The Silvercraft SH-4 is an Italian three-seater light helicopter designed and built by Silvercraft SpA.

Design and production

The Silvercraft SH-4 was the first Italian designed helicopter to gain Italian and

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

certification. The prototype was first flown in October 1963 with development assisted with both financial and technical help from

SIAI-Marchetti SIAI-Marchetti was an Italian aircraft manufacturer primarily active during the interwar period. History The original company was founded during 1915 as SIAI (''Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia'' - Seaplane Company of Upper Italy). As suggested ...

. The helicopter was a conventional design with two-blade main rotor and tail rotor, a skid landing gear and a high-set tubular corrugated tailboom. It is powered by either a 200 hp (149 kW) or 235 hp (175 kW) Franklin 6A-350 engines which have been flat-rated to 170 hp (127 kW). Some SH-4s were equipped with Lycoming LHIO-360-C1A engines of 205 hp (153 kW). Two aircraft were evaluated by the Italian Air Force. An upgraded development, the SH-200 was developed from the SH-4 but was only flown as a prototype.

Operators

; *

Italian Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello , mascot = , anniversaries = 28 March ...

operated one Silvercraft SH-4 for evaluation test all-aero Silvercraft SH-4
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Variants

;SH-4 :Standard production variant. ;SH-4A :Agricultural variant. ;SH-4L :Lycoming powered variant ;SH-4T :Turbine powered variant

Specifications (SH-4)

References

* * *{{cite book , title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), publisher= Orbis Publishing 1960s Italian civil utility aircraft 1960s Italian helicopters Aircraft first flown in 1963