"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
03/11/2015 at 10:30 • Filed to: planelopnik, planelopnik history
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"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
03/11/2015 at 10:30 • Filed to: planelopnik, planelopnik history | 3
| 9 |
March 11, 1959 marks the first flight of the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King. The SH-3 was a true workhorse for the US Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard, serving in many roles for 50 years.
The Sea King was developed for the Navy by Sikorsky, and set the standard for future helicopter designs. It's twin-turboshaft powerplant was the first of its kind, and afforded the Sea King with unprecedented payload capacity and speed, setting records for its day. The double-engine configuration also provided added security for the crew, as the Sea King could be operated reliably on only one engine. A watertight hull and inflatable sponsons allowed the Sea King to land on the surface of the water, making the SH-3 the world's first amphibious helicopter.
SH-3 Sea King from Helicopter Support Squadron One One (HC-11) prepares to land aboard the guided missile destoryer USS Milius. ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )
Introduced in 1961, the Sea King served the US Navy primarily in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role, tracking enemy submarines with advanced radar and attacking with torpedoes or depth charges. It also served as an all-around cargo and personnel helicopter. In the Vietnam War, armored Sea Kings, armed with machine guns, were used to rescue downed pilots. During the manned space program, the Sea King was the primary recovery aircraft for the astronauts and the space capsules. And the US Marine !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! employs the Sea King as the primary helicopter to transport the President of the United States.
US Navy Sea King recovering the crew of Apollo 11, July 24, 1969
By 1990, the Sea King was replaced in the ASW role by the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , with the remaining Sea Kings configured for logistical support and search and rescue. The Sea King was ceremonially retired by the Navy in 2006, though at the time the Navy did not plan to phase them out entirely until 2009. The Marine Corps and their fleet of SH-3s will continue to support the White House until a replacement for Marine One is found under the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The Sea King has also been built under license by Agusta in Italy, Mitsubishi in Japan, and by Westland in the United Kingdom, and was produced in a civilian version called the S-61 which remains in production.
US Marine Corps VH-3D "Marine One" departs from the south lawn of the White House ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )
thebigbossyboss
> ttyymmnn
03/11/2015 at 10:34 |
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In Canada we have been trying to replace our sea kings with a new helicopter for a long time unsuccessfully. It is mostly Jean Chretiens fault as the first thing he did when becoming prime minister of Canada in 1993 was cancel the procurement of new helicopters.
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ttyymmnn
> thebigbossyboss
03/11/2015 at 10:37 |
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The VXX program to replace Marine One has been a complete fiasco. If it ain't broke.....
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thebigbossyboss
> ttyymmnn
03/11/2015 at 10:46 |
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Problem is our sea kings are pretty broke. Someone once raced one on a greyhound bus across the country...and won.
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> ttyymmnn
03/11/2015 at 11:10 |
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My father-in-law is a retired USCG search and rescue pilot. He spent 20+ years flying the HH-3.
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Snuze: Needs another Swede
> ttyymmnn
03/11/2015 at 11:12 |
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Well the problem is air frames get old and tired. Since they are aluminum they are susceptible to cyclic stress cracking, which can be hard to detect but once it happens, propagation can happen quickly and end catastophically.
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ttyymmnn
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/11/2015 at 11:15 |
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Yeah, but it's just unfortunate that we have to so through such rigmarole to find a replacement. Hell, maybe it would be cheaper just to build new ones.
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ttyymmnn
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/11/2015 at 11:16 |
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It will be interesting to see if the replacement lasts 50 years. Not that I'll be around to see it....
user314
> ttyymmnn
03/11/2015 at 14:26 |
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But seriously, I love these posts, please keep it up.
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ttyymmnn
> user314
03/11/2015 at 14:27 |
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Thanks. I'm having lots of fun writing them, and learning a whole lot. Each one takes at least 90 minutes, though, and that's time I should be spending elsewhere. Oh well. Love that pic, btw.