Sikorsky S-55/H-19 Chickasaw & Westland Whirlwind
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Author: Adrian M. Balch
Publisher: Warpaint Books
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 60
A name almost synonymous with helicopters is Sikorsky. While Igor Sikorsky got his start in fixed wing aviation, he set out to be the leader in helicopters in the 1930s. In the post-war years, Sikorsky developed the S-55, a large helicopter with a radial engine in the nose. The first prototype flew in 1949, and it soon found its way into the air forces of dozens of nations worldwide. License production by Westland further expanded the design's distribution. The clean design and durable construction kept the S-55 and its derivatives in the air well into the 1970s.
The latest title in the Warpaint series covers the Sikorsky S-55 and all its variants, including the civilian versions and Westland license-built variants. The text does a great job of detailing the construction of the helicopter, both by Sikorsky and Westland, as well as touching on the evolution of powerplants (starting with the radial engine and moving on to the later turbine option. Also covered is the operational record of the S-55, both for the military and civilian operators. The latter offer some very interesting subjects, from airlines to sightseeing flights to crop dusting and just about everything in between.
Complementing the text are the photos, and like the written part, these cover the depth and breadth of S-55 operators. The military examples run the gamut of color schemes, from overall sea blue in early US markings to the overall yellow RAF rescue examples. For those wanting something a bit more garish, there are several pages devoted to the US Army's Square Dance team of four creatively painted H-19Ds. Civilian options include colorful Sabena and New York Airways schemes, as well as the classic red, white, and blue Bristow scheme. Complementing the photos are dozens of color profile illustrations, and the center section includes some nicely detailed scale drawings that help identify the differences between the various subtypes.
This is quite a nice book on one of Sikorsky's more famous helicopters, and the great number of color schemes coupled with fascinating stories should excite many into wanting to build a model or three of these. My thanks to Warpaint Books for the review copy.