My favorite helicopter is the SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk Not because of it's firepower, but because of it's role. While deployed this type of helicopter would bring supplies on board the ship for the crew I served with, and was used to rescue pilots when their F-16 went into the water. It was a real workhorse, not to mention it would bring in the ships mail. Now, we all now how important that is.. Oh, post pics of the helicopters you served on or with.
__________________ You only have the right's your willing to fight for......
My Navy Frigate (USS Ainsworth, FF1090) embarked the Kaman SH2F Seasprite ASW helicopter in the early 80's.
From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SH-2_Seasprite
The Kaman SH-2 Seasprite is a ship-based helicopter with anti-submarine, anti-surface threat capability, including over-the-horizon targeting. This aircraft extends and increases shipboard sensor and weapon capabilities against several types of enemy threats, including submarines of all types, surface ships, and patrol craft that may be armed with anti-ship missiles. It was developed for the United States Navy beginning in the late 1950s.
We would embark one during a two-week training cruise, and for our 6-month deployment. The Seasprite would range out from the ship, using it's 'dipping sonar' to listen for hostile subs. It carried sonabuoys that can be dropped in the water in a wide pattern to listen too. Once located, the sub is attacked by Mk. 46 light-weight homing torpedo, or the ship can fire an ASROC rocket-propelled torpedo, that parachutes into the sea, detaches and begins circling to find the target.
I often served as 'telephone talker' on the bridge during 'helo ops', relaying info between the Captain or Officer of the Deck, and the Helo Ops Officer back in his little tower above the hangar.
We would also get supplies lowered onto our flightdeck by the big H46 Sea Stallion cargo helos. They could not land on us though - we were too small.
There is still a Seasprite in service, the SH2G Super Seasprite.
The SH-60's tail can be folded, thought this was cool. This is the reason why it can be held in the bay of a Frigate. Thanks for the response, I enjoyed the reading and memories it brought to me.
__________________ You only have the right's your willing to fight for......
I don't know what the military designation is for the Hughes 500, but I met a guy once that said he flew those in 'Nam as observation choppers and was shot down seven(!) times in them! I have no reason to doubt the man, he was another telecom tech from a different company visiting in my office.
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I child-proofed my house, but they still keep getting in!
The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500 originated as the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach. The series currently includes the MD 500E, MD 520N, and MD 530F. Stole this off the internet, any-one know if this is right?
__________________ You only have the right's your willing to fight for......
I would have to say the Marine CH-53D Super Stallion and the Marine CH-46E Sea Knight. Those were the helos that I flew in during my deployment in Iraq. I was usually in one of them every few days transiting between Camp Ramadi, Camp Fallujah, Taqaddum, and Al-Asad. We always flew in at least pairs under escort by a Marine AH-1W Super Cobra. I did fly in Army UH-60 Blackhawks a couple of times, but I flew in the bigger machines more times than I could count.
ok so i dont mean to offend any of the pilots out as being one my self, but with the carrier paths im taking i will be making the next UAV's and putting more pilots out of business so my pick for my fav heli has to be the A-160 Humming Bird currently used by the SOCOM, theirs a static display of the original wind tunnel model from boeing in our Engineering Building on our College Campus.
