Sikorsky Helicopters. Amphibian Aircraft. Gas Turbine-engines. The Sikorsky name has been synonymous with Helicopters for decades. Russian Aviation pioneer, Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky was well known in Europe for inventing the world's first four engine, fixed-wing plane, "the Grand," and a later version called the "Ilya Mourometz" which was used to bomb Germany and Austria during World War One. Sikorsky left Russia after the revolution and eventually came to the United States where he struggled for several years while he designed and built twin engine aircraft. After Charles Lindbergh popularized aviation with his 1927 transatlantic flight, Sikorsky was able to sell 114 of his "S-38" twin-engine plane to airlines, the military, and even to individuals. The Sikorsky Aviation Corporation established itself in Stratford, Connecticut on October 3, 1928. In July of 1929, Sikorsky became a division of the United Aircraft Corporation. During the 1930's, Sikorsky developed a series of amphibians and flying boats. The famous 44 passenger capacity, "S-40" model was one of the many "Pan Am Clippers" used to make flights into South and Latin America. During the 1930's, Sikorsky returned to designing a craft which he had worked on in Russia: the helicopter. He received a patent in 1935 and successfully flew the "VS-300" in September of 1939. Helicopter design improvements and contracts with the U.S. Army followed in the 1940's. Since that time, the Sikorsky Division has received numerous patents for a variety of helicopter designs, manufactured turbine engines for high speed trains, and produced over 10,000 helicopters, including the famous "Black Hawk" and "Jolly Green Giant." Sikorsky remains a substantial economic force in the Greater Bridgeport Region and has employed hundreds of Bridgeporters over the years.