Above: Les Morris makes the first test flight of the XR-4. The R-4 would go on to become the world’s first production helicopter. Photo: Courtesy of the collection of Mr. Charles G. Morris
the new control configuration. Morris was also frequently called on to give demonstration flights for many visitors who did not believe the reports they were reading about the new helicopter and its capabilities. As full azimuth control was being refined, the develop- ment of the XR-4 was accelerating. The XR-4 was designed for the U.S. Army and would become the second successful
Sikorsky helicopter and the first pro- duction helicopter in the world. Morris flew the VS-300 to evaluate many of the proposed design features of the XR-4. On January 14, 1942, Les Morris made the maiden flight in the XR-4 (Morris, C. L., 1945). The first flight lasted only 3 minutes. Over the course of the first day of test flying a total of six flights were made which last-
ed just over 25 minutes combined. Over the next two weeks 32 test flights were conducted and the XR-4 was sig- nificantly refined. A demonstration flight of the XR-4 for Army officials was scheduled for April of 1942. One of the Army requirements was for the hel- icopter to demonstrate autorotation. This had never before been performed in a Sikorsky helicopter and no proce-
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