According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

THIS AIRCRAFT IS ON LOAN FROM THE NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM, PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

The Sikorsky S-58 was ordered by the military and designated the H-34. It was first used in a anti-submarine role by the U.S. Navy with the first flight in 1954. The U. S. Army used the H-34 (known as the “Choctaw”) as its principal transport helicopter from 1955 through 1964. The Marines adopted it in 1957 (known as the “Seahorse”) as their standard troop carrier for “vertical envelopment” landings, operating from carriers.

The H-34 in our museum was one of four modified for operation in Antarctica with the Navy and was given the “L” designation. It served as a rescue and utility craft with Squardron (sic) VX-6.

Other H-34s served in executive flight attachment, serving the President. Still others were used as recovery aircraft for the Mercury Program. Commercial models were used to transport cargo and passengers. They also were provided to over 23 countries. Westland in the United Kingdom was licensed was built (sic) a turbine-powered version as the “Wessex.”

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This helicopter has a special meaning for me. As mentioned above the UK built a turbine-powered version called the “Westland Wessex”. When I was in high school I was a Royal Air Force Cadet and from time to time we would visit nearby airfields where we were allowed to fly in various aircraft (in some cases we were even allowed to fly the aircraft when it was already airborne and under the guidance of an instructor). During one of these visits I flew in a Westland Wessex – the first helicopter I ever flew in. It was quite an experience, especially since the pilots seemed to take great pleasure out of subjecting the poor unsuspecting cadets to the joys of autorotation. Wikipedia defines autorotation as:

…a state of flight in which the main rotor system of a helicopter or similar aircraft turns by the action of air moving up through the rotor, as with an autogyro, rather than engine power driving the rotor. The term autorotation dates to a period of early helicopter development between 1915 and 1920, and refers to the rotors turning without the engine. It is analogous to the gliding flight of a fixed-wing aircraft.

From our perspective it seemed as if the aircraft dropped like a rock and was falling out of the sky. Pretty scary if you don’t know what’s happening (and the aircrew made sure that we didn’t).

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.

According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

Courtesy of the United States Army Aviation Museum

The S-64 Skycrane is a twin-engined heavy-lift helicopter designed by Sikorsky for the U.S. Army. It was first flown in May, 1962 and was an enlarged and upgraded version of Sikorsky’s first flying crane, the S-60. The initial “A” version had a 20,000 lb. payload capacity that was increased to 25,000 lbs. with the later “B” version and could lift, haul and deliver cargo on a sling or in a cargo pod under its fuselage. It also had an aft-facing pilot station that gave an unobstructed view of the load being carried and allowed for positive control of the aircraft during precision operations.

Designated the CH-54 “Tarhe” by the U.S. Army, they were used in Vietnam beginning in 1965 and quickly proved their value as a flying crane by routinely lifting outsized and weighty cargo such as artillery pieces, armored vehicles and recovered aircraft. Notably it was credited with retrieving over 380 damaged aircraft. The cargo pod also proved useful as they could carry troops or equipment, serve as a mobile hospital or as a command post. They even were used as bombers to create instant helicopter landing zones.

During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the CH-54 was replaced in the Army’s inventory by the CH-47 “Chinook” and the remaining craft were transferred to the Army Reserve and National Guard. The aircraft was retired from military service in 1995. The Museum’s CH-54B was last flown by the Army Aviation Unit located at Bradley Airport.

Sikorsky made an effort to market the S-64 commercially with a total of 10 sold or leased. Seven went to Erickson Air-Crane of Medford, Oregon for logging operations and firefighting. In 1992 Sikorsky sold the all manufacturing and support rights to Erickson who now produce the S-64 Aircrane that is still in use today.

Taken with a Sony RX100 M3.

According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

Courtesy of the United States Army Center of Military History

The “Iroquois” was more commonly known as the “Huey” as there were a series of the “HU” models which were subsequently re-designated “UH.” Various versions of this helicopter are operational with more than 36 air forces around the world. Well over 6,000 have been produced.

The UH-1B served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam and was the mainstay of Army Air Development Operations. They were used as transports, gunships, airborne ambulances, search/rescue and as general utility aircraft.

The design first flew in 1955 and the aircraft has been produced under license in Japan, Italy and Germany. A pure gunship development of the Huey was the AH-1G “Cobra.”

This craft was used by the U.S. Air Force Forward Air Control (USAFFAC) stationed at Brookside Airport, McCordsville, IN.

Taken with a Sony RX100 M3.

According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

Gift of the Romeo A. Lalli Estate

The “Seabee” is a unique four place amphibian produced by Republic Aviation of Farmingdale, L.I., N.Y. right after World War II and originally sold for about $6,000. The plane is based on a concept of Connecticut native Percival H. Spencer and was designed to be a low cost utilitarian sport airplane.

The RC-3’s designer for Republic was Alexander Kartveli who became one of the most significant, innovative and influential aircraft designers not only in the U.S. but in the world. His other designs included for Republic the P-47 ‘Thunderbolt,’ the F-84 ‘Thunderjet’ and F-84F ‘Thunderstreak,’ the F-105 ‘Thunderchief,’ and for Fairchild the A-10 ‘Thunderbolt II.’ You can learn more about Mr. Kartveli and his designs at www.alexanderkartveli.com.

Even though it has been out of production for over 60 years, the Seabee remains a popular amphibian aircraft, and many believe it is the best single-engined amphibian ever built due to its utility, ruggedness and water handling.

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.

According to the Museum’s website (which also provides technical specifications):

Gift of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and Robert Wanagel

The “Electra” was the first all-metal multi-engine plane produced by Lockheed and was designed to compete with planes such as the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2. It carried 10 passengers and a crew of two or three and had a range of 810 miles. This example, Serial No. 1052, was initially delivered to the U. S. Navy in February 1936 for use as a staff transport by the Secretary of the Navy, Claude Swanson. During World War II, it was used to transport the Assistant Secretary of Naval Air, David Ingalls. After the war, the airplane went through nine owners, and was used primarily to carry freight and passengers.

A sister ship, Serial No. 1055, was flown by Amelia Earhart when she disappeared over the Pacific during her attempted round-the-world flight in July 1937.

In 1984, this airplane was purchased for use in a planned reenactment of the Earhart flight and it was to be restored by United Technologies. Unfortunately due to a set of circumstances, the project was terminated and the plane was given to the Museum.

Ten years later in 1994, the Museum undertook the restoration of the craft. While its first service was first with the military, the 10-A is finished in the colors of Northwest Airlines which was the first carrier that flew Electra’s in commercial service.

Taken with a Sony RX-100 M3.