CH-53E HMH 772

[jeffhuey1n]

Woot woot!!! I’m in heaven! My old squadron dropped by the local airport. Haven’t seen these guys in decades. One thing never changes: if it ain’t leaking, there ain’t any oil left. Pics:

 

[M813rc]

That is one grubby bird!
Back in the day, our Delta models got pretty dirty but they were dark green so it didn't show as much (HMH-462) .

The only thing capable of replacing the CH-53D was another CH-53, the Echo. And the only thing they could come up with to replace that one is yet another CH-53, the Kilo. They just keep getting stronger.

Cheers

 

[jeffhuey1n]

That is one grubby bird!
Back in the day, our Delta models got pretty dirty but they were dark green so it didn't show as much (HMH-462) .

The only thing capable of replacing the CH-53D was another CH-53, the Echo. And the only thing they could come up with to replace that one is yet another CH-53, the Kilo. They just keep getting stronger.

Cheers

Back in my day, we still had the A model. Big pain in the tookus but I learned how to be a mechanic and I had the best teachers in the world. My bird was 487.

 

[M813rc]

Nice! What boat?
That picture in formation looks like Bridgeport?
(Definition of helicopters flying formation - two going the same direction on the same day)

Cheers

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Nice! What boat?
That picture in formation looks like Bridgeport?
(Definition of helicopters flying formation - two going the same direction on the same day)

Cheers

Not sure what ship it was. I think it was the Inchon but I’ll have to ask one of my friends who went on the trip. The first two were taken in 1986, 6+/- months after I left the Marine Corps and three months after I joined the Air Force. I would have been on that trip if I’d re-enlisted. The third was taken somewhere out towards Bridgeport. I might have been on that trip. And the last picture was taken several years after I left. I pretty sure it was around the same time as Desert Shield/Desert Storm. I’ve got pictures of me and my bird, MS 487 somewhere. I’ve got hundreds of pictures to go through before I’ll find them.

 

[M813rc]

Cool. We took a ride on the Saipan in the Atlantic, and the Belleau Wood in the Pacific.

USMC to USAF? That must have been quite a change!

Cheers

 

[flashbucks]

Back in my day, we still had the A model. Big pain in the tookus but I learned how to be a mechanic and I had the best teachers in the world. My bird was 487.View attachment 789616View attachment 789617View attachment 789618View attachment 789619

When the Air Force started to convert the B/C models to J model Pave Lows, we picked up 6 A models from the USMC. They weighed about 2/3 the amount of the B/C and the AF put the upgraded powertrains in them. Turned a slug into a hotrod!!! They could hover OGE at 10k plus, loved the A+ models we had. Gregg

 

[jeffhuey1n]

When the Air Force started to convert the B/C models to J model Pave Lows, we picked up 6 A models from the USMC. They weighed about 2/3 the amount of the B/C and the AF put the upgraded powertrains in them. Turned a slug into a hotrod!!! They could hover OGE at 10k plus, loved the A+ models we had. Gregg

The Marine Corps upgraded a few A models. They put D model engines on it, the D model main gear box and some other upgrades. That was way back in the late ‘70’s, early ‘80’s. The active squadrons at Tustin used them, and they were hot rods. On the other hand, some D models got elastomeric main rotors. They put different primary servos on them and had a weird bladefold system. There weren’t many of those.
The primary reason the AF got the A models was because Hill crashed one of the two assigned C models. Cooter Cash went to the bone yard and surveyed some A models, which were subsequently transferred to the AF. I guess that was when the second C model headed for Hurlburt Field.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Cool. We took a ride on the Saipan in the Atlantic, and the Belleau Wood in the Pacific.

USMC to USAF? That must have been quite a change!

Cheers
Yes it was a bewildering cascade of change, more change, no explanation, no training on AF stuff, just nuts. The only stable thing was the helicopters. In the end, they were what kept me together till I retired.

 

[flashbucks]

The Marine Corps upgraded a few A models. They put D model engines on it, the D model main gear box and some other upgrades. That was way back in the late ‘70’s, early ‘80’s. The active squadrons at Tustin used them, and they were hot rods. On the other hand, some D models got elastomeric main rotors. They put different primary servos on them and had a weird bladefold system. There weren’t many of those.
The primary reason the AF got the A models was because Hill crashed one of the two assigned C models. Cooter Cash went to the bone yard and surveyed some A models, which were subsequently transferred to the AF. I guess that was when the second C model headed for Hurlburt Field.

I knew the copilot on the Hill crash. The rotor blades took off the top of the cockpit and destroyed the throttle controls. It also cracked the main transmission case and dumped all of the oil. The crew was pretty shaken up and couldn't figure out how to shut the aircraft down so it eventually caught on fire and burned to the ground. Everyone got out and the copilot still had his helmet with rotor bladed marks on it. Could have been soooo much worse.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

I knew the copilot on the Hill crash. The rotor blades took off the top of the cockpit and destroyed the throttle controls. It also cracked the main transmission case and dumped all of the oil. The crew was pretty shaken up and couldn't figure out how to shut the aircraft down so it eventually caught on fire and burned to the ground. Everyone got out and the copilot still had his helmet with rotor bladed marks on it. Could have been soooo much worse.

I remember seeing the pilot with a black skid mark on the top of his helmet. They were just RTB when I got to the duty section. That’s just too close. But then again, a miss is as good as a mile! Not sure what happened to the remains. Cooter brought back one of the tail rotor blades.
It was a sad day. We’d just got that bird from depot and it was in outstanding shape.