This was the first S-55 delivered to the US Marines, on 27 April 1951. The US Navy had received construction numbers 55006 through 55015 as HO4S-1 helicopters for evaluation in the anti-submarine warfare role. 127783 to NACA at Langley in March 1953.

Delivered in May 1952. Crashed in the Camp Pendleton area, California and written off on 14 October of the same year.

Performing an engine run at the RAF Northolt Nightshoot XXVIIa.

Delivered as an HO4S-2(G) in December 1951. Marked here as an HO4S-3G, although by 1963 it was officially an HH-19G. Photo from: SFO Museum

Scrapped at Otterburn in 1985.

Delivered to the RAF as XP360 in 1962. Sold in 1976 and moved to Fawkham Green, Kent. To the Second World War Aircraft Preservation Society at Lasham in 1980. Moved to NEAM Sunderland in 1991 then to Upper Hill, Herefordshire in 1992 and to a paintball park at Bicton, Herefordshire in 2005. Still there in 2021.

Delivered to the Royal Navy as XN309 in 1960. Used as ground trainer A2663 at Culdrose from 1977. Moved to Faygate in 1980 then to the Second World War Aircraft Preservation Society at Lasham in 1981. Moved to Thatcham in 1989 then to Baldonnel, Ireland in 1990 and later scrapped.

During the 1955 flood in Yuba City, California, this particular HO4S rescued 138 people in twelve hours. Photo date and location unknown to me. This airframe served in the US Coast Guard from 1953 until 1967, although it should have been marked as an HH-19G after 1962. It is marked as an HO4S-3, without its G suffix for the USCG model. To civil as N17378.

Loomis Dean apparently took this snapshot while he was at Edwards to photograph a Douglas X-3 Stiletto flight, which must have been between August 1954 and May 1956. The helo was delivered earlier in 1954. It was still with AFFTC in 1959 but its fate is unknown. Photo by: Loomis Dean / Life

Written off on 17 december 1969 when operating from HMS Endurance. It ran out of fuel after carrying external loads (barrels of jet fuel) between Port Salvador, East Falklands and Foam Creek for two hours. It ditched and the floatation gear was deployed but it rolled to port. The four crew swam 80 yards to shore. After 12 hours floating inverted it beached at Sheila Creek, Port Salvador. It was then towed to the settlement where it became a children's plaything. During the Falklands War, Argentine pilots reported its presence to higher authorities who thought it had been used to insert the SAS.

Written off on 31 Aug 2002 at Lythe Creek, California, following loss of control while fire-fighting.

The first prototype of the S-55, first flown on 10 November 1949. The S-55 was the first successful single-rotor helicopter capable of transporting significant loads. The key was to put the big piston engine in the nose, and the changeable payload and fuel in the centre of gravity. Initially 49-2012 had a half horizontal tailplane with endplate on this side instead of the two canted fins seen here. Print stamped June 1952.

Delived to the RAF as Whirlwind HAR.2 XJ727 in 1956. Converted to an HAR.4 in 1962 and an HAR.10 in 1963/4. To Halton for use as ground trainer 8661M in 1980. To RAF Manstion History Museum for parts in 1998 then to Richborough, Kent in 2007 and Thetford - Combat Paintball Park, Norfolk by 2018.

To GI March 1967, allocated maintenance serial A2571. SOC September 1967. To IWM, Duxford by road 13th June 1974. Various loans; to RAF Leconfield October 1990 as GI, allocated 9050M. Scrapped early 2001.

Delivered to the Royal Navy as XL839 in 1958. Used as ground trainer A2665 at Lee-on-Solent from 1977. To the Fleet Air Air Museum, Yeovilton in 1978 and used as a travelling exhibit then to Lee-on-Solent in 1982 as a fire trainer. Burnt and destroyed in 1984.

First flew as Whirlwind HAR4 XD779 then reserialled as XJ409 before delivery to the RAF in 1954. Converted to an HAR10 in 1964. Preserved at the Wales Aircraft Museum, Cardiff from 1979. Moved to Grangetown in 1991 then to Maes Artro Village, Llanbedr in 1994. Probably scrapped when it closed in 2005.

Location should be the West 30th Street Heliport, which New York Airways used before 1960. Photo from: Smithsonian Institution

Mishap in the Malayan jungle. Serial WV195 readable, code G of No 848 Sqn confirmed. Ex BuNo 130188, supplied to Britain as early as November 1952 to fight communist rebels in Malaysia. Repaired after this accident. Sent back to Britain in 1957, but retired in 1958 and burnt in 1963 for an instructional filming. Photo by: Harrison Forman / University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee