Sikorsky Aircraft celebrates its 100^th Anniversary this year. The Sikorsky Aircraft Centennial 1923-2023, A Tribute by the Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives, tells the proud story of Igor Sikorsky and the pioneering American company that bears his name.

Driven from his home by revolution, aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky arrived in New York City in 1919 without significant capital or political connections. He launched Sikorsky Aero Engineering Corporation in 1923 and ultimately designed, built, and delivered 15 different types of fixed-wing landplanes, amphibians, and flying boats. With demand for his big VS-44 flying boats declining, Sikorsky turned his engineering genius to rotary-wing flight and first piloted his one-of-a-kind VS-300 helicopter in 1939.

The production S-47 gave the U.S. military its first operational rescue helicopter and set the stage for the civil-certified S-51 and the bigger, more capable S-55, S-56, and S-58 transport helicopters that served military and commercial operators around the world. The Sikorsky Aircraft Centennial 1923-2023 describes the turbine revolution that brought to market the record-breaking S-61 Sea King, the heavy-lift S-64 Skycrane, and the rugged, ballistically tolerant S-70 Black Hawk. The story concludes with the digital engineering revolution key to the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter now in production for the U.S. Marine Corps and the S-102 Raider-X contender for the Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft.

Richly illustrated with more than 400 unique photos from the Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives, the 204-page history traces the company’s contributions to helicopter air mobility in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, antisubmarine warfare in the U.S. Navy, combat rescue in the U.S. Air Force, and air-sea rescue in the U.S. Coast Guard. It describes the successive Sikorsky helicopters used to transport every U.S. President since Dwight Eisenhower. The book also tells the story of Sikorsky helicopters in the oil industry and scheduled airline service.

The Sikorsky Aircraft Centennial, 1923-2023 follows the company’s growth from a struggling aviation concern on a Long Island farm to an engineering and manufacturing leader headquartered in Connecticut. It shows the manufacturing facilities and corporate leaders of the company and the innovative patents and historic memorabilia of its founder.

The Sikorsky Aircraft Centennial, 1923-2023 is available from Amazon in paperback, hardcover and Kindle formats.