Igor I. Sikorsky Born May 25 1889 - Died Oct 26 1972 Direct-Lift
Aircraft; Helicopter and Controls Therefor Patent Number(s)
2,318,259; 2,318,260 Igor I. Sikorsky designed the world's first
successful multimotor airplane and the world's first true
production helicopter. From 1925 to 1940 he created a series of
increasingly successful aircraft which gained for America
numerous world records for speed, range and payload. The famed
Sikorsky flying 'Clippers' helped pioneer trans-Atlantic and
trans-Pacific commercial passenger services. Despite the success
of the flying boats, Sikorsky continued studying the helicopter.
His U.S. Patent 1,994,488, filed June 27, 1931, marked the
crucial breakthrough. In late 1938, United Aircraft management
(now United Technologies) approved his experimental helicopter,
and on September 14, 1939, the VS-300 made its first flight. In
January 1941 the U.S. Army Air Corps issued a contract for an
observation helicopter designated the XR-4. The new aircraft
flew one year later. Within