Thread started by Austin
Austin K
owns this item
owns this item
13 August 2012, 14:23
Bill Gilman
My brother flew these in Vietnam. He got shot up but never got shot down.
I can tell you some things: The fuselage windows were almost always removed when they were flying. They come out from the inside and are stored on the inside fuselage walls.
Also, they leaked hydraulic fluid like crazy. There was even a manual written that told you how much of a leak was acceptable, and from which areas it could leak. When the chopper was parked, there were many graduated receptacles underneath catching the hydraulic fluid.
My brother had to go up to Haiphong harbour once and pick up a guy whose life vest didn't inflate. The guy broke one of his legs during the ejection from his F-4. The poor guy was treading water with a broken leg and no life vest! He was quite happy to be lifted into the chopper.
My brother flew these in Vietnam. He got shot up but never got shot down.
I can tell you some things: The fuselage windows were almost always removed when they were flying. They come out from the inside and are stored on the inside fuselage walls.
Also, they leaked hydraulic fluid like crazy. There was even a manual written that told you how much of a leak was acceptable, and from which areas it could leak. When the chopper was parked, there were many graduated receptacles underneath catching the hydraulic fluid.
My brother had to go up to Haiphong harbour once and pick up a guy whose life vest didn't inflate. The guy broke one of his legs during the ejection from his F-4. The poor guy was treading water with a broken leg and no life vest! He was quite happy to be lifted into the chopper.
13 August 2012, 14:54
Austin K
Interesting! This is still in the research phase, so any other little tid bits would be greatly appreciated...
I've always liked the look of them, this'll be my second build (first was ODS), and I'm gonna be doing it in a SEA camo (although all black with red markings looks pretty spiffy too)
Interesting! This is still in the research phase, so any other little tid bits would be greatly appreciated...
I've always liked the look of them, this'll be my second build (first was ODS), and I'm gonna be doing it in a SEA camo (although all black with red markings looks pretty spiffy too)
13 August 2012, 15:08
Charles Jones
I built about 3 of these when I was a kid, never quite got the paint right. Looks like I'm going to have to find one more and use an airbrush this time.
Bill, what you said about the hydraulic leaks is true even SH-3A's in HC-9 leaked so bad that it darkened the green paint to almost black. I also remember the ANG unit at NAS Moffet with the drip pans everywhere.
Austin, the birds at Moffet were painted in the Euro 1 scheme, this was back in the mid to late 80's, with subdued markings and stenciling.
I built about 3 of these when I was a kid, never quite got the paint right. Looks like I'm going to have to find one more and use an airbrush this time.
Bill, what you said about the hydraulic leaks is true even SH-3A's in HC-9 leaked so bad that it darkened the green paint to almost black. I also remember the ANG unit at NAS Moffet with the drip pans everywhere.
Austin, the birds at Moffet were painted in the Euro 1 scheme, this was back in the mid to late 80's, with subdued markings and stenciling.
13 August 2012, 22:32
Fred Zayas
I was with the 41st ARRS out of McClellan AFB, Sacramento, Ca. I was a loadmaster in the HC-130 Hercules. We used to refuel HH-3s from Moffett field to help em keep up their refueling currency. Our squadron commander in 82 was Lt. Col. James McArdal Jr. .He won the Mackay trophy for a rescue performed with an HH-3 in 1979. He and his crew saved 28 Taiwanese sailors.
I was with the 41st ARRS out of McClellan AFB, Sacramento, Ca. I was a loadmaster in the HC-130 Hercules. We used to refuel HH-3s from Moffett field to help em keep up their refueling currency. Our squadron commander in 82 was Lt. Col. James McArdal Jr. .He won the Mackay trophy for a rescue performed with an HH-3 in 1979. He and his crew saved 28 Taiwanese sailors.
13 August 2012, 22:48