H-5H 48-549  COURTESY OF WAYNE MUTZA

This picture has drawn quite a few questions concerning the two bubble type appendages on the side of the aircraft just behind the door and behind the landing gear attachment point.

It is believed that they were utilized for litter patients however that hasn't been confirmed.

The Sikorsky archivist provide the following information:

The aircraft is an H-5H, 10 of these were produced.  The mount (fore and aft) are indeed litter mounts.  There was cabin access to the forward patient but not the aft.  Also the aft litter was mounted under a 200 amp generator,  so I imagine that unless the patient was in extremis (sic) (or worse) it was rarely used. Patient insertion was from the outside.

From the Archives

Harry Hleva and Frank Hunter

If anyone has any addition knowledge/information on this please advise us at rotorheadsrus@yahoo.com 

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