Sikorsky S-55 - Acquisition Visit? - Part 1

[@KevinFields777]

Just absolutely fabulous engineering!

[@a-skepticalman6984]

You have to love Kermit Weeks, his enthusiasm is infectious.

[@Mrcaffinebean]

Love how Kermie dives right into the details and wants to learn everything. That’s totally how I also go about things also.

[@papabits5721]

You know in your mind how it works but it’s great to actually see it and have it explained.

[@alhodge4051]

thoroughly enjoyed listening to the discussion. guy knows his stuff.

[@EthanA1122]

thanks Kermit...I'm planning on coming down and seeing Howard's S 43...what a golden era for advancement in Aviation!

[@echoshmecho3102]

yes this is my favorite type of helicopter. I love how the cockpit is elevated.

[@groomlake51]

By far my favorite channel!!! If you ever would like to attend a NHRA drag race let me know!! We would be glad to have you as a VIP.

[@crunchytheclown9694]

Excellent insight for this old petrol head,thankyou

[@davidsiler5505]

I would 🧡💛💚💙🩵💜❤️ to own the tour helicopter!

[@mikeray1544]

looks like a large Guppy fish.....i kinda recall a 1980s TY show that had a chopper like this one..great tech info ..great show Sir.

[@mikeray1544]

Wow...centrifical clutch-

[@nickfaddy6624]

Thanks Kermit. Fascinating, especially the difference between the piston and turbine versions.

[@johno9507]

I recognise that rainbow painted chopper from a tv show 10 years ago about helicopters, she was modified to a 5 blade rotor head and used by a sightseeing company over the Grand canyon.

[@TractorMan104]

Yep and I built it in Sanford Florida

[@dsinclairTUBE]

Not my money - but I would LOVE to see your team restore one to original configuration - and watch her fly. Do it Mr. Weeks! Such a great piece of history.

[@rolandalfonso6954]

This was wonderful. What a story. I was thinking...what man could envision about putting a radial engine in the nose of a helicopter driving the main rotor and tail rotor, and having engineers that made it become one of the most successful helicopters ever made. And those rotor heads! And transmissions! And the new parts! Unreal, indeed! Now on to part 2( Rainbow Coalition, SFO, Ha!)

[@funkinflugen]

Thank you Mr. Weeks, can't wait for part 2! As a 25 year Huey driver (last flight OCT 2016, When Dept. of Army made ATEC give them up for Blackhawks), I was tickled to see these old 55's. Hope to see these rotorcraft flying in your collection soon?

[@sanfranciscobay]

Did you ever have any near death experiences in those 25 years of flying Hueys?

[@1musicsearcher]

Talk about a small world, I worked at that helicopter shop building that turbine conversion one for Papillion. Lotta sheet-metal work. I believe it flew the Grand Canyon air tours with a special permit while still in the experimental status. I don’t remember Geoff but that was a LONG time ago. There was another radial to turbinre conversion that was built for Lockheed Martin that left and never heard from again. All the parts were in these cool green Sikorsky cardboard boxes with metal corners.

[@nope1979.]

Sanford Fl. I grew up watching that program developed down the ramp. Whisper Jet.

[@angelreading5098]

Fascinating specialised vintage helicopter ,there is a lot of potential there and probably the largest cache of Sikorsky S-55 parts anywhere in the world,the UK version originally had an Alvis Leonides converted radial powerplant named the Whirlwind.

[@odonovan]

Fantastic... If I'm not mistaken, these were used by a shuttle service, flying from Midway Airport to O'Hare, in Chicago, back in the late 1950s. They were probably military surplus from Korea, converted for passengers. This would then be the very first type of aircraft in which I ever flew, when I was two and a half years old, in 1959.

[@davidsiler5505]

Damn windy! I wouldn't mind owning the Peteon helicopter.

[@sski]

Nice! Can't wait for part 2 where Kermit writes a check and stands on top of that mountain of parts laughing and declaring that he is indeed he King of the Mountain! LOL

[@AnvilDragon]

Something I always wished for on the impractical bucket list of stuff since the 50's.

[@stefanrakuff1425]

Very interesting, thanks for posting.

[@kevinjones2509]

Huge history fan,love the work you do,so interesting what you do with all those old planes and helicopters, keep up good work,look forward to visit Fantasy World in fla

[@見てみてチャンネル]

In Japan, he played an active part in relief activities during the 1959 Isewan Typhoon.

[@Snow_owl1966]

Mr Weeks I really like this I know my father was about the Korean war but he served in for riley Kansas

[@mogulsmoke2428]

In 1963, I rode from San Francisco Airport to the Berkley Pier, to begin training for a major insurance co. I well remember the ride and I think it was in one similar to these. I could not wait for the machine to land, it was a bouncy and rough ride. Great old birds, but not built for comfort or noise control at that time. Too bad about not having a good wind reduction mic. Would like to hear all of the narrative.

