Britain To Build Helicopters -- The Westland Sikorsky 51 helicopter hoisting a 'wrecked' airman aboard by winch from rubber dinghy. The first commercial type helicopter in England was demonstrated by Westland Aircraft Ltd. of Yeovil at Barnes, England today, June 11, 1947. The aircraft the American Sikorsky 51, is being built in Britain under licence. It was demonstrated flying sideways and backwards and hovering a few feet above the ground as well as flying in a normal manner. The helicopter also hovered alongside an imitation sea marker buoy while a mechanic stepped from it, repaired the buoy and then shown lifting a girder by means of a built in winch and laying it on two trestles a short distance away. August 1, 1947. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).