SIkorsky SH-3H Sea King
To replace various helicopters in service at the time, namely the SH-34 Seahorse, the US Navy awarded Sikorsky a contract to develop a helicopter that would combine several roles into one airframe: hunter/killer antisubmarine warfare, cargo transport, and search and rescue. It would also have to be capable of amphibious operations and had to be able to operate from smaller ships as well as aircraft carriers. Sikorsky’s HSS-2 Sea King was the response, and it first flew in March 1959. The HSS-2 had a distinctive “boat” hull for water landings, including flotation bags in the sponsons, good visibility from the cockpit, and a folding tail section for stowage. In the antisubmarine role, the HSS-2 was equipped with a dipping sonar unreeled from the forward hull, 21 sonobuoys, and a MAD “bird” capable of being deployed from the port sponson. In 1962, the type’s designation was changed to SH-3A.
The SH-3 would remain in US Navy service for the next 50 years. During Vietnam, it operated in plane guard duties for carriers, the first aircraft to launch and the last to recover; it also served in SAR duties from the carriers and smaller ships, flying over water and often over land to rescue downed pilots. In this role, the SH-3 is probably responsible for the rescue of more people than any other aircraft type. Dedicated SAR helicopters often were equipped with heavy or light machine guns. Other versions were converted to UH-3 utility helicopters (for vertical replenishment and light cargo duties) and VH-3 VIP transports. The latter were the last Sea Kings in US service.
The US Navy began replacing the aging SH-3 following the First Gulf War, with ASW/SAR SH-3s mostly gone from fleet service by 1997. Cargo and utility variants remained in service until 2006. Besides its service in the US armed forces, Sea Kings were heavily exported to 17 air forces, including license-built versions made by Westland (Sea Kings), United Aircraft of Canada (CH-124), Agusta (AS-61), and Mitsubishi (HSS-2); foreign variants are used both in traditional roles for the Sea King, as well as antishipping duties, troop transports, minesweeping, and even airborne early warning. It remains in service worldwide.
Though marked as the famous Bureau Number 152711--"Fetch 66," the Apollo recovery helicopter--this is actually 149711. Delivered as a SH-3A in 1962 to HS-11 ("Dragonslayers") at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island, the Atlantic Fleet SH-3 Fleet Replenishment Squadron. It would go to sea in 1966 with HS-4 ("Black Knights") aboard the USS Yorktown (CVS-10), operating in Tonkin Gulf off of North Vietnam; in 1967, it was transferred to HS-2 ("Golden Falcons") onboard USS Hornet (CVS-12), remaining aboard until 1971. 149711 would subsequently be converted to a SH-3G, operating in the cargo role with HC-7 ("Seadevils") aboard the USS Midway (CV-41) until 1972, when it was returned to shore. It would subsequently be converted to a SH-3H, then a UH-3H utility helicopter, while serving with HS-10 ("Warlords") at NAS North Island, California. 149711 was retired in 2007 and donated to the Midway Museum just across the bay.
There are three helicopters in various museums painted as 152711, but none are actually that helicopter, which sadly crashed in the early 1970s off California. The Bureau Numbers are fairly close, at least, and 149711 did actually serve with HS-4. All five Apollo recoveries are marked on the nose, behind HS-4's knight's head; these included Apollos 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13. The artwork right next to the open door is Albert the Alligator, a character from the "Pogo" comic strip, which was apparently applied only during the Apollo 13 mission. On the opposite side of the helicopter from this picture, 149711 carries the colors of HS-6 ("Indians").
I'm pretty happy to find out that this helicopter served aboard the USS Yorktown the same time my dad was assigned to the carrier. He undoubtedly controlled 149711 on patrol and rescue missions in Tonkin Gulf. Dad spent a week aboard a destroyer as a familiarization tour, and he rode a SH-3 over to it--it might've been this one. The crew lowered him to the destroyer's deck, and one of the crew told him to "Sit on the floor!" so he could be hooked up to the cable. Dad thought he said "Jump out the door!" to which Dad said something which I can't repeat in mixed company.
