1964


Sikorsky S-65 H-53







Sikorsky S-65 H-53

The Sikorsky S-65 is the western biggest helicopter and trace back to the 1962 US Marines Corps Heavy Helicopter Experimental (HHX) competition. The twin engined S-65 was developed as a scaled-up version of the S-61 but with the dynamic system of the S-64 Skycrane.

First flew on October 14, 1964 and this massive helicopter did it's first loops and rolls on March 1968 by a test pilot of the USMC.

Although dimensionally similar, the much more powerful three engined Sikorsky S-80 entered service in 1981 with one more main blade rotor and tail making a 20° angle to offset the thrust required on the tail rotor to keep it straight.


  S-65 H-53 News


Israel Selects CH-53K

Israel Selects CH-53K

26-Feb-21 - Israel MoD announced selection of the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion over the Boeing CH-47 Chinook as replacement of their heavy-lifting helicopters CH-53 Yasur #Israel
Fall Protection Platforms for Lackland AFB

Fall Protection Platforms for Lackland AFB

24-Sep-20 - S.A.F.E. Structure Designs to supply fall protection platforms for CH-53 helicopter at the USAF Maintenance Training facility at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas #FallProtection
Operation Eagle Claw 40 Years Anniversary

Operation Eagle Claw 40 Years Anniversary

27-Apr-20 - On November 4, 1979, militant Iranian students stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took 63 Americans hostage. On April 16, 1980 after numerous failed negotiations, President Jimmy Carter approved a plan to rescue the hostages using elements of all four branches of the military — Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. #EagleClaw
USAF Combat, Search and Rescue Evolution

USAF Combat, Search and Rescue Evolution

17-May-18 - From the YR-4 rescue in Burma during WWII, through the HH-43 Huskie and HH-3E Jolly Green Giant in Vietnam, to nowadays Pave Hawks, the combat search and rescue will continue to evolve and grow #CSAR
Spare Parts for Israel’s CH-53D Fleet

Spare Parts for Israel’s CH-53D Fleet

21-Jun-17 - Israel signed agreement with Sikorsky to supply spare parts and associated engineering services in support of the CH-53D Yas’ur helicopters operated by the IAF since 1969
    More News ...



  Derivatives & Versions of S-65 H-53


ModelYearHistory
YCH-53A

1964
1964 The US Marine Corps contracted Sikorsky for four YCH-53A (S-65A) prototypes. Due to budget cuts and by mutual agreement, Sikorsky built only two ...
CH-53A Sea Stallion

1965
1965 Basic assault transport for the US Marine Corps with T64-GE-6 engines. 139 built, last 15 re-engined with two 3925 shp (2927 kW) T64-GE-413 engi ...
CH-53D Sea Stallion

1967
1967 Improved assault transport for the US Marine Corps; 126 built with two 3925 shp (2927 kW) T64-GE-413 engines.
Last flown by HMH-362 and retired in 2012
HH-53B

1967
1967 In 1966, the USAF awarded a contract to Sikorsky for development of a minimum-change CSAR variant of the CH-53A. It featured a retractable inlfi ...
The HH-53B first flew from Stratford, CT on 15 March 1967.
HH-53C Super Jolly

1967
1967 The HH-53C was a modestly-improved HH-53B CSAR variant. The most visible difference between the HH-53B and HH-53C was that the HH-53C dispensed w ...
CH-53C

1968
1968 The US Air Force obtained 20 CH-53C machines for general transport work, Missile Site support, and aerial drone recovery. The CH-53C was apparent ...
S-65C-1

1968
1968 Two pattern aircraft for German Army (HEER) for the CH-53G programme to used for trials and homologations by Luftwaffe WTD61
S-65C-2

1969
1969 Sikorsky created the S-65C-2 model for Austria. It is sometimes refered to as the S-65Oe. Two were built and delivered in Sep 1971 and were wit ...
S-65C-3

1969
1969 In 1968 Israel ordered (35) Sikorsky S-65C-3 (similar to USAF HH-53C) for CSAR and transport duties. Deliveries began in 1969 and were completed ...
VFW CH-53G

1970
1970 Sikorsky provided two CH-53G to West German Heeeresgeflieger and a further 20 knock-down kits to VFW-Fokker for license production with VFW c/ns. ...
VH-53D

1970
1970 Sikorsky produced two VH-53D as Executive Support transports for HMX-1. They can be configured to transport personnel or cargo. As such, they w ...
Sikorsky painted two CH-53D as white top Executive Support transports for HMX-1 in addition to two other CH-53Ds in overall field green. Tests we ...
RH-53A

1971
1971 15 CH-53A reengined with two 3925 shp T64-GE-413 engines for the Airborne mine countermeasures (minesweeper) role for the US Navy. They were us ...
S-65-40

1971
1971 Planned civil airliner version of Sikorsky S-65 seating 42 passengers in airliner style (2-2) seats. None built.
RH-53D

1972
1972 The RH-53D was the Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) variant of the Sikorsky S-65 configured for the detection, sweeping and neutralization o ...
S-80 H-53E

1974
1974 Improved, 3 engined version of the S-65 (H-53) Sea Stallion. Primarily a heavy lift workhorse, the General Electric T64-GE-416 turboshaft engines ...
The CH-53E first entered service with the USMC in 1981. In 2019 the fleet reached a major milestone by logging more than one million flight ...
HH-53H

1979
1979 Eight USAF H-65B/C upgraded by the Pave Low II program for the Combat Search and Rescue role. Later redesignated MH-53H
MH-53J

1980
1980 Further USAF H-65B/C/H upgraded by the Pave Low III program
TH-53A

1989
1989 USAF S-65 trainer version converted from former USMC aircraft
MH-53M Pave Low IV

1998
1998 USAF MH-53J upgraded by the Pave Low IV program. Introduced in 1998, aircraft received the IDAS/MATT (Interactive Defensive Avionics System/Multi ...




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