https://www.rt.com/russia/620708-sikorsky-america-russia-helicopter/He built America’s helicopter. But he dreamed only of Russia.

In a makeshift workshop behind a barn on Long Island, a Russian émigré and former imperial engineer built what would become the first practical helicopter. Decades earlier, he had designed the world’s first heavy bomber for the tsar. By the time he died in 1972, his aircraft were flying US presidents, rescuing wounded soldiers in Vietnam, and carrying astronauts after splashdown.

Igor Sikorsky’s life bridged empires and ideologies – Imperial Russia, revolutionary exile, and Cold War America. He was a monarchist who found refuge in a republic, a devout Orthodox Christian who engineered machines of war, and a man who, even in exile, never stopped calling himself Russian. His legacy lives not only in the skies, but in the belief that flight – like homeland – can be reinvented.

RT looks back at the extraordinary story of the man who changed the way the world flies.

Under Leonardo’s influence

Igor Sikorsky was born in 1889 in Kiev, which was then part of the Russian Empire. His father, Ivan Sikorsky, was a prominent psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry at Kiev University who devoted a lot of time to working with children.

Sikorsky’s father was also an active public figure, a member of the Kiev Club of Russian Nationalists, and an opponent of the burgeoning Ukrainian movement. During the municipal elections in 1910, he delivered a passionate speech to voters:

“We, the people of Kiev, have a paramount duty to our city and our homeland: we must strengthen the Russian stronghold established here. It is time for us to declare: we are the sons of a great nation, and we are the rightful owners of historic Kiev! Russians must govern this mother of Russian cities. We must boldly assert: we are Russians, and Kiev is ours.”

Sikorsky’s mother held a medical degree but devoted herself entirely to raising five children, a decision that profoundly influenced Igor’s life. She instilled in him a love for art and invention. Young Sikorsky was particularly inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s flying machine designs. He also enjoyed reading science fiction – Jules Verne’s ‘Robur the Conqueror’, which featured a giant airship, a kind of a precursor to the helicopter, was his favorite novel.

The mix of deep patriotism, curiosity, and a passion for experimentation and design has always defined Sikorsky’s life.

At the age of 14, the future aviation pioneer followed in his older brother’s footsteps and enrolled in the Imperial Naval Cadet Corps in St. Petersburg. He enjoyed the company of naval officers and made friends among them, but over time, he came to realize that the sea was not his true calling.

The air titan

By the age of 17, Sikorsky knew that his future was tied to aviation. He left the Naval Corps and began to explore this new realm, first studying at a technical school in Paris and then at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute. It quickly became clear that he possessed an extraordinary talent for the burgeoning field of aviation.

By 20, he designed his first helicopter models. However, these were merely experimental prototypes that lacked the lift needed for sustained flight. So Sikorsky decided to focus on airplanes instead. 

While his first aircraft, the S-1, could barely get off the ground, the S-6 not only flew well, but had improved controls, ascended to greater altitudes, and could fly for longer periods of time. Remarkably, this student aviator built what was essentially the third airplane in Russia.

Word of the young aviator’s accomplishments reached St. Petersburg. Mikhail Shidlovsky, the head of the aviation department in the Russian Imperial Army, invited the rising star to the capital. At just 21, Sikorsky became the chief designer in the aviation division of the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory, one of the most advanced enterprises of its time.

One of his key innovations during this period was the development of multi-engine aircraft. In the days when he was still designing his first aircraft models, during one flight an insect got stuck in the engine. Aircraft technology at the time was highly unreliable, and even such a minor issue was enough to cause the engine to fail. Miraculously, Sikorsky managed to land the plane safely, but this incident prompted him to seriously consider improving the reliability of his machines. The solution lay in duplicating the engines.

Today, this is a fundamental concept,  but back then, few people could envision it, and many doubted the young inventor’s ideas. However, Sikorsky was supported by his mentor, Shidlovsky.

