The Sikorsky H-34 (ICAO: S58P / WAKE: LIGHT) is a piston-engined military helicopter originally designed by American aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft for the United States Navy. used in medium transports, saving flood victims, recovering astronauts, fighting fires, and carrying presidents. It was the last piston-engined helicopter to be operated by the United States Marine Corps, having been replaced by turbine-powered types such as the UH-1 Huey and CH-46 Sea Knight. Created in Second Life by Shergood Aviation, the helicopter was loosely based on the real-life produced by the Sikorsky Helicopters.
Background[]
The Real Life H-34 was developed as a lengthened and more powerful version of the Sikorsky Model S-55, or UH-19 Chickasaw, with a similar nose, but with a tail-dragger rear fuselage and landing gear, rather than the high-tail, 4-post pattern. It retained the nose-mounted radial reciprocating engine with the drive shaft passing through the cockpit placed high above the cargo compartment.
The aircraft first flew on 8 March 1954. The first production aircraft was ready in September and entered in service for the United States Navy initially designated HSS-1 Seabat (in its anti-submarine configuration) and HUS-1 Seahorse (in its utility transport configuration) under the U.S. Navy designation system for U.S. Navy, United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Coast Guard (USCG) aircraft. The U.S. Army and Marine Corps, respectively, ordered it in 1955 and 1957. Under the United States Army's aircraft designation system, also used by the United States Air Force, the helicopter was designated H-34. The U.S. Army also applied the name Choctaw to the helicopter. In 1962, under the new unified DoD aircraft designation system, the Seabat was redesignated SH-34, the Seahorse as the UH-34, and the Choctaw as the CH-34.
Roles included utility transport, anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and VIP transport. In its standard configuration, transport versions could carry 12 to 16 troops, or eight stretcher cases if utilized in the MedEvac role, while VIP transports carried significantly fewer people in much greater comfort.
The SA-FE (Shergood Aviation Flight Engine) engine driving this virtual reproduction was created by an RL helicopter pilot and designed to fly like an RL helicopter. The engine is purely physics based and features independent control of cyclic, collective, throttle and anti-torque pedals enabling true power-off autorotations[1]
Features[]
- Compatible with GTFO!
- SA-FE (Shergood Aviation Flight Engine) scripting with:
- Independent cyclic, collective, throttle and anti-torque controls
- Force/torque based physics model
- Realism features can be enabled or disabled to adjust level of difficulty.
- Weight dependent performance (fuel and passengers)
- Main rotor torque (pedals must be used to compensate)
- Independent engine and rotor RPM
- True power-off autorotations
- Ground effect increases lift near surfaces (land, water, or prim)
- Translational lift increases lift with forward airspeed
- Translating tendency results in a "left skid low" look during hover.
- Vortex ring state danger exists when helicopter is mishandled
- Working electrical system with rechargeable battery.
- Exterior lighting (instrumentation, navigation, landing, Formation, and taxi lights).
- Refuelling system with fuel quantity control
- Shergood Flight System
- Compatible with GTFO
- Fully functioning cockpit
- Realistic Sound based on the RL Chocotaw
- Start sequence based on the RL Chocotaw
- Rescue hoist system
- Fully functioning dual controls.
- Paint kit system for user customizable painting.
- Unique N-number and serial number assigned to each aircraft.
- HOBBS meter tracks total time on aircraft.
- Access control system: owner only, guest or registered pilots.
- Passenger control - enable/disable access to passenger seats
- Dust/water particle effects when hovering near a surface.
- Many opening doors and panels with click-able components
- Simulated failures and damages (collision)
- Bonus Mercury Freedom 7 Capsule Cargo Load