Navy bids farewell to the venerable Sea King and Marines say "Thank you"

[HeyJoe]

Cdr Lassen was on the staff at Whiting (forget his position) when I went through the HTs; he would stop by the squadrons occasionally. Seemed like a really good guy.

Just another JO done good in face of adversity! Gets the medal and a ship named after him.

 

[Flying Low]

I loved flying the H-3. I got to fly 731 from SDLM in Nova Scotia to HC-2 in 2004. Then I got to fly it to the bone yard in 2006.

 

[A4sForever]

My only 'real' experience w/ the SH-3 was in P-COLA and CORONADO going through initial water survival & DWEST ... saw a LOT of 'em on cruises, but never had to dial their # ... thank God.

BUT: here's a couple of 'real' photos of our HS-"OCHO" boys earning their keep while pickin' up a couple of da' Bruddahs who had dumped into the sea in the immediate proximity of USS BOAT:

all images by A4sForever

The ONLY problem w/ our HELO-guys was they didn't wear underwear & they unzipped their zoom bags all the way down to their navels (sic) ...

 

[exhelodrvr]

The ONLY problem w/ our HELO-guys was they didn't wear underwear & they unzipped their zoom bags all the way down to their navels (sic) ...

Well, based on your " ", apparently that was a pleasant memory for you.

 

[A4sForever]

Well, based on your " ", apparently that was a pleasant memory for you.

HEY !!!! We'd been on cruise for a lo-o-o-o-o-o-o-n-n-n-g time ....

Besides ... our generation kinda' originated the phrase: what 'goes on cruise, stays on cruise' ...

To hell w/ Vegas ...

 

[dirtydog]

Great pics. Thank you.

 

[PropAddict]

Thumbnails show 53 later in her career (she later survived the ditching in photo #1).
BzB

Wait, what?

You mean they ditched her, then recovered her and got her back flying?

I think that would make it more of an "aircraft wash" than a "ditching.":icon_tong

 

[Pags]

Wait, what?

You mean they ditched her, then recovered her and got her back flying?

I think that would make it more of an "aircraft wash" than a "ditching.":icon_tong

The H-3 had a boat hull, as such it was designed to land in the water. Not a bad feature to have if you plan on ditching. You can also see the float bags it had to prevent it from rolling over as helos like to do.

 

[exhelodrvr]

The H-3 had a boat hull, as such it was designed to land in the water. Not a bad feature to have if you plan on ditching. You can also see the float bags it had to prevent it from rolling over as helos like to do.

The float bags were only in case of shutting down once you landed on the water.

It could water taxi pretty well; I watched one once water taxi about 15 miles to the beach after having a single engine failure while in a hover. (I was in one of about 4 helos circling overhead in case there was a rescue.)

They used to have water landings as part of the FRS syllabus, but stopped that after having a couple of mishaps. (Class C, I believe. No injuries.)

 

[exhelodrvr]

Wait, what?

You mean they ditched her, then recovered her and got her back flying?

I think that would make it more of an "aircraft wash" than a "ditching.":icon_tong

That happened at least three times that I remember. They tended to flip over once the rotor was shut down, but they would generally float for awhile. There was also a "horse collar" floatation device that could be attached by swimmers which would keep it floating quite a bit longer.

Our squadron got one of those (ditched, then reworked at NARF). It had been in the water (upside down) for about 6 hours. Unfortunately, salt water had gotten into one of the turnbuckles on the tail rotor cable. Replacing those was not part of the checklist for this level of rework ( I found that out when doing the JAG on the mishap); it corroded from the inside, and broke just as the helo was lifting into a hover. Luckily the crew responded quickly and correctly, (shut the engines off ASAP and hope/pray!) and no one was hurt, although the helo was damaged pretty badly.

 

[JIMC5499]

That happened at least three times that I remember. They tended to flip over once the rotor was shut down, but they would generally float for awhile. There was also a "horse collar" floatation device that could be attached by swimmers which would keep it floating quite a bit longer.

Our squadron got one of those (ditched, then reworked at NARF). It had been in the water (upside down) for about 6 hours. Unfortunately, salt water had gotten into one of the turnbuckles on the tail rotor cable. Replacing those was not part of the checklist for this level of rework ( I found that out when doing the JAG on the mishap); it corroded from the inside, and broke just as the helo was lifting into a hover. Luckily the crew responded quickly and correctly, (shut the engines off ASAP and hope/pray!) and no one was hurt, although the helo was damaged pretty badly.

Can I ask when and where this was? I was in a Sea King that did this. We were about 50 ft up when we slammed back down after losing the tail rotor.

The first pic shown here 1550 brought back some memories. She had my name painted on her as Plane Captain for a while.

 

[HeyJoe]

020709-N-6027E-004 Hickam Air Force Base, HI (Jul. 9, 2002) -- Aviation Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Dean Murphy assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Eight Five (HC-85) from Naval Air Station North Island, CA, stands beside one of two UH-3H “Sea King” helicopters assigned to HC-85 currently supporting Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2002. RIMPAC 2002 is designed to improve tactical proficiency in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while building cooperation and fostering mutual understanding between participating nations. Countries participating this year are: Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Kevin Elliott. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

021025-N-8629M-001 At sea aboard USS Milius (DDG 69) Oct. 25, 2002 -- With the flight deck crew standing by, an SH-3 “Sea King” from Helicopter Support Squadron One One (HC-11) prepares to land aboard the guided missile destoryer. Milius is part of the USS Constellation (CV 64) Battle Group, which is conducting operations in support of a Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) prior to its regularly scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

Memories of the Sea King in action

021024-N-6436W-003 Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA (Oct. 24, 2002) -- Avionics Technician Chief Petty Officer Randy Williams readies himself to repel out of a UH-3H “Sea King” helicopter to a simulated victim below, as part of a routine rescue training exercise in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael B. W. Watkins. (RELEASED)

021106-N-5862D-008 Aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola (Nov. 6, 2002) -- A crew Chief guides a lift-cable as students from the Rescue Swimmer School at NAS Pensacola are retrieved aboard an SH-3 “Sea King” helicopter. Students practice their newly learned skills through a series of practical performance tests, required to demonstrate techniques to recover downed flight crew and personnel who have fallen overboard at sea. The physically demanding course of instruction lasts four weeks, and follows after each candidate successfully completes four weeks at the Navy’s Naval Air Crewman Candidate School, which prepares them to perform duties as Navy flight crew members. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer’s Mate Chris Desmond. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

030322-O-0000X-001 File Photo of a Royal Navy Sea King Mk.2 Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Helicopter. U.S. Navy Lt. Thomas Mullen Adams was killed when two Royal Navy Sea King helicopters like the one shown, collided while taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo courtesy of Royal Navy. (RELEASED)