Jump to content

First Helicopter Flown in Combat Rescue Mission


cutiger83
 Share

Recommended Posts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_R-4

 

On 22–23 April 1944, U.S. Army Lieutenant Carter Harman of the 1st Air Commando Group conducted the first combat rescue by helicopter using a YR-4B in the China-Burma-India theater. Despite the high altitude, humidity, and capacity for only a single passenger, Harman rescued a downed liaison aircraft pilot and his three British soldier passengers, two at a time. On 22–23 January 1945, another rescue by the R-4 involved several legs for refueling and navigating through passes between mountains nearly 10,000 feet (3,000 m) tall, to reach a weather station located at an elevation of 4,700 feet (1,400 m). The higher than normal altitude required a downhill run of 20 ft (6.1 m) to get airborne.

 

While the R-4 was being used for rescues in Burma and China, it was also being used to ferry parts between floating Aviation Repair Units in the South Pacific. On 23 May 1944, six ships set sail with two R-4s on board each vessel. The ships had been configured as floating repair depots for damaged Army Air Forces aircraft in the South Pacific. When the helicopters were not being used to fly the parts from one location to another, they were enlisted for medical evacuation and other mercy missions.

 

R-4_AC_HNS1.jpg

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

River Patrol

Great history there on the early use of rotary wing aircraft in war. Thanks for sharing this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I believe the picture shows Igor Sikorski and CDR. Frank Erickson, taken at Coast Guard Air Station Brooklyn at Floyd Bennett Field.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a nice display relating to Burma helicopter operations at the Helicopter Museum, Weston Super-Mare, UK. Surprised me too, always thought it was Korea. The Germans used helicopters late in the war to supply Alpine bases as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brian Keith

Floating Aviation Repair Units, on LST's, known as Operation Ivory Soap.

WW II Rotary Wing Aircraft artifacts are pretty uncommon!

BKW

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a good account of the early use of these aircraft in the book:

Air Commandos Against Japan: Allied Special Operations in World War II Burma by William T. Y'Blood.

 

The accounts are pretty hair raising... flying unproven early helicopters over some of the most hostile terrain on earth.

But the pilots and crews learned how to master the new technology and successfully rescued wounded ground troops over and over again.

 

Available on Amazon.com.

Air Commando.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 years later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...