Artifact of the Month
The H-13 Sioux landing.
The H-13 Sioux worked on by mechanics.
The H-13 Sioux being loaded.
The H-13 Sioux is an exhibit in the Korean War section of the Transportation Museum.
The H-13 Sioux was adapted from the commercial Model 47 and was the first helicopter to enter the U.S. military in large numbers. The Army would eventually procure over 2,200 during the helicopter’s 23 years of service and it was the first helicopter to arrive in Korea for combat.
The Sioux was also the first helicopter to be named after a Native American tribe, a practice which still continues.
The H-13 was used for utility, wire laying, liaison, reconnaissance, and training. However, it is most famous for medical evacuations as seen on the TV show M*A*S*H*. The H-13 was replaced in 1969 by the OH-58 Kiowa.