enterprises of Calgary as scrap metal.Known Squadron Assignments: ;111
With No. 108 (Com) Flight detachment at Great Whale, Quebec in April 1956, for summer construction season. Returned to Bagotville at end of 1956 construction season, back to Great Whale in June 1957. Crashed near Winnipeg on 1 December 1958, not repaired. Being operated by No. 111 (K) Flight out of Winnipeg to transport VIPs to various radar stations.Known Squadron Assignments:
With No. 108 (Com) Flight detachment at Great Whale, Quebec in April 1956. Operating in Quebec again in summer of 1957. Transferred from No. 5 (H) Operational Training Unit at Rockcliffe to Central Experimental and Proving Establishment at Cold Lake in September 1958. With No. 448 (Test) Squadron at RCAF Station Cold Lake, Alberta in 1960s. To Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, no change in serial number. Possibly withdrawn from service in early 1971. In storage at Saskatoon when struck off. To civil register as N99275. Crashed at Flat Rock, Michigan on 16 October 1977, repaired and returned to service. US civil registration cancelled on 16 April 2013, reported as sold.