Sikorsky s51/ H5

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

I’m building a model of the seaplane tender USS PINE ISLAND as she appeared in December 1946. This is the Revell 1:400 seaplane tender. The project is a small diorama of the ship anchored at Antarctica during Operation Highjump.

In addition to three Martin Mariners, including the ill-fated George One, there was a Sikorsky S51/ H5 that flew to the ship and back in the last week of the year.

I’m going to build a model of this helicopter to include in a diorama. After a search in the www and my libraries, I still have a few questions.

If anyone could furnish the following info, I’d be thankful:

Would this have floats or wheeled gear?

Would this be yellow? Orange? Green? Other colors?

Markings?

I know that this is a lot to ask for. In return, I was involved in remodeling the Hiller facilities in Palo Alto, California in 1975 and would be happy to do research on that company.

2

In 1946, it would have been an R-5, not an H-5/S-51/HO3S-1. The S-51 redesign wasn’t done until 1947. It wasn’t a major redesign, but it corrected some of the issues the R-5A/D had early on. the H-5/S-51/HO3S-1 had much better cockpit glazing and strengthened landing gear. Can’t really say what color it would have been, although my guess after seeing a Navy R-4B (HOS-1) in Navy Sea Blue, it would probably be in some variation of that color in 1946. I do know that Navy HO3S-1s were painted overall Navy Sea Blue by the Korean War.

Googling HO3S-1 should get you the images you need.

Jon

3

Thank you very much!