Sikorsky R-4B helicopter in WWII RCAF service

[Crewman]

Hi,

The thread maybe not for great discussion but as an ex-pilot, lover of aviation and the helicopters I have to create this small MLU window for lonely Canadian WWII-era R-4B.

Only one R-4B was tested by the RCAF during WWII. Paradoxically the first Canadian airmen rescued by the helicopter were rescued not by the lonely RCAF's R-4B but by the American HNS-1 (YR-4B).

In Europe it is impossible to read anything about the Canadian tests of this helicopter. Were there any articles, not to mention books, in Canada dedicated to R-4 in the RCAF service?


Best regards

C.

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Crewman
Only one R-4B was tested by the RCAF during WWII. Paradoxically the first Canadian airmen rescued by the helicopter were rescued not by the lonely RCAF's R-4B but by the American HNS-1 (YR-4B).

According to Larr Milberry's 60 YEARS The RCAF and CF Air Command 1924-1984, there were no R4's taken on strength during WW II. The RCAF's first operational experience with helicopters in Canada came when Canso 11076 crashed on April 20, 1945 near Lake Morhiban, Labrador. Canada dispatched a Norseman to the scene after an American C-54 spotted the downed plane and removed the injured flight Engineer and one of the pilots, but rescue ops were shut down due to weather. When it was realized that it may take weeks to rescue the remaining crewmen, a USAAF R-4 (43-28234) was shipped from New York to Goose Bay aboard a C-54, assembled, and flown to the downed Canso. The entire rescue mission took 11 days.
Very few Canadians were trained to fly helicopters during WW II, a short paragraph on p. 207 mentions Dennis Foley RCN learned to fly R-4's in '44-'45 in the U.S.
The first helicopters taken on strength by Canada were H-5's in 1947.

[Crewman]

Hello,

Thank you very much for corrections. As I can see there is a controversy what happened with one R-4B ordered by the British in the batch of 45 helicopters bought for the RAF in March 1944. Sometimes various authors write that one of those R-4s was handed over to the RCAF. But there are also controversies as to the serial number of this helicopter. It came from the batch serialled 43-46500 – 43-46599, if I am not mistaken. Today in Canada there is one specimen serialled 43-46565 but its history is unknown. Does your book contain an info what was RAF or RCAF serial for this Canadian R-4B? The British serialled R-4Bs as KK and three digits or KL and three digits.

Best regards

C.


PS. And maybe exists a photo of this sole Canadian R-4B?:

[sapper740]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Crewman
[B]Hello,

Thank you very much for corrections. As I can see there is a controversy what happened with one R-4B ordered by the British in the batch of 45 helicopters bought for the RAF in March 1944. Sometimes various authors write that one of those R-4s was handed over to the RCAF. But there are also controversies as to the serial number of this helicopter. It came from the batch serialled 43-46500 – 43-46599, if I am not mistaken. Today in Canada is one specimen serialled 43-46565 but its history is unknown. Does your book contain an info what was RAF or RCAF serial for this Canadian R-4B? The British serialled R-4Bs as KK and three digits or KL and three digits.

Best regards

C.

Of course, Larry Milberry was quoting the "official" record of aircraft taken on strength during the war. There were a few aircraft types such as the Defiant, Typhoon, and Beaufighter that were flown by Canadians but remained British property. However, converting over from one fixed wing aircraft to another is a relatively simple task; converting from fixed wing to rotary is quite another and any Canadian personnel trained to fly helicopters would have had to attend a flying school which would have almost certainly created an official record of the training. But with the intermingling of aircrew and aircraft from throughout the Commonwealth during WW II, who knows what the "unofficial" record truly is?
You might want to check Sikorsky's production records, if they still exist and see when R-4 43-46565 was manufactured. Do you know where this R-4 is displayed? You might want to contact them for a history of the helicopter.
Thanks for creating an interesting thread about a little known aspect of WW II aviation.


CHIMO!

[Crewman]

Hello

Originally posted by sapper740

You might want to check Sikorsky's production records, if they still exist...

Good idea, the more so that the Sikorsky company has very friendly public relations department.

Originally posted by sapper740

Do you know where this R-4 is displayed?

Over here but this is ex-USAAF helicopter as the museum describes it. The USAAF specimen with unknown history.

Originally posted by sapper740

Thanks for creating an interesting thread about a little known aspect of WW II aviation.

My specialization

Best regards

C.

[Ponysoldier]

If you are still looking,you might want to search Boeing
aircraft records. Boeing maintains a large archive
of non Boeing aircraft.
Patrick