# What is this 1945 helicopter? Helicopter use in WWII?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-1945-helicopter-helicopter-use-in-wwii/665304>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 4, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-1945-helicopter-helicopter-use-in-wwii/665304 "2013-08-04T05:31:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-1945-helicopter-helicopter-use-in-wwii/665304/1 "2013-08-04T05:31:11Z")

</div>

What is [this helicopter from 1945?](http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2013/07/24/new_york_historical_society_exhibits_shows_new_york_city_during_wwii_photos.html)

Is it on this [List of Helicopters in WWII](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_helicopters_used_in_World_War_II)?

What action did helicopters see on the front or backbase during WWII?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-1945-helicopter-helicopter-use-in-wwii/665304/2 "2013-08-04T05:46:06Z")

</div>

I believe its [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_R-4). 🆒

And yes, it was the second one that had a link listed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-1945-helicopter-helicopter-use-in-wwii/665304/3 "2013-08-04T05:48:08Z")

</div>

> [@JBDivmstr](#):
>
> I believe its [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_R-4). 🆒
> 
> And yes, it was the second one that had a link listed.

Asked and answered.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-1945-helicopter-helicopter-use-in-wwii/665304/4 "2013-08-04T15:37:02Z")

</div>

Yes, early Sikorsky. Barely seeing action in WWII, it was intended for recovery operations. It’s success made the Sikorsky single screw with tail rotor the most popular helicopter configuration to this day.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-1945-helicopter-helicopter-use-in-wwii/665304/5 "2013-08-04T15:59:34Z")

</div>

> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> Asked and answered.

Yep. Sikorsky R-4. A YR-4B was first used operationally in a rescue in 1944.