DND photo. Operated by Canadian Joint Air Training Centre

DND photo. Canadian Joint Air Training Centre

DND photo. Operated by Canadian Joint Air Training Centre

Canadian Joint Air Training Centre, Rivers, Man. DND photo.

Canadian Joint Air Training Centre, Rivers, Man. DND photo.

R.C.A.F. Station Chatham Base Flight. DND photo.

H-5 Sikorsky. DND photo.

The Dragonfly was the RCAF's first helicopter and 9601 was the first of seven taken on by the service. It was originally assigned in 1947 to Trenton for training duties, then to Edmonton, also for training and next to the Canadian Joint Air Training School at Rivers, Manitoba. Transferred to Cold Lake, Alberta, it flew for the Experimental and Proving Establishment for five years. After that, it was sent to Chatham, New Brunswick, for five more years. In 1965 it was retired and found its way into the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, moving to NAFMC in 2012.

Last known official registration was N92868. I haven't found any reference that this reg was cancelled.

Now on display inside the 'big tent' with a different code.

The H-5 was the RCAF's first helicopter. The first three were delivered in 1947, with four more following, two in 1948 and two in 1949. Bought for Search and Rescue, the type was also used to train a helicopter force from the ground up. The S-51s (as they were better known by the crews) were in service until the 1960s when parts were getting scarce and more modern helicopters had joined the RCAF. 9603 was sold to the Alberta Institute of Technology in 1964 as a training aid, later going to the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center where it remains on display.

This Dragonfly is on display at the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center.

This H-5 has recently migrated Eastwards from the Canadian Warbird Heritage Museum to the National Air Force Museum of Canada.

Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly displayed at the museum at the international airport.