[@Josh-hr5mc]

There's a great declassified training video of this heli online, that's what brought me here on a search. It's worth checking out. You can tell when they made that video it was brand new. But a great piece of machinery, funky looking and rare

[@KermitWeeks444]

Great! Thanks. Do you have a link for it?

[@Josh-hr5mc]

@@KermitWeeks444 I'm gonna send you two links. One is the how to transition to the H19 which is what I was talking about and than another military training video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXqsk6Siaax_kNE Here is the second one. It's a H19/S55 Helicopter rescue operation film but still you learn alot about the ship itself with these two videos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXyknnSrbaaGqKM

[@KermitWeeks444]

Pretty cool! Thanks.

[@antman5474]

The radial powered one was designed with ease of maintenance in mind, pure genius. If modern civilisation ever collapses I'll bet that old heli would still be serviceable compared to its modern counterparts.

[@X85283]

If modern civilization ever collapses you're never going to be able to find parts for a Pratt 1340 and if you can, you're not going to be able to find any good fuel for the thing after about 6 months or a year.

[@antman5474]

@@X85283 Third World engineers will keep it running somehow, their talents are on another level.

[@sanfranciscobay]

The USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier Museum in Alameda, CA has a similar radial piston powered static display called the Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse www.uss-hornet.org/visit-hornet/exhibits/aircraft/uh-34d-seahorse They also have an earlier two rotor called the Piasecki HUP-1 Retriever www.uss-hornet.org/visit-hornet/exhibits/aircraft/hup-1-retriever Some of these early helicopters could barely carry any cargo besides the crew.

[@reconmodelsvaughn469]

Man you are awesome I like to think you so much for sharing your experience with all of us. and taking the time out of you day to make all of the Videos they're extremely important you're doing so much for the aviation history.thanks for the hard work

[@irvan36mm]

“Crowd control in stadiums”. Love it! LOL

[@VMCAviationVideos]

I was always wondering what happened to N17754, the Papillon Sikorsky S55. Good to see its still around.

[@oodimvale]

Thank...Thank...you are awesome..... São Paulo - Capital - Brasil

[@Tiger-lg5of]

I saw this Sikorsky on display at a South African airforce display at Waterkloof airbase in 1979'

[@Agwings1960]

Ive only seen video of one flying S-55 on youtube, and that belongs to an individual who I believe has little interest or ability in using the helicopter for public display. We definitely need another restored and flying S-55, especially one capable and willing on making a few air shows.

[@jeffkoppang2591]

I cut my teeth in aviation on the BO-105 and the BK-117, and I miss working on them

[@BCSchmerker]

+KermitWeeksBlogVideos *The Sikorsky S-55 flew with the U. S. Army under the designation H-19 starting 1950.* The Air Force used the HH-19 for aircrew search/rescue/recovery, and the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard used it for observation under the designation HO4S. Gas turbines not having developed sufficiently for reasonably low litres per shaft megajoule fuel consumption at the time, a United Technologies Pratt & Whitney R-1340-57 reciprocating engine was used in the nose. What switchgear will be needed during restoration to operational condition, especially in terms of retrofit to the collective pitch arm? Several pieces of avionics in current requirements were either not available or optional at the S-55's time of design.

[@ChrisB257]

Great old heli... weird seeing a radial in the nose! (pity about that darned wind at times!). Fascinating.

[@deeremeyer1749]

It would be weirder seeing one in the tail.

[@jsullivan9238]

If the wind stops blowing in Reno, something bad is about to happen. :P

[@davidferrier5982]

DEEREMEYER1 iijj

[@MianCowell]

I love how Kermit is so honest, rather than blow it off he doesn't mind admitting he doesn't know about an aircraft.

[@tpalshadow]

Why would you possibly be watching these videos if you have such a negative view on a person..from the outside. I'm assuming you don't know anything about him other than what you have heard. Why would you be so negative towards someone's videos when they are taking the time to share these experiences with those of us who can only dream about them? Go somewhere else you troll.

[@timcross2510]

@@DoctorShocktor , your kind of loathing is best saved for the people closest to you .

[@christiancormier7847]

Go for it Kermie!!!

[@woooster17]

My grandad was a design manager at Westland Helicopters.. he would have enjoyed this..

[@jimburig7064]

I've grown so accustomed to helicopters being turbine powered, I almost forgot they had piston power once upon a time.

