A helicopter, a whirly bird,chopper, eggbeater or by many other names has whirled on post cards, gum cards and other cards for a half a century. A helicopter is an aircraft without wings that can move in any direction or hover in the air.
Historians generally credit Russian born American Igor Sikorsky and his succesful test flight in 1939 as the first flight of the helicopter. There are many other names involved in the evolution of the helicopter.
Overhead blades give the helicopter it’s lift by the blades rotating on a vertical axis. It’s quick mobility and ability to take off from a small space make it a unique flying machine.
In the mid 1800′s French Wirtergustave de Ponton d’Amecourt coined the word Helicoptere to describe the concept of turning blades to produce flight.
Experts disagree when it comes to the development of the helicopter in the 1900′s. They know for a fact Sikorski was experimenting with a rubber band powered flying machine when he was just twelve years old. He would eventually go on to the Russian Naval Acacemy and the Russian Polytechnic Institute before turning to further helicopter experimentation.
In 1907 the French brothers Jacques and Louis Breguet had success with a helicopter like Gyroplane. More progress was reported soon after with French inventor Paul Cornu, and Denmarks Jacob Ellehammer.
In 1917 Sikorsky left Russia to become an American citizen. The skilled inventor had already developed a four engined airplane for the Russian Airforce. He found some invevestors and formed a company to further his research.
In the late summer of 1939 a Sikorsky designed helicopter The VS-300 was able to take off and land vertically. It was also able to hover in one spot.
In 1942 the XR-4 model was made. Over 100 were made in 1942 and more than 400 were in operation by the end of World War II.
In 1944 Stanley Hiller Jr. Provided stronger metal rotor blades making the helicopter faster in the air. He also became the first man to fly his own invention across the United States.
In1946 Arthur Young built the first helicopter for civilian use. The Bell 47 was a very popular aircraft for decades afterwards.
In 1951 during the Korean Conflict the helicopter became a tactical military weapon. It was used to move troups to the battlefield. It also fullfilles a major role moving the wounded and providing supplies to the battlefield.
The first presidential helicopter was placed in service in1957. In later years it was described as Army One. Eventually craft operation became the responsibility of the Marines. The craft was then called Marine One.
In the 1960′s during the Vietnam War the US Military used the Helicopter for major combat missions and assualts.
By the 1970″s rotor-craft helicopters were being pressed into service for all types of tasks including carrying the mail and and passenegers back and forth to the airports.
In 1975 it was estimated that more than 2500 helicopters were performing civilian tasks.
Before the end of the twentieth century the Family Encyclopedia of American History quoted as saying this about rotorcraft. “Put to work today in functions as divers as highway traffic patrolling , air sea rescue, crop dusting and military transport, the helicopter is by far the most versatile of the worlds aircraft.
Keep that in mind when you are reviewing our growing model helicopter category. They are a large part of history.
Filed under: New airplane model blog by MilitaryMan
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