Sikorsky VH-3A 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 and the Third World War, 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 and VH-3 VIP transports. The latter are 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 AEW. It remains in service worldwide.
Bureau Number 150611 was built specifically for the VIP role, as a VH-3A, and would enter service with HMX-1 at MCAS Quantico, Virginia, though it often flew out of Andrews AFB, Maryland when transporting the President. The first President it would serve would be John F. Kennedy; 150611 would go on to fly Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon (though it is not the helicopter Nixon would give his famous "V for Victory" photograph in front of), Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter. Crews were not always Marines, though the helicopter belonged to the Marine Corps; occasionally, Army crews would fly 150611 as well. It would either use the callsign Marine One or Army One.
The VH-3As were retired from Presidential transport duties in the late 1970s in favor of newer VH-3Ds; what happened to 150611 afterwards is unknown--it may have been returned to the US Navy and used as a UH-3A cargo helicopter, as some of the former VH-3s were. Eventually, it was retired and donated to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, though it was out of VIP service by the time Reagan became President in 1980.
All the same, 150611 has been exquisitely restored in the high-gloss dark green and white colors used by HMX-1 helicopters, complete with Marine guard mannequin at the door. The public can go inside, and even get their picture taken at the door.
Sikorsky VH-3A 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 and the Third World War, 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 and VH-3 VIP transports. The latter are 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 AEW. It remains in service worldwide.
Bureau Number 150611 was built specifically for the VIP role, as a VH-3A, and would enter service with HMX-1 at MCAS Quantico, Virginia, though it often flew out of Andrews AFB, Maryland when transporting the President. The first President it would serve would be John F. Kennedy; 150611 would go on to fly Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon (though it is not the helicopter Nixon would give his famous "V for Victory" photograph in front of), Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter. Crews were not always Marines, though the helicopter belonged to the Marine Corps; occasionally, Army crews would fly 150611 as well. It would either use the callsign Marine One or Army One.
The VH-3As were retired from Presidential transport duties in the late 1970s in favor of newer VH-3Ds; what happened to 150611 afterwards is unknown--it may have been returned to the US Navy and used as a UH-3A cargo helicopter, as some of the former VH-3s were. Eventually, it was retired and donated to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, though it was out of VIP service by the time Reagan became President in 1980.
All the same, 150611 has been exquisitely restored in the high-gloss dark green and white colors used by HMX-1 helicopters, complete with Marine guard mannequin at the door. The public can go inside, and even get their picture taken at the door.