S-61F
Received the following note from a former collegue at SA who was in a position to know at the time:
"Not dead certain, but I do not believe so. S-61F was one of four contracts for compound and aux propulsion research issued in the mid 1960s by Ft Eustis - whatever they were calling themselves at the time. The other three were Kaman -modified UH-2A -, Lockheed - modified XH-51, and Bell 533 which was a modified YH-40 (original Huey bought under Air Force contract). I remember us being faster than Kaman but not near Lockheed and Bell. It was a real lesson in interference between wings and stub wings for the J-60s. One thing that rarely gets remembered is that the Bell machine could easily have come apart (mainly tail rotor} when they hit 300 mph. A point they never dared repeat."
I was therefore wrong in stating that the 61F was a company funded design.
Thanks,
John Dixson