In honor of, World Helicopter Day, August 21st

[Craig59]

You didn't know? Okay, neither did I until I saw a Bell Helicopter ad in the paper this morning. Anyway, in honor of the day, here's a brief photo essay of my (obvious) favorite, the Sikorsky S-55 under its' many monikers. And here's a question for the WIX brain-trust. Were there any other aircraft purchased by all five branches of the U.S. military?

[Flyin Illini]

Blackhawk series. Army, navy, uscg, usaf. Marine one uses the vh-60 as presidential support. So technically the Marines have them and that makes all five branches.

[Nathan]

I had my head inside a H-19 yesterday. they are a beast of a helicopter. The are rather large, ungainly looking things. That's my definition of cool......

[JohnB]

I've come to the same conclusion about the H-19. It's tempting to say use by all the services in any significant numbers.

It's one of my favorite types...and the a.c. I'd most like to fly in. It was the first helicopter type I saw in person. The sight and smells...(oil, fuel, hydraulic fluid and canvas) of that Rescue H-19 at the AF base I was born at, remain with me almost 60 years later.

Flying Illini beat me to the more obvious answer...though USMC operations with the Blackhawk are rather sparse. However, if we count White House use as full ops, (and not just an asterisk, since no average Marine has flown in one), then we'll have to add the Sikorsky H-3 series to the mix....USN SH-3s, USAF & USGC HH-3s (based on the S-61R) and finally USA & USMC use of VIP VH-3s. Though almost forgotten today, the Army shared White House transport duties in the early 60s, if you look at JFK-era photos, some of the VH-3s are Army ships.
And like the USMC Blackhawks, the Marine use of the Sea Kings is limited to VIP use.

Likewise, the H-34 (S-58) saw some use with all services...in addition to the well known Army, USN and Marine use, a few (6) were used by the USCG (who lost two in one day to engine failures during the search for a B-47 crew in Tampa Bay, Florida) and the USAFR had a dozen or two ex-Navy aircraft equipping rescue units in the early 70s....before they got HH-3s when they were replaced by HH-53s in active duty units.

Getting away from Sikorskys, you could add Bell 47/H-13s to the list...I've seen some in USMC and AF markings...though the AF didn't have many. Aside from a few E's and H/G's used for local base rescue in the 1950s, the most famous AF ones are the two "J" Rangers assigned to the White House circa 1957.

C-45s also count since the CG had a couple, likewise T-6 (counting the USAAF use on WWII as Army).
Finally, the C-47....but that's almost a given.

Last edited by JohnB on Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:26 am, edited 5 times in total.

[Zac Yates]

I'm sure the UH-1 has served with all five? That'd be my submission, anyway.

[JohnB]

I've never heard of or seen a USCG HH-1...outside of an old Revell kit that came with flashing lights.

[4RG.I.'S]

So, in honor of the day (yes, sorry I know it was yesterday... ), how about one of our fellow WIXers buy this old whirly/warbird and restore it? Found at an online auction. We had one like it still in army colors when I was in A&P school.
1967 Hughes TH55/269A Helicopter Auction #1623576 - 1967 Hughes TH-55/269A Helicopter (16-0768 CPTC) JF (At Agency Location) Clover Park Technical College - 17214 N 110th Ave E Puyallup, WA 98396

http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auctio ... uc=1623576

[JohnB]

I just re-watched Battle Taxi, a 1955 film about ARS H-19s in Korea.
A lot of fun...and plenty of helicopter flying. The soundtrack alone is enough to make a helicopter fan weep.

[Woodsy Airfield]

Reference Coast Guard usage of HO4S types; one cannot forget the rescue of Jean Peters in the movie 'Niagara' with Marilyn Monroe and the Rescue helicopter...

[maxum96]

So, in honor of the day (yes, sorry I know it was yesterday... ), how about one of our fellow WIXers buy this old whirly/warbird and restore it? Found at an online auction. We had one like it still in army colors when I was in A&P school.
1967 Hughes TH55/269A Helicopter Auction #1623576 - 1967 Hughes TH-55/269A Helicopter (16-0768 CPTC) JF (At Agency Location) Clover Park Technical College - 17214 N 110th Ave E Puyallup, WA 98396

http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auctio ... uc=1623576

For an instructional airframe, it looks to be in great condition. The ones at my A&P school were beat.

[Chris Brame]

There have been a bunch of Hueys and OH-58s showing up on the GSA site lately, still in Army markings - most seem to have been hangar queens/parts bins for various sheriff's departments around the country. Some might make good static displays (or yard art!):

[JohnB]

Our Sheriff's Dept got a OH-58 which it restored and modified to police configuration ...at a large cost to anyone who doesn't realize how expensive helicopter are...much to the $$$ moaning of the county commissioners,.
They had a second flyable one as a training ship. It's gone now, I assume sold to pay the first.

[CoastieJohn]

In honor of Helo Days....this was posted on Youtube in Jan of this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRVlPuKgec8


This was posted in March of this year. It may be the former CG-1403. Beautiful paint job. I used to work and fly on these helos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asxI9AxBYLQ