Warbird Information Exchange

I'm just trying to gather a listing of surviving Sikorsky R-4 helicopters out there.

What I've got is:

XR-4C prototype
Smithsonian, Udvar-Hazy, On display

R-4B (s/n 43-46506)
National Museum of the United States Air Force, On Display (Hung?)

R4B Hoverfly I (KL110)
RAF Museum at Hendon, Hung, Milestones of Flight display.

R4 (USAAF No. 43-46565)
Canada Aviation Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. Stored, frame uncovered. From Planes of Fame, 1983.

HNS-1 Hoverfly (Bu# 39047)
National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida. Hung, display in US Coast Guard markings.

R-4B Hoverfly (S/No 43-46592)
Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Static display.

R-4
Yanks Air Museum, Chino (Observed 2002, stored, awaiting restoration.)

Some questions:
Is the Yank's aircraft still with them?
Was there an example with the CAF, and where is it now?
Any others?

Thanks in advance.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

James,

For whatever reason, the CAF example was give to the "museum" end of the CAF a while ago. I'm sure it will be on dispaly in the musem at some time in the future. The restoration of it was started several years ago but the proper engine couldn't be located. If you look through my posts, you will find a thread that includes the R-4B that the CAF owns.

When I first joined the Air Force a few years ago (dang near 18 now) I had a tech school instructor that had flown the one in the Air Force Musem before it was on display. He said it was an awful machine!

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Brad

James,

The Yanks one was in the restoration hangar the last time I was there. I'll be visiting them again on Wednesday, so will be able to get you some up-to-date shots if you're interested.

Cheers

Mike

Thanks Brad! It was your posts I recall, I'm sure. Anyone able to confirm an ID?

Heh. So was the Wright Flyer, and we know where that led. From what I've read, it was what we'd regard now as a pre-production batch, or 'Beta Version' in comp-jargon. It 'worked', but it had no payload to speak of, and I'm sure was pretty buggy and primitive. Still, it was a vital step in the evolution of the helicopter. There's photos of Eric Brown flying a British one hands off - I'm sure Igor did the same. It's interesting to note that the Bell 47 isn't much younger, and that's still going. Suggest flying an R-4 (with 100 hr lifed blades) and you'll get funny looks.

Yes please, Mike. It was there when I saw it, but pretty dusty and cobwebby!

Anyone got shots of the Fort Rucker, CAF, NMUSAF and NASM examples they'd be happy to have published, with credit etc? Drop me a PM if you are. Also interested in detail / period shots.

Cheers,

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

R-4B 43-46521 used to be at PASM and was sent back to Ft Rucker about a year ago. Maybe James knows what happened to it.
bill word

The new England Air Museum has two examples, but right now i don't have the serial numbers on them.
One is restored and on display, the other has been in storage for years and isn't complete. Since I've been off the curatorial committee for many years, this stored example could possibly have been traded or sold.
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

HEre is the one in the NMUSAF and the one in NMNA. These are my pics, and you can use them for whatever you like. I hope they help.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Here is a shot of the Yanks Hoverfly taken in October 08


Mark

The CAF had one, but traded it for a "more complete" and easier to restore one, as I recall the story. The only problem was that the engine was not the right one and the drive shaft didn't line up. I don't think much restoration was ever done on either one.

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Mike

More on the way via email this evening.


An L-5 rescuing an R-4 that ran out of gas on one of the very first helicopter rescue missions.

Ryan

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

The American Airpower Heritage Museum's R-4 is scattered all over the facility here in Midland. Some of it's in the "old nose art" facility, some of it is in the warehouse, and some of it we found partially buried in the dirt on the "hill." My guess is that it'll never be put together. But I could certainly be wrong.

Gary

Army Aviation Museum, Fort Rucker
R-4B 43-46592
R-4B 43-46521

Yanks Air Museum, Chino
R-4B 43-46534

New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks
R-4B 43-46503 plus one

USAF Museum, WPAFB
R4-B 43-46506

Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola
R-4B/HNS-1 39047 ex 43-46560

National Air and Space Museum, Chantilly
XR-4 41-18874

Harold Warp Pioneer Village, Minden, NE
YR-4B/HNS-1 N75378 ex 43-28229/39034

American Airpower Heritage Museum, Midland, TX
R-4B 43-46551

Dang! You beat me to it.

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Had God intended for man to fly behind inline engines, Pratt & Whitney would have made them.

CB

http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/Desrt_Wings.html

CAF not going to do anything with it.........................SELL IT!!! I got $45.00 I could go on it.

I'll pitch in another $50 and we'll start the CBI L-bird/Helo Demo team! That would really be a fun show.

Ryan

_________________
Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.