Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King PDF eBook & Flight Manuals

General Characteristics

• Crew: 2 flight crew + 2 sonar operators
• Capacity: (S-61A transport) 26 troops, or 15 stretchers, or 12 VIP passengers
• Length: 54 ft 9 in (16.69 m)
• Width: 16 ft 4 in (4.98 m) (rotors folded)
• Height: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m)
• Empty weight: 11,865 lb (5,382 kg)
• Gross weight: 18,626 lb (8,449 kg) (ASW mission)
• Max takeoff weight: 21,500 lb (9,752 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T58-GE-10 turboshaft engines, 1,400 shp (1,044 kW) each (total power limited to 2,500 hp (1,864 kW) by main gearbox)
• Main rotor diameter: 62 ft 0 in (18.90 m)
• Main rotor area: 3,019 sq ft (280.5 m²)
• Blade section: NACA 0012

Performance

• Maximum speed: 144 kn (166 mph, 267 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 118 kn (136 mph, 219 km/h) for max range
• Range: 542 nmi (625 mi, 1,005 km) with max fuel, 10% reserves
• Service ceiling: 14,700 ft (4,480 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,200 ft/min (11.2 m/s) at sea level
• (All performance figures at weight of 20,500 lb (9,300 kg))

Armament

• Up to 840 lb (380 kg) of weapons total
• 2× Mk 46/44 anti-submarine torpedoes (SH-3H)
• Various sonobuoys and pyrotechnic devices
• B57 nuclear depth charge

US military

XHSS-2

The only prototype of the H-3 Sea King.

YHSS-2

Pre-production S-61 aircraft, seven built for the U.S. Navy, re-designated YSH-3A in 1962. 

HSS-2

Original designation of the Sea King. Changed to SH-3A by the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system

SH-3A

Anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the U.S. Navy; 245 built. Originally designated HSS-2. 

HH-3A

Combat search and rescue helicopter for the U.S. Navy. 12 converted from SH-3A.^[4]

CH-3A

Military transport version for the U.S. Air Force; three converted from SH-3As into CH-3A configuration; they later became CH-3Bs.^[59]

NH-3A (S-61F)

Experimental high-speed compound helicopter, with extensive streamlining, no floats, short wings carrying two turbojet engines for extra speed; one converted from SH-3A. Later modified with a tail rotor able to rotate 90° to serve as a pusher propeller; this helicopter demonstrated “Roto-Prop” pusher propeller for Sikorsky’s S-66 design. 

RH-3A

Minesweeper helicopter for the U.S. Navy. Nine converted from SH-3A aircraft. 

VH-3A

VIP transport (Better known as Marine One or Army One 1957–76) helicopter for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps; originally designated HSS-2Z. Eight built, plus two SH-3A conversions rebuilt from damaged helicopters (one YHSS-2 and one SH-3A). The rest were returned to the U.S. Navy in 1975–76 and replaced by the VH-3D.

CH-3B

Military transport helicopter for the U.S. Air Force. 

SH-3D

Anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the U.S. Navy. 73 built and two conversions from SH-3As. 

VH-3D

VIP Presidential transport helicopter (better known as Marine One) for the U.S. Marine Corps, 11 built. It entered service in 1976. 

SH-3G

Cargo, utility transport helicopter for the U.S. Navy. 105 conversions from SH-3A and SH-3D. 

SH-3H

Upgrade of the SH-3G as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter for the U.S. Navy. It included SH-3G features with improvements for ASW, anti-ship missile detection and other airframe improvements. 163 SH-3A/D/Gs were upgraded to SH-3H configuration. 

SH-3H AEW

Airborne early warning version for the Spanish navy.

UH-3H

Cargo, utility transport version for the U.S. Navy; converted from SH-3H by removing ASW systems. 

Sikorsky Designations

S-61

Company designation for the Sea King. 

S-61A

Export version for the Royal Danish Air Force. Wider pontoons without flotation bags, a 530-liter center tank instead of a dipping sonar and no automatic powered folding system. 

S-61A-4 Nuri

Military transport, search and rescue helicopter for the Royal Malaysian Air Force. It can seat up to 31 combat troops. 38 built. 

S-61A/AH

Utility helicopter for survey work and search and rescue in the Antarctic.

S-61B

Export version of the SH-3 anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.

S-61D-3

Export version for the Brazilian Navy.

