January 28, 2006
THIS IS FOR THE NAVAL AVIATION JUNKIES
The Navy's last two H-3 Sea Kings made their final flight yesterday over Norfolk before heading out to the "bone yard" in the Arizona desert. Know to generations of sailors, the H-3 was a big, reliable utility helicopter that performed a number of roles, including search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare. The sound of its engines always remind me of the pools on the naval air station where I worked as a teenager. I was lucky enough to be on the interstate when the pair made a wide slow turn over downtown yesterday morning on their way to Chambers Field.
Posted by LMC at January 28, 2006 09:07 AM | TrackBackWhat a shame. The H-60 just doesn't have the same feeling for me as the H-3.
Posted by: MCPO Airdale at January 29, 2006 12:33 PMMaster Chief, my older brother would agree with you. He flew H-3s for his first six or seven years in the service, including search and rescue during Gulf War I. They were not without their quirks and he occasionally referred to them as "Sea Pigs." His favorite H-3 story was an H-3 crew on one of the earlier Nimitz-class carriers rigged a tailhook and made the first arrested landing shortly after the carrier was commissioned, beating out the CAG, who was not amused by the stunt.
Posted by: LMC at January 29, 2006 02:49 PM
Image courtesy of the lovely and talented 