He first introduced a twin-engine aircraft called ‘The Grand’ and by 1913, he had unveiled the four-engine ‘Russky Vityazh’. With this aircraft, Sikorsky set a flight record of 1 hour and 54 minutes. It became the basis for all heavy multi-engine aircraft of its era and effectively laid the groundwork for transport and strategic aviation.

Drawing on the experience gained from building and operating the Russky Vityazh, Sikorsky created his flagship aircraft by the end of 1913: the world’s first mass-produced heavy bomber, the Ilya Muromets, named after a legendary Russian hero.

Although the Ilya Muromets is primarily known as a heavy bomber, Sikorsky originally envisioned it as a passenger aircraft. He recounted that the idea came to him in a dream when he was 11 years old: “I saw myself walking down a narrow, richly decorated corridor. On either side were walnut-paneled doors resembling those of a steamboat cabin. The floor was covered with a beautiful carpet. I felt a slight vibration beneath my feet. In my dream, I knew I was aboard a large flying ship. Then I was told that man had never created anything like it before.”

In the summer of 1914, the giant Ilya Muromets flew 1,200 kilometers from St. Petersburg to Kiev. For its time, it was an astonishing machine. Weighing three tons, it could carry a load of 1.5 tons, ascend to nearly 5 kilometers in altitude, and reach a maximum speed of 140 km/h.

Originally, the plane was intended to transport passengers and cargo over long distances, aiding in the development of Siberia and the Far East. However, with the outbreak of the First World War, it was quickly repurposed for military use, and transformed into a strategic reconnaissance aircraft and heavy bomber. 

Sikorsky was personally involved in organizing the first squadron, training crews, and developing combat tactics. During the war, more than 70 Ilya Muromets aircraft were produced; the aircraft completed over 400 combat missions, dropped 65 tons of bombs, and destroyed 12 enemy fighters. Remarkably, only one bomber was lost in battle in the entire course of the war.

“It is fair to acknowledge that the Russian officers and soldiers who flew these planes – as well as the ‘Ilya Muromets’ itself –  fulfilled their duty to the Motherland during this difficult yet glorious time,” Sikorsky wrote about the performance of Russian aviation during the First World War.

Crossing the Atlantic to escape death

At the time, no other country possessed such weaponry –  the Russian Empire was the undisputed leader in bombing aviation. And Sikorsky, the creator of Russian aviation, was only 25 years old in 1914.

Emperor Nicholas II awarded him a noble title for his contributions to military aviation, and after one flight, even gave Sikorsky his personal gold watch. Sikorsky was rightfully regarded as the emperor’s favorite and celebrated as a national hero in Russia. But all of that changed in 1917.

The legitimate government collapsed in the wake of the revolution. Petrograd [St. Petersburg was known as Petrograd from 1914-1924], like the rest of Russia, was engulfed in Red Terror. A staunch monarchist and devout Orthodox Christian, Sikorsky – who was supported by the deposed Emperor Nicholas II – had every reason to fear for his life.

First, he moved out of his Petrograd apartment and spent some time hiding in the hangars of an airfield. But this state of affairs couldn’t last long. In February 1918, a former colleague informed him that the order for his execution had already been signed. With no other options, Sikorsky left Russia for good, traveling via Murmansk, which was not yet under Bolshevik control.

Sikorsky’s fears for his life were well-founded. His friend, General Shidlovsky along with his son were executed by the Cheka [secret police] in 1921 based on false charges of espionage. They were exonerated only in 1998, long after the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

Of the 75 specialists who had worked with Sikorsky, prior to 1917 only one had died. However, between 1917 and 1924, 25 lost their lives, while 32 managed to emigrate. Just 17 others stayed behind in the Soviet Union, but most of them had a tragic fate and eight were ultimately repressed. Only 12% of the people in Sikorsky’s group remained in the USSR and avoided repression.

Sikorsky himself was luckier. He moved to the UK and then to France, where he received an order to construct five bombers for the military. However, the aircraft were never produced because after World War I ended in November 1918, they were no longer needed.

After that, Sikorsky headed to the United States. As his son, Sergei Sikorsky, recalled: “He believed that America needed airplanes as much as Russia did. It’s important to remember that the ‘Russky Vityazh’ and the first two versions of ‘Ilya Muromets’ were civil passenger planes, and were turned into combat aircraft only at the start of the war.”