[@MCO2ATL2DTWby777]

Kermit don't you already have one of these? I saw it at Golden Hill a few years ago, N111VA c/n 55433 S-55 built in 1953. Wish someone could get a H-21 Workhorse aka the flying banana flying

[@rustykilt]

Great to see an Aussie doing this deal...

[@KozmykJ]

Ol' Geoff got his Wessex and his Westland mixed up there, easy enough done . There wasn't a Wessex Whirlwind. The Sikorsky S-55 became the Westland Whirlwind. There Was a Westland Wessex later on, which again was a licence built Sikorsky, this time the H-34 with a turbine instead of piston engine. All these were the wonder machines of my childhood ... fascinating drive train arrangements. Just to confuse matters even further there had also been fixed wing aircraft with the same names, the Westland Wessex in the 30s and the Westland Whirlwind during WWII.

[@johndoe-ee7ko]

love the colours

[@richs7362]

I remember Mr. Weeks posting a video of a S-55 delivery to FOF back in 2012 or so. What became of it?

[@KermitWeeks444]

It's in the restoration pipeline.

[@drewalsup9200]

hey I live in Reno, cool stuff

[@psy-locked2366]

I love the adventures of Christopher Plummer's doppelganger

[@sanfranciscobay]

22:34 He mentions the BK117 shown here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MBB/Kawasaki_BK_117

[@marcuswardle3180]

Difficulty finding pilots to fly them! Try asking Prince Charles as he learnt to fly the British version, the Whirlwind.

[@jorosz7788]

I passed the helicopter on the highway in Las Vegas this morning

[@johno9507]

If sir is in the market for a Sikorsky, may I suggest the S-76 Eagle instead.

[@stratman50th]

I just saw a 55 fly over my house about 3 or 4 days ago heading towards Fantasy of Flight. Is there one over there that's flying or did it belong to someone else? Also, amazing air show by AEROSHELL Aerobatic team! Very cool!

[@spmckendry]

Hi Kermit, Any chance you could do a video on the weeks special and weeks solution? I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there that would be interested in your bipes. Cheers Sam

[@GeneralPadron]

Hell, I would live in the blue one

[@27Zangle]

One of my favorite helicopters. It is like a cargo "mini-van". Would love to have one and build into a flying RV.

[@sanfranciscobay]

$1,000 per hour to fly. That's an expensive RV.

[@inekemateman273]

The seller is glad to get rid of it!

[@J_Razz]

I'm a current government helicopter pilot, I would kill to fly one of those :)

[@Jonathan_O]

Need a wind screen on that mic. Great video but that wind noise is brutal!

[@y_ablack4340]

mr.kermit..sikorsky helicopter..so monumental..at atang sanjaya.bogor.indonesia..2.helicopter..sikorsky..😢😢 soo do like..it

[@justin505k]

The T is a lot safer because of the turbine engine...but it still is a very dangerous aircraft. The aircraft has only one engine compared the more modern twin engine helicopters.

[@toadelevator]

Its a nice machine. Crappy glide-ratio though ; )

[@bensmith7536]

I believe addressing him as *"Gazzzaaa maaaaate"* would have also been appropriate. Source: I just have a feeling.....

[@breth8159]

This is something I always wondered about.... I used to see these helicopters at Cinema air in Carlsbad California in the eighties always wondered what was going on under that strange bulbous nose now I know.... my grandfather was a aviation engineer and the first engineer at Garrett AIR research he called helicopters infuriated palm trees and warned me never to get on one in one or near one LOL

[@Bravo21]

I saw one of these years ago set up as a camper, with an interior kinda like a mini motor-home or VW Westy. Whats not to like?

[@Fanzindel]

Bravo21 the original Winnebago heli-home?

[@jasonweiss2773]

Has anybody ever told you that you look a little like Burt Lancaster? Especially from Field of Dreams.

[@LCMNUNES1962]

VERY GOOD , BRASIL OK.

[@rcdogmanduh4440]

Reminds me of a alpine gondola.

[@alairlibreinsfreie5785]

allways liked this design

[@derekobidowski3301]

The s-55 or H-19 referred to as the Chickasaw was a military helicopter to ChrisB257 there is two kinds of radial engines in the nose the P&W R-1340 Wasp 9 cylinder radial engine for the navy and marines they specified a more powerful Wright cyclone 7 R-1300 7 cylinder radial engine. in original form. the civilan ones they remove the radial engine for the turbine engine. ChrisB257 the other helicopter that has the radial engine in the nose is the S-58 or H-34 Choctaw Sikorsky's last piston engined helicopter. its powered by a Wright cyclone 9 R-1820 9 cylinder radial engine. the s-58 weeks needs to get sometime in the future. most of the s-58s been scrapped in vietnam by now. the S-55 did see service during the Korean war and Early Vietnam.

