The birth of the world's first helicopter

The VS-300 was the world's first operational single main rotor helicopter, laying the foundation for modern helicopter technology.

The first test flight of the VS-300 helicopter took place in 1939. (Photo: Rare Historical Photos).

The Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 is America's first single-engine helicopter , developed by Russian-American engineer Igor Sikorsky. The original design consisted of a three-bladed rotor, powered by a 75 horsepower (56 kW) motor. The original design, along with subsequent improvements to the model, greatly influenced many features commonly found on modern helicopters.

Igor Sikorsky 's development of a practical operational helicopter began in 1938, when he was technical manager of the Vought-Sikorsky unit of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). He convinced UAC executives that his years of research into problems related to rotary-wing aircraft would lead to a breakthrough.

His first test aircraft, the VS-300, flew on September 14, 1939, while still connected to cables. On May 13, 1940, VS-300 completed its first free flight. As the world's first single main rotor helicopter to operate successfully, the VS-300 reaches a height of 4.5 - 6 m and moves forward 60 m, then hovers in place, reverses and lands. safe.

One of the first flights of the VS-300. (Photo: Wikimedia).

When developing rotary-wing aircraft, Sikorsky was the first to use only a single engine to power both the main and tail rotor systems. For some later flights of the VS-300, Sikorsky added a vertical wing surface at the end of the tail to aid in anti-rotation, but this was later removed as ineffective.

Sikorsky also equipped the VS-300 with floats and performed takeoff and landing on water on April 17, 1941, making it the first operational amphibious helicopter. On May 6, 1941, Sikorsky flew this aircraft model and set a world record for flight time, reaching 1 hour 32 minutes 26.1 seconds.

In May 1942, the two-seat version of the VS-300 was delivered to the US Army. The final variant of the VS-300 was equipped with a 150 horsepower Franklin engine. This was one of the first helicopters capable of carrying cargo.

In 1943, VS-300 was brought to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. The helicopter has remained on display ever since, except for a return trip to the Sikorsky Aircraft factory for restoration in 1985.

The success of the VS-300 and the lessons learned from the vehicle's development laid the foundation for further advances in helicopter technology. Sikorsky's continuous research and testing led to the creation of more complex and better performing helicopters, helping to shape the modern rotary-wing aircraft industry.