West Goshen Township near West Chester in Chester County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
HH- 52A Sea Guardian
Rescue Helicopter
The HH-52 was a derivative of the Sikorsky S-55 (H-19) helicopter. The HH-52 utilized the S-55 rotor system with only minor changes, but employed a turbine engine instead of a reciprocating engine. The U.S. Coast Guard ordered 99 of these helicopters and used them for search and rescue missions as well as deploying to the Arctic and Antarctic on board USCG icebreakers.
The first S-62 flight occurred on May 22, 1958. The first HH-52A was accepted for Coast Guard service on January 25, 1963. At the time the last HH-52A was retired 26 years later, this model had rescued more persons in distress than any other helicopter in the world.
This Aircraft: Number 1383 began its service in 1963 and made what was the last landing of the entire USCG HH-52A fleet on September 12, 1989. It served 24 Coast Guard air stations in the United States.
Rotor Diameter: 53 ft. 6 in.
Fuselage Length: 44 ft. 6.5 in.
Weight:Empty 4903 lb.Speed:
Gross 8300 lb.Cruise 85/90 mphPowerplant: T58-GE-8B shaft-turbine
Max 109 mph
Horsepower: 730
Manufacturer—Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. (a subsidiary of United Technology Corp.)
Source: On loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola,Florida
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Exploration • Industry & Commerce • Military • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is January 25, 1963.
Location. 39° 59.53′ N, 75° 34.756′ W. Marker is near West Chester, Pennsylvania, in Chester County. It is in West Goshen Township. Marker is on American Boulevard west of Airport Road, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1220 American Blvd, West Chester PA 19380, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. HH-3A Sea King (a few steps from this marker); Boeing 360 (a few steps from this marker); HH- 2D Sea Sprite (a few steps from this marker); Goshen Baptist Church (approx. 1.8 miles away); POW and MIA Memorial (approx. 1.9 miles away); Goshenville Blacksmith and Wheelwright Shops (approx. 1.9 miles away); Milltown/Hickman Plank House (approx. 1.9 miles away); Goshenville (approx. 2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in West Chester.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 7, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 101 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 7, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
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