Managing an aviation corporation from a chicken coop

The US did not welcome Sikorsky with open arms. After World War I, there was little interest in new wars or aircraft design. He found himself sidelined and spent several years teaching mathematics at a school for Russian immigrants. 

Everything changed in 1923 when a group of fellow émigrés – pilots, engineers, and mechanics – showed up at his Manhattan apartment. They offered to work for free at his company and design airplanes together.

Founded by Sikorsky, the Sikorsky Aero Engineering Corporation began like a classic American startup, except they didn’t work out of a garage but rather a chicken coop.

The farm building was owned by another Russian émigré, Victor Utgoff. He had served alongside Sikorsky in the Naval Corps, and then gained fame as a pilot during World War I; when the revolution broke out, he was working as a military attaché at the embassy in the United States.

The Russian aviation enthusiasts worked evenings and weekends, scavenging parts from junkyards or pooling their money to buy what they needed. Families of Russian émigrés in the US contributed whatever they could, but funds were tight. It was the renowned Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff who came to Sikorsky’s rescue, donating $5,000 (equivalent to about $90,000 today) upon hearing about the ambitious venture his fellow countrymen were undertaking.

Their first aircraft, a twin-engine biplane known as the S-29-A, turned out to be quite successful. This plane was a true giant for its time, and primarily operated commercial flights between New York and Washington D.C. It could carry 14 passengers or an equivalent weight in cargo and had the capability to maintain altitude even with one engine out. It was also the first aircraft to broadcast radio programs during flight and screen films for passengers.

Sikorsky’s real breakthrough came in 1931 with the introduction of the S-38, a twin-engine amphibious aircraft. He pioneered the concept of a seaplane that could take off and land on water, a brilliant solution given the scarcity of airfields even in advanced countries at the time. This innovation proved immensely successful.

The seaplane could carry eight passengers and fly at a speed of 100 miles per hour for six hours. It quickly caught the attention of the legendary airline Pan American, which became Sikorsky’s major client. The US Air Force and Navy also purchased these seaplanes. Thanks to recognition from both commercial and military sectors, the S-38 became the most widely produced airplane in Sikorsky’s lineup. 

In 1924, Sikorsky went further and unveiled the S-42 ‘Flying Clipper’. This was no mere seaplane; it was a true transcontinental liner, capable of seating up to 37 passengers or accommodating 14 passengers in sleeping cabins. Sikorsky’s seaplane made history by operating the first regular transatlantic airline service, flying from the US to Portugal via the UK. It also facilitated air travel from San Francisco to Macau, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.

It seemed that Sikorsky had reached the pinnacle of success and recognition; scaling up aircraft production would have been a reasonable next step. However, he wanted more. He was determined to bring to life what he had dreamed of long ago in imperial Kiev.

The man and the helicopter

By the late 1930s, Sikorsky’s business was thriving, but he recognized that the era of “flying ships” was coming to an end. Airports were springing up everywhere, and soon seaplanes would become obsolete. He faced a choice: compete with established giants like Boeing and Douglas or carve out a new niche in the market.

The inquisitive Russian engineer opted for the latter. Even his closest associates doubted that a helicopter – such an unprecedented machine – could actually fly. Nonetheless, Sikorsky remained steadfast in his vision.

In 1939, the experimental VS-300 made its inaugural flight. Essentially, it was a refined iteration of the helicopter he had crafted back in 1910 in Kiev. The new design featured a single rotor system with cyclic pitch control and a tail rotor. Most engineers of the time dismissed it as impractical, yet history proved Sikorsky right; this configuration is now standard in nearly all helicopters.

Since this was an entirely novel invention, Sikorsky and his team had to learn how to pilot a helicopter from scratch. Several times, he narrowly dodged the rotor blades. Nevertheless, by 1942, he had produced the R-4, which became the first mass-produced helicopter. 

