@ Lancaster, CA
May 2006
A UH-19D Chickasaw, part of the collection of the now-defunct Milestones of Flight Air Museum in Lancaster, CA. First flown in 1949, the Sikorsky S-55 was a utility helicopter developed with company funds, incorporating novel features such as unique engine placement and utilization of offset hinges in the main rotor head. The engine placement below and forward of the cockpit resulted in a large cabin directly below the main rotor and the rotor’s offset hinges provided large control moments to enable a wide center-of-gravity range. This design was acquired by all the US military services under the designation of H-19, holding the distinction of being the U.S. Army’s first true transport helicopter. With the closure of the Lancaster museum, Estrella Warbirds Museum acquired this H-19D helicopter early fall 2016. Panasonic FZ30 photo.
