The Sikorsky XHJS-1 (manufacturer designation S-53), was developed by

Sikorsky Aircraft Sikorsky Aircraft is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. It was established by the Russian-American aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky in 1923, and was among the first companies to manufacture helicopters for civilian ...

to meet a Naval requirement for a utility helicopter. The XHJS-1 was not ordered into production and only two prototypes were built.

Design and development

Powered by a Continental R-975-34, the S-53 was a development of the S-51 designed for use on aircraft carriers. The tail rotor was raised above head-height to give more clearance and the landing gear was made stronger to enable operations from a moving deck. Other enhancements were a folding main rotor and the option for amphibious landing gear. Two prototypes were ordered by the United States Navy as the XHJS-1 and the first flew on 22 September 1947. The type was evaluated against the Piasecki XHJP-1. With the Piasecki design being ordered as the HUP-1 by the Navy, the S-53 was not developed further.

Variants

;XHJS-1 :Prototype naval utility helicopter, two built.

Specifications (XHJS-1)

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * {{USN helicopters HJS United States military helicopters 1940s United States military utility aircraft 1940s United States helicopters Single-engined piston helicopters Aircraft first flown in 1947

Design and development

Variants

Specifications (XHJS-1)

See also

References