[@Angelum_Band]

If you buy it can you paint it Hard day's night Beatles style? Lol!

[@jpdunamislodge]

Holy crap, how much money do you have? 😂 You know that choppers are at least 50 times more expensive and 100 times more dangerous, right?

[@willythewave]

"Masterblader" LOL

[@greenyyy_5569]

The "GET SOME" helicopter

[@ronjohnson9507]

The get some helicopter was an h34

[@Lee78072]

Would like to get a S-58T and paint it Pink. With a mouth on the front....

[@BetterAircraftFabric]

... and call it the "Screaming Mimmy" !

[@underbird]

Riptide!

[@Lee78072]

Aye.. =D

[@Lee78072]

Yes ^^

[@deeremeyer1749]

Mimi. Lol. And don't forget the robot.

[@Audion]

When are we getting an update on the Ford 4-AT trimotor? It's been years.

[@KermitWeeks444]

The project manager was killed last year in an aviation related accident and the project has been put on hold.

[@Audion]

Kermit Weeks Hangar so unfortunate to learn that. Thanks for the update.

[@jjsgarage3634]

Masterblader! 😂

[@rolandalfonso6954]

..and Rainbow Coalition, SFO! the guy is so fun!

[@kencohagen4967]

Kermit, please be cReful. A friend of a very close friend lost his life and his aircraft in one of those Sikorskies! I just don't trust them now. I'm not sure whether it was piston or turbine powered, but the piston powered birds are facing some real obstacles as far as reliability is concerned. I know your crew is more than capable, but once bitten....

[@rztrzt]

Reminds me of the Riptide tv series but that was a newer model I think.

[@BunnyR13]

I'm not a fan of though do appreciate the engineering of heli's....... Deffo way cool. I've see the S-55 and Wessex parked side by side, the place may have been RAF Boulmer...... the Wessex was a real odd sounding thing, overly mechanical best suits.

[@johnsplayworld2402]

Harold the helicopter's basis!!!

[@damientowning4656]

Do I detect yet another Kiwi? Well on the road to recovery from extinction!

[@tecnaman9097]

Australian accent.

[@P51]

Damien Towning ozzy ozzy ozzy, oy oy oy

[@damientowning4656]

As a Kiwi living in Australia does not sound #straya to me. Then again Kiwi friends say I now sound Australian. I'd not buy a helicopter from an Aussie. Not after the cricket incident!

[@LJSJIUJITSU]

Can that helicopter be made air worthy? This may sound nuts but has anyone ever retro-fitted a turbine in one of those?

[@sanfranciscobay]

Part 2 shows the Turbine version. It fits in the same motor mounts and can be switched in a few days. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5vMkoevlrN8ntU

[@savagecub]

Hey Kermit if you need a local old army helicopter pilot I’m available !

[@txivee8376]

You restoration that one i buy

[@JT-cf7dq]

Get mike with foam around it.

[@rjbouge66]

don't you already have one?

[@MCO2ATL2DTWby777]

yes, N111VA 1953 built S-55 at Golden Hill across the street from his main building.

[@alleycatvietnam]

Kermit, I would agree with Geoff assessment ongoing forward Huey's being just approx 10 years newer. Check us out @ Hueyvets.com our ship was built in 1965. Cheers from San Francisco.

[@dsfs17987]

He said he uses that multi-circular-saw thing for power line clearing, but we all know why it was invented - that zombie apocalypse is coming, and tools like that will be in high demand to keep things under control... :D

[@deeremeyer1749]

Those S-55s are just so UGLY they're awesome, lol. I think the first time I ever saw one period was on a 1980s TV show called "Riptide". The "Screaming Mimi", lol.

[@ronjohnson9507]

That was an s58t

[@peachtrees27]

416 Pallets of parts!?!?!?!?!?!?

[@sanfranciscobay]

Imagine trying to figure out if it's worth storing, advertising, keeping records on sales/condition, shipping as compared to what the income it brings. Reminds me of something I would do, buy all of it and try to turn a profit.

[@ghall7763]

Well tickle me funny! he's me!

[@Mrcaffinebean]

Wow having never really learned anything about helis it never occurred to me that they there is a freaking engine in the nose, wow!

[@9HighFlyer9]

Mrcaffinebean it's kinda of an odd place to put it. Now they go in the back of on top.

[@goosf5746]

Mi 4 is similar

[@rizqialvaro3874]

yeah the MI4 was just a copy of these

[@welshpete12]

I wonder how much that lot is worth ? $ 50,000 or more ?

[@augusto5658]

Visite Campos Dos Goytacazes RJ Brasil

[@Дьулус-г3я]

What is "asem"?

[@Flogknaw101]

Buy it and slap an old US Army Paint job on it!