“The Guardian Angel” is a black-and-white Sikorsky Aircraft film (made in cooperation with the US Department of Defense) that tells the viewer of helicopter operations during the Korean War. It opens onboard the USS Missouri (BB-63) at mark 00:30 followed by several destroyers as they cut through the water and launch an R-5 helicopter for a man-overboard call. Helicopters are also shown being used to transport men from ship to ship. They can travel slowly over sea or land, we’re told, or hover over a site for closer inspection. Marine Corps General Lemuel C. Shepherd emerges from a helicopter at mark 03:35 in Korea, while another is shown delivering supplies to hilltop Marines in combat. Wounded are carried to a waiting helicopter at mark 05:19, General Hoyt Vandenberg, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, is shown using one at mark 07:35, peace treating negotiating teams use a Sikorsky H-19 helicopter on a mission to Kaesong, North Korea at mark 08:30.
The Sikorsky H-5, (initially designated R-5 and also known as S-48, S-51 and by company designation VS-327 was a helicopter built by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.
It was used by the United States Air Force, and its predecessor, the United States Army Air Forces, as well as the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard (with the designations HO2S and HO3S). It was also used by the United States Post Office Department.
In December 1946, an agreement was signed between the British company Westland Aircraft and Sikorsky to produce a British version of the H-5, to be manufactured under license in Britain as the Westland-Sikorsky WS-51 Dragonfly. By the time production ceased in 1951, more than 300 examples of all types of the H-5 had been built.
The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw, (sold commercially under its Sikorsky model number, S-55) was a multi-purpose helicopter used by the United States Army and United States Air Force. It was also license-built by Westland Aircraft as the Westland Whirlwind in the United Kingdom. United States Navy and United States Coast Guard models were designated HO4S, while those of the U.S. Marine Corps were designated HRS. In 1962, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps versions were all redesignated as H-19s like their U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force counterparts.
VIDEO HERE (12 minutes)
Mickey Rooney in Bridges at Toko Ri
ReplyDeleteBack when the Navy let enlisted people drive their aircraft.
DeleteGot to go onto the Mighty MO in '98, when it was docked at Astoria, OR, before being towed to Pearl. Had to, having been born and raised in MO. Got a Mighty MO ball cap.
ReplyDeleteBuilt a model of the Missouri in my youth. That thing had some guns now! OG
ReplyDelete