Historic HH-3E Jolly Green Giant and USAF Museum A-1

[Larry Wielgosz]

The USAF is dedicating a HH-3E 67-14709 for display at the USAF museum in Dayton, OH on Dec. 14,10. Quite a historic helo. The museum does have another A-1. For pictures of the HH-3E being prepped for display and the A-1 sitting in "storage" go to JollyGreen.org
See the article about the HH-3E restoration. Click on the link and when it opens first read about the HH-3E. Then scroll down and see the A-1 photos (3 each).

Larry

[Robbie Stuart]

Thanks Larry

[Misterg97]

The HH-3 is now in the Modern Flight Gallery ... Not sure if it is in it's final place as they are moving airplanes around ... the Huey has also been moved from restoration to the Gallery and it too came out really great ... Guess I should take my camera with me one of these Fridays as I volunteer in that gallery.

[Ken]

FlyPast magazine, May 1999 has a photo of an A-1E and A-1H/J sitting in a hangar at Bien Hoa looking quite complete externally. The airplanes are overall dark green with white weapons pylons.

Photos surfaced next of two identical Skyraiders crated at AMARC in the May/June 2007 Warbird Digest.

The A-1E has since gone on display at the Hill AFB Museum painted to represent Bernie Fisher's MOH airplane already on display at NMUSAF. The A-1H/J has remained a mystery. Queries to the NMUSAF Curator have been ignored. Pictures on jollygreen.org show the same airplane at Dayton in crates as it was at AMARC.

Would sure love to know the back story on how these two airplanes were returned from Vietnam.

[JBoyle]

Good news. I was a bit disappointed when the HH-3 on display th the NMUSAF was painted in a rare Special Ops all-black scheme.
Nothing against the special ops guys, but the courage of the HH-3/HH-53 rescue crews needed to remembered and a "stock" helicopter needs to be displayed as well.

[Zachary]

Good news. I was a bit disappointed when the HH-3 on display th the NMUSAF was painted in a rare Special Ops all-black scheme.
Nothing against the special ops guys, but the courage of the HH-3/HH-53 rescue crews needed to remembered and a "stock" helicopter needs to be displayed as well.

The all-black scheme is part of that airframe's particular history, and entirely appropriate in my opinion. You can read a bit more about CH-3E #63-09676, better known as "Black Mariah" here: http://usafhpa.org/specialinterest/blac ... mariah.htm

That notwithstanding, I completely agree with your second statement!

Zack

[mustangdriver]

Black Mariah's pilot is also a volunteer at the museum, and while giving tours can pick out combat repairs on the airframe, and explain where they were when they recieved them. It is pretty cool as he had walked me around the airframe doing this before. I am honored to call him a friend.

As for having a more every day look Jolly Green, I alos agree. It is nice to have both. Here are some pics from the NMUSAF website.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsh ... p?id=17538

I can't wait to hear the history of the "Sandy"

[Larry Wielgosz]

The helo painted black called "Black Mariah" is a CH-3E Jolly Green Giant. I was a USAF helicopter mechanic and worked & flew on her. It has more than 100 bullet holes. I have a copy of an article on her where someone counted the holes. Patches were all over the place. The Dec. 14 dedication of the HH-3E Jolly Green Giant will finally put a HH (with the refueling probe) on display. Many years too late but I'm glad they are doing what they are doing. The CH-3E on display is a very historic aircraft. We knew back in 1985 that she was slated to go to the USAF Museum. One of the guys even found old black paint under the layers of camo paint on a cowling. I only hope the museum keeps both the CH & HH on display. They both did their parts.

I also worked & flew on the MH-53M Pavelow on display but it was a HH-53C in my time. Another historic machine but it represents a different era. I wish the museum put a HH-53B/C Super Jolly Green Giant on display along with a MH-53J/M Pavelow. The museum would have to remove a lot of equipment to display it as a HH-53B/C which is what they started out as. The museum might never have a rescue HH-53 on display.

Larry Wielgosz

[mustangdriver]

Here is a link to the pic from the website

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared ... 4b-003.jpg