Igor Sikorsky arrived from his Bridgeport, Connecticut factory in style for a luncheon. Sikorsky chief test pilot Jimmie Viler flew a display. The landing spot is now occupied by the Museum of Science's parking garage. N410A was apparently used as a demonstrator and was delivered to the Argentine navy in 1959. Photo by: Edmund Mitchell / Boston Public Library

In 1953 the US Army awarded a contract to Sikorsky for the experimental conversion of 3 H-18 (S-52) helicopters from piston to turbine power. Of the three aircraft, two were designated XH-39s by the Army (49-2890 was used for testing and 49-2891 was a static test frame that never flew). The XH-39 was in competition with the Bell XH-40. The Army chose the XH-40, which became the UH-1 Huey. This is the third H-18 converted, designated S-59 by Sikorsky, and was used by the company demonstration and publicity flights, for example static display at the World's Fair in New York in 1964.

This helicopter was intially delivered to the RCAF as 9602. In February 1980 it was registered N5219 to an owner in Tampa, FL and at some later point before July 1988 became become part of this super museum. The helicopter has been wonderfully restored in this Sikorsky executive transport scheme and is on display in the Civilian Hangar.

Official Sikorsky Aircraft photo. Original caption reads "S-64E Skycrane helicopter, built by Sikorsky aircraft, is shown delivering heating unit to roof of plant near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Skycrane installed 263 such units in six days. The builder estimated that it would have taken approximately one year using conventional methods". Built in 1968 the helicopter was still active in 2023.

The S-62 prototype, first flown on 22 May 1958. It was demonstrated at the 1959 Paris Air Show and the photo may have been taken around that time. As an S-62A it entered service with SFO Helicopter Airlines late in 1963. Photo from: Regionaal Archief Dordrecht

Built in September 2013, this S-76D was used by Sikorsky as a demonstrator. As such, it embarked to a six month world tour from January till July 2015. It passed through Malaysia in March 2015 and did participate in the LIMA'15 exhibition show in Langkawi. Seen here returning to Subang (Kuala Lumpur) from a demo flight with potential customers. The aircraft was sold to Mirasol Sky LLC in August 2018 and is now registered N36RP.

Two Skycranes (D-9510 and D-9511) were used by the German military for evaluation. As these tests did not result in an order the two prototypes moved to the USA. The US Army did buy the Skycrane as CH-54A Tarhe.

The Sikorsky developed X2 high speed co-axial helicopter first flew on August 27, 2008. Before it's retirement in 2011, it had raised the helicopter speed record to 260 knots. The design won the Robert J Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association in 2010 and test data became the basis for the new Sikorsky S-97 Raider, now under development. The aircraft was donated to the Smithsonian in 2016.