InventorsThe
Helicopter One
of aviation's greatest designers, Russian born Igor Sikorsky began work
on helicopters as early as 1910. By 1940, Igor Sikorsky's successful VS-300
had become the model for all modern single-rotor helicopters. He also designed
and built the first military helicopter, XR-4, which he delivered to Colonel
Franklin Gregory of the U.S. Army.
The very first piloted helicopter
was invented by Paul Cornu in 1907, however, this design was not successful.
Another Frenchman, Etienne Oehmichen built and flew a helicopter 1 kilometer
in 1924. An early practical helicopter that flew for a decent distance
was the German Focke-Wulf Fw 61 invented by an unknown inventor.
Igor Sikorsky is considered to be
the "father" of helicopters not because he invented the first. He is called
that because he invented the first successful helicopter, upon which future
designs were based.
General
Helicopter History Helicopter
History Site Chronicle of the evolution of rotary
wing aircraft, many helicopter pioneers and inventors profiled.
Igor Sikorsky Helicopter
- Igor Sikorsky Historical archives of Igor Sikorsky,
the inventor of fixed winged and multi-engined aircraft, transoceanic flying
boats and helicopters.
Igor
Sikorsky and the Helicopter Igor Sikorsky invented the "Direct-Lift
Aircraft; Helicopter and Controls Therefore."
Paul
E. Williams (U.S. patent #3,065,933) On November 26th, 1962, African
American inventor, Paul E. Williams patented a helicopter, Lockheed Model
186 (XH-51). It was a compound experimental helocopter and only 3 units
were built.
Army Helicopters SH-60
Seahawk The UH-60 Black Hawk was
fielded by the Army in 1979. The Navy received the SH-60B Seahawk
in 1983 and the SH-60F in 1988.
HH-60G
Pave Hawk The Pave Hawk is a highly modified
version of the Army Black Hawk helicopter which features an upgraded communications
and navigation suite that includes an integrated inertial navigation/global
positioning/Doppler navigation systems, satellite communications, secure
voice, and Have Quick communications.
CH-53E
Super Stallion The Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion
is the largest helicopter in the western world.
CH-46D/E
Sea Knight The CH-46 Sea Knight was first procured
in 1964.
AH-64D
Longbow Apache The AH-64D Longbow Apache is the
most advanced, versatile, survivable, deployable and maintainable multi-role
combat helicopter in the world.
Related Innovations Airplane
One
of aviation's greatest designers, Russian born Igor Sikorsky began work
on helicopters as early as 1910. By 1940, Igor Sikorsky's successful VS-300
had become the model for all modern single-rotor helicopters. He also designed
and built the first military helicopter, XR-4, which he delivered to Colonel
Franklin Gregory of the U.S. Army.
