The museum features a photo essay of helicopter development from nature's own dragonfly and hummingbird, man-made boomerangs and ancient Chinese tops, to international developments in the twentieth century.
Igor Sikorsky's career is evoked and his first craft is meticulously modeled. All helicopter pioneers are displayed.
Dr. Anselm Franz, inventor of the Jumo 0400, developed the gas turbine engine in Stratford in the 1950s and his T55 cutaway can be seen and soon the T53 will be on display.
Multiple models and photos of all current rotary craft can be found.
New and Current Exhibits
A current exhibit features John Olsen of the Coast Guard who flew an R4, Sikorsky's first production helicopter above the Arctic Circle and was the first to land in Thule, Greenland in the summer of 1946. Within 5 months in January 1947 he flew to Antarctica's icy reaches from the icebreaker North Wind during Admiral Byrd's Operation High Jump. Exclusive photos detail these accomplishments.
A new exhibit features Stratford's other helicopter: the Bendix helicopter. It was the creation of Vincent Bendix, the inventor of the auto self-starter, four-wheel brakes, and caburetors. He was the developer of the Bendix air races and trophy. His helicopter models were based on the coaxial design as demonstrated in films of the 1940s. Bendix's sudden death stymied further development. The firm was purchased by Gyrodyne of Long Island who continued development and created Navy helicopter drones and mini rotar craft for individuals.
