www.wspilots.com

As a tribute to one of the greatest pioneers in the history of aviation,
Igor I Sikorsky, this model of the first true helicopter from 1939, with
main and tail rotor configuration, has been released for FS2002 and FS2004.

I wish to thank Daniel Libertino at the Igor I Sikorsky Historical Archives
(http://www.sikorskyarchives.com/) for his kind support in providing me with
the necessary detailed plans of the VS-300. I also wish to thank fellow
designer Alan Devins for the rotor texture.

This model is released at the one year anniversary of Hovercontrol
(http://www.hovercontrol.com) on the 11th of August 2003. It is also released
appropriately in the year of A Century of Flight, the 100 year anniversary of
the first motorized flight (Wright Brothers).

The 1st Helicopter Squadron was constituted as the 1st Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 April 1944. Activated on 20 April 1944 as Lakeland AAFld, it was assigned to Third Air Force, flying the P-51 aircraft.

Reassigned to the 2d Air Commando Group, on 22 April 1944, it was redesignated 1st Fighter Squadron, Commando, on 2 June 1944. It then deployed overseas to Kalaikunda, India (14 December 1944); Cox’s Bazaar, India (13 February 1945); and to Kalaikunda, India (10 May–22 October 1945). The squadron saw combat in CBI, from 14 February–9 May 1945. It converted to the F-6 in 1945, before returning to the United States to Camp Kilmer, NJ, on 11 November 1945, where it inactivated on 12 November. The squadron was later disbanded on 8 October 1948.

The squadron was reconstituted, and consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 1st Helicopter Squadron, which was constituted on 9 May 1969 and activated on 1 July 1969 at Andrews AFB, MD, as part of the 1st Composite Wing, flying the CH-21 and TH-1, both until 1970 when they were replaced by the CH-3. The squadron also began operating the UH-1 in 1969. The squadron was reassigned to the 89th Military Airlift Wing, Special Mission (later, 89th Military Airlift Group; 89th Military Airlift Wing), on 1 July 1976; and to the 89th Operations Group, on 12 July 1991.

From 1969, the 1st HS has provided local airlift for the Executive Department, high-ranking dignitaries, and distinguished visitors, as well as support for emergency evacuation of key government officials. It is also tasked with search and rescue and emergency medical evacuation.