Sikorsky S-56 / HR2S "Deuce" / H-37 Mojave

[Mick]

Well, it took over a year and some difficult struggles with FS9, which does not like multi-engined piston-powered helicopters at all, but David and I have finally finished with our Sikorsky S-56. Here's from the introductory blurb about it:

The S-56 was a revolutionary helicopter. It was the first production twin engined helicopter and one of the first helicopters with retractable landing gear. It established World Speed, Altitude and Lifting records and had some very advanced features. Developed as a heavy assault transport for the Marine Corps as the HR2S, where it acquired the nickname "Deuce" (for the 2 that differentiated its designation from its predecessor, the HRS), the Army took interest and got its simplified H-37, formally named Mojave, into service first. The H-37A entered service in 1956 and the HR2S-1 in 1957. The last CH-37B was retired from the National Guard in 1974. An AEW version was developed for the Navy but it wasn't successful. In the early 1970s, Keystone helicopters modified surplus airframes for civilian use but had little success. Both regular and wide screen panels are included, along with multiple models and skins depicting the XHR2S-1, YHR2S-1, XHR2S-1W, HR2S-1 (CH-37C), H-37A, CH-37B and S-56 in the authentic colors and markings of the U.S. Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Federal Aviation Administration and Keystone Helicopters.

Here's a screenie of a YHR2S-1 being tested at the Naval Air Test Center, NAS Patuxent River. They named it Jonah but it looks more like the whale:



And here's an Army aircraft, "Tired Dude" of the 90th Transportation Company based in Germany:



This HR2S-1 shows HMH-461's ferocious squadron motif:

[Mick]

Betcha never knew that the Federal Aviation Administration flew the H-37:



Here's a civil S-56 in full Keystone Helicopters livery:



"Big Daddy" served with the 611th Transportation Company in Vietnam, where it recovered crashed aircraft. Note the scoreboard under the fuselage window and the artwork on the tail boom:

[Mick]

This H-37 wears the Army's high visibility livery:



This XHR2S-1W was taken over by the Army after the Navy proved that the radar picket concept wouldn't work, as the vacuum tube radars of the day couldn't function with the vibration from the two big R-2800s:



Sorry, but you can't drive the jeep down the ramp.

[normb]

Wow! Another surprise bird. Looking forward to trying it out. I'm still regularly flying the Temco TT-1 and Cessna Airmaster.

Thank you guys!

Norm

[Desert Rat]

Now your questions make sense.

I guess the 'Jonah' name and rescue arrows above the door/mouth are a reference to the whale, Jonah being needing rescue from the mouth?

Looking real nice, will definitely download for future. Not really simmer for a few years but always plan to return one day. Still visit here almost daily though.


Jamie

[Mick]

Now your questions make sense.

I guess the 'Jonah' name and rescue arrows above the door/mouth are a reference to the whale, Jonah being needing rescue from the mouth?

Looking real nice, will definitely download for future. Not really simmer for a few years but always plan to return one day. Still visit here almost daily though.


Jamie

It took us a while to learn that we were doing something that FS9 wasn't ever intended to do. Then it took us longer to figure out workarounds. We considered faking it and making it a single engine helo but that wouldn't allow us to have start-up smoke from both engines. The parts we couldn't do anything about are that no matter how the gauges are coded, the engine instruments only read from one engine, and that you can't start or shut down the second engine with panel switches, which are gauges, so they only work with the first engine. Start ups and shut downs have to be done from the keyboard.

I took "Jonah" to be the aircraft's name, but I like your take on it better.

I was in your situation for a few years some time back. I was burnt out from working on models and scenery and never getting to fly, so all I did was keep visiting this forum just to stay in touch. When I replaced my confutor it was a couple years before I even got FS9 and GW3 installed.