Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant
Specs, top speed, range and facts
The Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant is a compound helicopter demonstrator built by Sikorsky / Boeing in the USA. It first flew in 2019, but it never entered regular service. Two stacked rotors and a pusher propeller, so a helicopter can fly much faster than normal.
Photo: Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant on Wikipedia (free licence)
- Top speed457 km/h (284 mph)
- Range900 km (559 miles)
- First flight2019
- Wingspan15.2 m (50 ft)
Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant specs
| Top speed | 457 km/h (284 mph) |
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| Range | 900 km (559 miles)Not published. This is a rough estimate. |
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| Length | 15.5 m (51 ft)Few official sizes were released, so its length, rotor size, weight and range here are estimates. |
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| Wingspan | 15.2 m (50 ft) |
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| Max takeoff weight | 14 t (29,983 lb) |
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| Crew and capacity | 2 pilots and a cabin for troops |
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| Engines | 2 × Honeywell T55 turboshaft, plus a pusher propeller |
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| First flight | 2019 |
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| Entered service | Never entered regular service |
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| Built by | Sikorsky / Boeing (USA) |
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Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant facts
- Two rotors on top spin in opposite directions, and a propeller at the back pushes it along fast.
- In 2021 it reached 247 knots (about 457 km/h) in level flight, but in 2022 the Army chose the Bell V-280 instead.
Quick quiz
When did the Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant first fly?
In 2019.
Who built the Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant?
Sikorsky / Boeing, in the USA.
How fast can the Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant fly?
Its top speed is 457 km/h (284 mph).
How far can the Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant fly?
About 900 km (559 miles).
Photos, a true-scale silhouette, quizzes, flashcards, the Size Lab and the Sky Run game.
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