A2 at the 1952 Van Riebeeck festival

During 1952, A2 did appear at the Van Riebeeck festival in its blue colour scheme without the SAAF roundels.  The extended exhaust and fuselage mounted tanks were removed for the display at the festival. The pilot’s name is unfortunately unknown. Pilots describe flying the S-51 as “tricky” due to the narrow envelope of the centre of gravity.  During the training phase the “weight sheet” was the main focus to achieve a constant optimum centre of gravity.

However, A1 as the only remaining example was flown by Geoff Tatham via Port Elizabeth on 17 July 1954 for range duty at Langebaaanweg and to supplement the air-sea-rescue role of 1 Marine Craft Unit based at Saldannah. The boats were moved from Gordons Bay to Saldanha by December 1956. Langebaanweg served as A1’s new home and the SAAF quickly learned what an asset rotary airpower can be. At Langebaanweg A1 was fitted with a hoist on the left hand side to aid the ASR duties, but retained the long extended exhaust originally fitted for spraying operations. In addition to the ASR duties the helicopter performed range duties, mountain search and rescue and assisted the SA Police with various tasks. Subsequently the SAAF ordered the venerable S-55 also from Sikorsky. The first examples arrived during July 1956. During this time A1’s three blade tail rotor was replaced with a modern metal two bladed variant very similar to the tail rotor in use on the S-55. Other modifications done includes the removal of the bottom two windows in favour of two landing type lights and the replacement of the original wooden/canvas rotor blades with an all metal variant. The main wheels of the undercarriage received solid disks to cover the centre hubs. Later a more modern blade antenna was installed for the radio in place of the wire loop used thus far. At some point rear view mirrors mounted on stalks on both sides of the cabin were also fitted to A1. The S-51 tended to be instable on the ground and subsequently A1 was involved in two rollovers on 09 September 1955 and 26 July 1956. See Incidents and Accidents.

A/Cpl Robertson with harness used for hoisting trials

First SAAF Chopper Sqdn AFB Ysterplaat 1955

(L to R) Back Row: A/M HG Erasmus, A/Cpl Kennedy, A/M JJV Vorster, A/M J Swart, A/Cpl Wilson, A/Cpl Blamire, A/Cpl Gearing, A/Cpl Collins, A/Cpl A De Bod Middle Row: A/Sgt Johnson, A/Cpl AR Foote, Maj Redelinhuys, Lt P van Eeden, A/Cpl A Wentzel Front Row: A/M T Ehlers, A/M J du Plessis, A/Sgt Northcote, A/M AR Fraser, A/M PJ Venter