SIkorsky SH-3H Sea King
To replace various helicopters in service at the time, namely the SH-34 Seahorse, the US Navy awarded Sikorsky a contract to develop a helicopter that would combine several roles into one airframe: hunter/killer antisubmarine warfare, cargo transport, and search and rescue. It would also have to be capable of amphibious operations and had to be able to operate from smaller ships as well as aircraft carriers. Sikorsky’s HSS-2 Sea King was the response, and it first flew in March 1959. The HSS-2 had a distinctive “boat” hull for water landings, including flotation bags in the sponsons, good visibility from the cockpit, and a folding tail section for stowage. In the antisubmarine role, the HSS-2 was equipped with a dipping sonar unreeled from the forward hull, 21 sonobuoys, and a MAD “bird” capable of being deployed from the port sponson. In 1962, the type’s designation was changed to SH-3A.
The SH-3 would remain in US Navy service for the next 50 years. During Vietnam, it operated in plane guard duties for carriers, the first aircraft to launch and the last to recover; it also served in SAR duties from the carriers and smaller ships, flying over water and often over land to rescue downed pilots. In this role, the SH-3 is probably responsible for the rescue of more people than any other aircraft type. Dedicated SAR helicopters often were equipped with heavy or light machine guns. Other versions were converted to UH-3 utility helicopters (for vertical replenishment and light cargo duties) and VH-3 VIP transports. The latter were the last Sea Kings in US service.
The US Navy began replacing the aging SH-3 following the First Gulf War, with ASW/SAR SH-3s mostly gone from fleet service by 1997. Cargo and utility variants remained in service until 2006. Besides its service in the US armed forces, Sea Kings were heavily exported to 17 air forces, including license-built versions made by Westland (Sea Kings), United Aircraft of Canada (CH-124), Agusta (AS-61), and Mitsubishi (HSS-2); foreign variants are used both in traditional roles for the Sea King, as well as antishipping duties, troop transports, minesweeping, and even airborne early warning. It remains in service worldwide.
Though marked as the famous Bureau Number 152711--"Fetch 66," the Apollo recovery helicopter--this is actually 149711. Delivered as a SH-3A in 1962 to HS-11 ("Dragonslayers") at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island, the Atlantic Fleet SH-3 Fleet Replenishment Squadron. It would go to sea in 1966 with HS-4 ("Black Knights") aboard the USS Yorktown (CVS-10), operating in Tonkin Gulf off of North Vietnam; in 1967, it was transferred to HS-2 ("Golden Falcons") onboard USS Hornet (CVS-12), remaining aboard until 1971. 149711 would subsequently be converted to a SH-3G, operating in the cargo role with HC-7 ("Seadevils") aboard the USS Midway (CV-41) until 1972, when it was returned to shore. It would subsequently be converted to a SH-3H, then a UH-3H utility helicopter, while serving with HS-10 ("Warlords") at NAS North Island, California. 149711 was retired in 2007 and donated to the Midway Museum just across the bay.
There are three helicopters in various museums painted as 152711, but none are actually that helicopter, which sadly crashed in the early 1970s off California. The Bureau Numbers are fairly close, at least, and 149711 did actually serve with HS-4. All five Apollo recoveries are marked on the nose, behind HS-4's knight's head; these included Apollos 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13. The artwork right next to the open door is Albert the Alligator, a character from the "Pogo" comic strip, which was apparently applied only during the Apollo 13 mission. On the opposite side of the helicopter from this picture, 149711 carries the colors of HS-6 ("Indians").
I'm pretty happy to find out that this helicopter served aboard the USS Yorktown the same time my dad was assigned to the carrier. He undoubtedly controlled 149711 on patrol and rescue missions in Tonkin Gulf. Dad spent a week aboard a destroyer as a familiarization tour, and he rode a SH-3 over to it--it might've been this one. The crew lowered him to the destroyer's deck, and one of the crew told him to "Sit on the floor!" so he could be hooked up to the cable. Dad thought he said "Jump out the door!" to which Dad said something which I can't repeat in mixed company.