Boneyard airframe identification help?

Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:52 pm

I apologize if this isn't the proper place to post. Mods, please move as required.

But, can anyone tell me what this is:

http://www.barnstormers.com/bones000923/000923-197.jpg

And maybe give me an idea of what a "full" one looks like.

Cheers,

David

Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:58 pm

Sikorsky CH-34 MOJAVE, 2 R-2800's loved and know to it's crews as 'BUFF'
big ugly fat ..........................................thingy

Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:08 pm

Sorry! CH-37 not 34 dancing digit of destiny problem- last registered to AIRCRANE Inc. West Chester, PA. (just down the road from OOMPAH, PA.)

Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:52 am

Thanks Inspector,

That's quite the giant helo. I was almost thinking it was a fixed wing, but had it in the back of my mind that it could be a helicopter.

I can only imagine that there aren't many around. I'd say the type is deserving of some kind of preservation.

Thanks again,

David

Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:28 am

Here is a link to a bunch of pics of the beast in action.
http://www.yolo.net/~jeaton/mojave/ch37.htm

According to Wiki there are 4 survivors of the type.
* CH-37B (#55-644) is on display at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum in Ozark, Alabama.
* CH-37B (#56-1005) "Tired Dude" is on display at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
* CH-37B (57-1651) is owned by the U.S. Army Transportation Museum at Ft. Eustis, Virginia.
* CH-37C (#145864) is on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.

Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:54 am

Sikorsky designation was S-56. The Marines flew this one as the HR2S.

Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:30 pm

As of 2002 there was a herd of them grazing in the Allied yard in Tucson.
http://amarcexperience.com/ScrapyardsAlliedH37.asp

Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:45 pm

I can't explain why, but I'd sure like to have one of those........at least the fuselage, but to have a complete machine (especially with the engine installation) would be pretty cool.

Gary

Sun Apr 26, 2009 4:23 pm

retroaviation wrote:I can't explain why, but I'd sure like to have one of those........at least the fuselage, but to have a complete machine (especially with the engine installation) would be pretty cool.

Gary

yeah, I seem to remember you saying something like that. Weren't you gonna make a manly garden house out of it with tv, minibar,...

Sun Apr 26, 2009 4:28 pm

Here's a picture of the Mojave at Pima:

Big, indeed !

Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:30 pm

At one time the one at Pima was displayed near the snack bar. They had the doors open and a jeep inside.

Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:33 pm

Fouga23 wrote:
retroaviation wrote:I can't explain why, but I'd sure like to have one of those........at least the fuselage, but to have a complete machine (especially with the engine installation) would be pretty cool.

Gary

yeah, I seem to remember you saying something like that. Weren't you gonna make a manly garden house out of it with tv, minibar,...

It would all depend on what I could get my hands on, but I've got all kinds of ideas. :-)

Gary

Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:38 pm

retroaviation wrote:
Fouga23 wrote:
retroaviation wrote:I can't explain why, but I'd sure like to have one of those........at least the fuselage, but to have a complete machine (especially with the engine installation) would be pretty cool.

Gary

yeah, I seem to remember you saying something like that. Weren't you gonna make a manly garden house out of it with tv, minibar,...

It would all depend on what I could get my hands on, but I've got all kinds of ideas.

Gary

Might make a interesting RV

Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:29 pm

There might be a few more Mojaves around then just those 4.
I think there was one that Keystone Helicopter in PA had stored in the back lot. And I had two different conversations with the owner of Sparta Helicopters in NJ, and he has been planning on returning one to flight. Although our conversations were about 4 years ago.
Jerry

Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:52 pm

The Mojave pictured in Dave's link looks very familiar to me. Back in the early 1980s, there was a civilian Mojave sitting in a yard outside of the New Castle County Airport (ILG), and it was painted blue with similar trim. It may have been the same aircraft, since West Chester, PA, is just a few miles north of ILG. Its engines were in place, and other than having no rotor blades, it appeared to be complete and in decent shape. I shot some photos of it. It will take me a while to find and scan the prints, but I'll see what I can do. I'd love to see and hear a Mojave in flight. I'll bet that pair of '2800s sounded wicked!

Cheers!