The H-5 was the RCAF's first helicopter. The first three were delivered in 1947, with four more following, two in 1948 and two in 1949. Bought for Search and Rescue, the type was also used to train a helicopter force from the ground up. The S-51s (as they were better known by the crews) were in service until the 1960s when parts were getting scarce and more modern helicopters had joined the RCAF. 9603 was sold to the Alberta Institute of Technology in 1964 as a training aid, later going to the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center where it remains on display.

Ex USCG 232 and 1232 and N4925E.

Delivered in 1947, A80-1 was the first helicopter for the RAAF and the Australian military. Written off when it crashed into the Murray River on or about December 4, 1951. The RAAF didn't get into helicopters in a big way until the 1960s and the Vietnam War the arrival of UH-1 Iroquois. Went on to operate CH-47 Chinook, AS350 Squirrel and UH-60 Black Hawks. In 1989 all helicopters were transferred to the Army. Today civilian operators provide SAR at RAAF bases. Photo from: National Library of Australia

Prime Minister Willem Drees departing to the disaster area of the catastrophic North Sea flood of 1 February 1953. The first helicopter in the Netherlands, Jezebel had rescued many victims from rooftops and treetops. The Aviodrome museum in Lelystad has a Westland-built WS-51 painted as this historic machine. Photo by: Harry Pot / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Flown by Alan Bristow, this S-51 arrived in Switzerland on 22 September 1948 for a demo tour. It was built by Sikorsky but assembled and used by Westland. It was later evaluated by British European Airways. Photo from: ETH-Bibliothek Zürich

The wartime camouflage on the hangars was still evident in 1948.

Sold post-war as N4964C and later repurchased for preservation.

This Dragonfly is on display at the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center.

This H-5 has recently migrated Eastwards from the Canadian Warbird Heritage Museum to the National Air Force Museum of Canada.

A80-374 was delivered in April 1951, the RAAF's second helicopter and one of three S-51s The other two were lost in accidents but -374 soldiered on in the crash rescue role with 81 Wing at RAAF Williamtown until the early 1960s. Retired, it became an instructional airframe and then a recruiting aid. It was in Sydney's Hyde Park as part of the annual Waratah Festival. It later became an exhibit at the RAAF Museum, Point Cook.

BEA's S-51 operated experimental passenger and mail services from the late 1940s until the mid 1950s. It had been built by Sikorsky and assembled by Westlands at Yeovil.

One of nine HO3S-1Gs built for the US Coast Guard, this pioneering helicopter was taken on strength in 1946 with the serial number 235 (later 1235). Civil registration issued in March 1961, the helicopter was eventually acquired by the US Naval Aviation Museum in 1983 and moved to Pensacola for restoration and display.

Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly displayed at the museum at the international airport.

BEA's Sikorsky S-51 "Sir Lamorah" being prepared for the scheduled service from Speke via Wrexham heliport to Cardiff (Pengham Moors) airport. It wears the airline's "Speedkey" insignia.

The RAAF's preserved Dragonfly makes a rare appearance outside as part of the static display at an air show