S-61D-4

Export version for the Argentine Navy.

S-61NR

Search and rescue version for the Argentine Air Force.

S-61V

Company designation for the VH-3A. One built for Indonesia.

S-61L/N

Civil versions of the Sea King.

S-61R

The S-61R served in the United States Air Force as the CH-3C/E Sea King and the HH-3E Jolly Green Giant, and with the United States Coast Guard and the Italian Air Force as the HH-3F Sea King (more commonly referred to by the nickname “Pelican”). 

United Aircraft of Canada

Anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Royal Canadian Navy (41 assembled by United Aircraft of Canada). 

CH-124A

The Sea King Improvement Program (SKIP) added modernized avionics as well as improved safety features. 

CH-124B

Alternate version of the CH-124A without a dipping sonar but formerly with a MAD sensor and additional storage for deployable stores. In 2006, the five aircraft of this variant were converted to support the Standing Contingency Task Force (SCTF), and were modified with additional troop seats, and frequency agile radios. Plans to add fast-rope capability, EAPSNIPS (Engine Air Particle Separator / Snow & Ice Particle Separator) did not come to fruition. 

CH-124B2

Six CH-124Bs were upgraded to the CH-124B2 standard in 1991–1992. The revised CH-124B2 retained the sonobuoy processing gear to passively detect submarines but was also fitted with a towed-array sonar to supplement the ship’s sonar. Since anti-submarine warfare is no longer a major priority within the Canadian Forces, the CH-124B2 were refitted again to become improvised troop carriers for the newly formed Standing Contingency Task Force. 

CH-124C

One CH-124 operated by the Helicopter Operational Test and Evaluation Facility located at CFB Shearwater. Used for testing new gear, and when not testing new gear, it is deployable to any Canadian Forces ship requiring a helicopter. 

CH-124U

Unofficial designation for four CH-124s that were modified for passenger/freight transport. One crashed in 1973, and the survivors were later refitted to become CH-124A’s. 

Agusta

AS-61

Company designation for the H-3 Sea King built under license in Italy by Agusta.

AS-61A-1

Italian export model for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

AS-61A-4

Military transport, search and rescue helicopter. 

AS-61N-1 Silver

License built model of the S-61N, with a shortened cabin.

AS-61R

version basing upon Sikorsky S-61R

AS-61VIP

VIP transport helicopter. 

ASH-3A (SH-3G)

Utility transport helicopter

ASH-3D

Anti-submarine warfare helicopter. Flown by the Italian, Brazilian, Iranian, Peruvian and Argentinian navies. 

ASH-3TS

VIP, executive transport mission helicopter. Also known as the ASH-3D/TS, the Italian Air Force operated 2 from 1975 until 2012. 

ASH-3H

Anti-submarine warfare helicopter. 

Mitsubishi

S-61A

License-built version of the S-61A as Search-and-Rescue and Utility helicopters for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. 18 built.

HSS-2

License-built version of the S-61B as an anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. 55 built.

HSS-2A

License-built version of the S-61B (SH-3D) as an anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. 28 built.

HSS-2B

License-built version of the S-61B (SH-3H) as an anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. 23 built.

Argentina

• 0675 – S-61D-4 on static display at the Argentine Naval Aviation Museum in Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires. 

Denmark

• U-240 – S-61A on static display at the Danmarks Flymuseum in Skjern, Central Denmark. 

United States

• 147140 – HH-3A on static display at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kekaha, Hawaii. 
• 148038 – SH-3A on static display at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum in Lexington Park, Maryland. 
• 148042 – UH-3H on static display at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. 
• 148999 – SH-3H on static display at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, California. 
• 149006 – UH-3H on static display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. It is painted as Apollo 11 recovery helicopter. 
• 149695 – SH-3G on static display at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida.  
• 149711 – SH-3H on static display at the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California. 
• 149738 – SH-3H on static display at the Hickory Aviation Museum in Hickory, North Carolina. It was previously on display at the Quonset Air Museum in North Kingston, Rhode Island. 
• 149932 – SH-3G on static display at Patriots Point in Charleston, South Carolina. 
• 156501 – SH-3H on static display at Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. 
• 150611 – VH-3A on static display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. 
• 150613 – VH-3A on static display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. 
• 150617 – VH-3A on static display at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California. 
• 156484 – SH-3D on static display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8jjIXxPcpw