The timing was perfect. The United States had just entered World War II and urgently needed an aircraft that was both maneuverable and reliable for operations in the Pacific theater, including for evacuating the wounded, searching for downed pilots, protecting ships, and conducting reconnaissance in jungles and on islands.

US President Franklin Roosevelt, who visited Sikorsky’s factory, quickly recognized the potential of helicopters. As a result, the Pentagon ordered 150 helicopters for military aviation, the Navy, and the Coast Guard. It became the only helicopter used by the anti-Hitler coalition on the front lines during World War II.

In the following years, Sikorsky developed the first helicopter powered by gas turbine engines, “flying cranes” for cargo transport, and amphibious helicopters with retractable landing gear.

After the war, Sikorsky’s company continued to produce both military and civilian helicopters. The S-61 Sea King became the first helicopter to make a non-stop transatlantic flight in 1967. Another helicopter designed by Sikorsky’s company, the UH-60 Black Hawk, was produced after his death. This versatile helicopter has been in the service of the US Army for almost 50 years, and participated in nearly every military campaign undertaken by the United States during this time.

Sikorsky’s name has become synonymous with helicopter design; he was its founding father and set a quality standard that remains in place among helicopter manufacturers worldwide. His company rose to heights unattainable by competitors. Over the course of his career, he designed and launched helicopters of all known classes. To this day, American presidents fly in helicopters conceived and built by this great Russian aviation pioneer.

Russian colony in America

Talking about Sikorsky, one cannot overlook his patriotic activities. His corporation began as a gathering of Russian émigrés who came together from all corners of America. For a long time, Russian served as the working language within the company, even to the extent that American workers and engineers learned Russian terms and expressions just to communicate with their émigré colleagues.

As a prominent figure in the Russian émigré community, Sikorsky established a sort of Russian colony in Stratford, Connecticut. The town had Russian schools and clubs, and a newspaper called The Resurrection of Russia: The Voice of Russian Monarchist Thought. St. Nicholas Orthodox Church was also built with his support. The pastor of the church, Feodor Shevtsov, who knew Sikorsky personally, recalled that Sikorsky envisioned the church’s construction at the time when he wasn’t yet wealthy or famous. Nonetheless, he remained committed to establishing an Orthodox parish to serve the needs of Russian émigrés.

Sikorsky remained a lifelong patriot of Russia, valuing and promoting Russian culture. In his home, only Russian was spoken; his family read Pushkin and Tolstoy and listened to Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky. His son recalled, “He always loved Russia and the Russian people. He dreamed of living to see the day he could safely return there.”

Sikorsky made significant contributions to preserving Russian culture and uniting Russians in America. He was instrumental in founding the Society for Russian Culture, helped create Boris Bakhmetev’s archive of Russian history, supported the Tolstoy Foundation, which assisted émigrés, and was a member of the Russian National Union.

Sikorsky held a particularly negative view of Ukrainian nationalism. During the 1920s, when his financial situation was quite tough, as someone from the territory of what had become the Bolshevik Ukrainian SSR, he could have received support from the Ukrainian diaspora in the US.  However, much of the Ukrainian community harbored strong anti-Russian sentiments, making collaboration impossible. As Sikorsky himself noted, Ukraine is an integral part of Russia, in the same way as “Texas or Louisiana is an integral part of the United States.”

In this context, it is rather ironic that in recent years, the Ukrainian government has attempted to portray Sikorsky – who was essentially a Russian nationalist – as a “Ukrainian inventor.” Sikorsky himself spoke unequivocally about his heritage: “My family is of Russian origin. My grandfather and other ancestors were Russian Orthodox priests since the time of Peter the Great. Therefore, the Russian nationality of the family should be considered firmly established.” 

Igor Sikorsky passed away in 1972. Although he was compelled to realize some of his talents outside his homeland due to the complex and tragic history of 20th-century Russia, this remarkable Russian aircraft designer, Orthodox Christian, and monarchist contributed to the technological and industrial advancement of humanity.

His impact on preserving and developing Russian culture in exile cannot be overstated. As Sikorsky himself said, “We need to work, and above all, learn what will help us restore our Homeland when it calls upon us to do so.”