Worlds First Helicopter Loop - H. E. Thompson 1949

Archival footage of the first helicopter loop ever documented. Pilot H. E. "Tommy" Thompson looping the Sikorsky S-52 in 1949. This prototype had a 245 HP Franklin engine that was adapted from a Tucker automobile. The trim 2 seater also had the first extruded aluminum all-metal blades for any Sikorsky helicopter. Thompson set a world speed records of 129 mph earlier that year. He also set the helicopter down in the Pentagon courtyard that year - another first. Originally 8mm to VHS then to digital. From my father's memorabilia WRT 8/4/08

Regarding the loop from my Dad's memoirs - "At about two hundred feet I put the helicopter in a dive and picked up airspeed to approximately 120 miles per hour; by this time at the bottom of the loop we were only twenty or thirty feet above the ground. Then the ordeal of raising the pitch stick, applying more power, gradually easing back on the azimuth stick more and more until as you look over backward and see the horizon and ground as the helicopter is now upside down in reference to the ground. Just before going over I backed off on power and pitch and by all means didn't allow the rotor RPM to exceed it's red line. Gingerly continuing to hold back on the azimuth stick allowed us to begin our descent down to the landmark from which we started. As we were coming down, we felt a thump or thud which shook the helicopter. This thump or thud was rewarding in that it signified our loop was next to perfect in that we reentered our prop or blade wash."

Tommy was flying that day with Adolph Plenefisch, the S-52 crew chief. Prior to the flight. he had asked Adolph to adjust the aircraft for maximum fore and aft control that was allowable without mast bumping. Adolph was a little suspicious and wanted to accompany him if he was going to try anything aggressive. Thompson acutally lost his FAA license for these loops as he violated flying regulations in regard to aerobatics under specified heights over land and in a congested area. Sikorsky got his license back the mext day. Subsequently, Sikorsky had Thompson make other demo flights which were also filmed and photographed from the air and ground.

BT - After reviewing some of the documents from my father's collection, I discovered that the first loop occurred in May 1949 at Bridgeport Connecticut. Correction posted 7/9/09

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• aviation
• first
• helicopter
• loop
• looping
• world
• worlds

[kyrkbymannen]

Why do it at such low altitude?

[btbisbee]

@kyrkbymannen He told me that he could orient himself better by keeping track of the horizon. He said he would swivel his head around and check that he was on track by looking behnd. I think the craft wasn't as stable as an airplane doing the same maneuver and could wander off if he couldn't get ground reference.

[soar8hours]

I flew in helicopters in the Army and jumped from them in the 82nd Airborne. This first loop your dad did was amazing!

I currently own two planes... C-150M and

Luscombe 8A. I have some videos posted

on you tube also... serch for & check out my tail number NC71845. Thanks for the post! Your dad & I share two things in common, Flying & our names...By the way, my name is Tommy Eugene Thompson :)

[btbisbee]

@soar8hours I told my Mom about the coincidence. You made her day! They were married for 60 years when he passed.

[CORSAIR001]

Faire un loop à quelques metres du sol, cela me semble plutot osé ! Surtout avec un hélicoptère de cette époque ! Elle serait pas truquée cette vidéo ?

[btbisbee]

omment osez-vous la question de savoir si cette vidéo est fausse! Faire des recherches et se renseigner sur la réputation de mon père. En 1948, il a même appris quelques pilotes français qui est venu aux États-Unis pour apprendre à piloter un hélicoptère à Sikorsky Aircraft. J'ai une photo de mon père, debout à côté de Igor Sikorsky de Bridgeport dans le Connecticut.

[JaleelJohanson62]

Your father was a brave and confident man. May he rest in peace.

[forrest225]

@meatisdeliciouse nope.

[meatisdeliciouse]

Is there and propeller aro plane or helicopter that can break the sound barrier?

[meatisdeliciouse]

How does somone know how to fly a plane or a helicopter like that if it's only just been succesufuly invented?

[cors0]

omg awsome,almost like my bf2 heli stunt videos :D

[posquint]

I guess I was expecting a powered loop, like a fixed wing aircraft would do. Here, he apparently 'flips' the tail over at about 270 degrees.