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

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.

Some SH-4s were equipped with Lycoming LHIO-360-C1A engines of 205 hp (153 kW).

[1] Two aircraft were evaluated by the Italian Air Force.

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77[4]General characteristics Performance