Helicopter: Kaman HH-43 Huskie

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Engineman1960

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Didn’t want to highjack another thread -- So I started this one.

My father retired from the USAF in 1973; his last duty station (where he ultimately retired from) was MacDill AFB; Tampa, Florida. when you entered the Air Base by vehicle or by bicycle, you passed or went near the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron hanger. In 1970 they had the HH43 Huskie. You could watch them from the road.

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/V...s/Display/Article/196061/kaman-hh-43b-huskie/

https://pimaair.org/museum-aircraft/kaman-hh-43f/

The helicopter had a device that they would sling load (the load attached with cables called a sling, would be moved with a hook on the bottom of the helicopter). I later found out that this was a fire suppression kit.

https://dodfirenews.blogspot.com/p/kaman-hh-43b-huskie.html

Left a lasting impression on me !!!!

One day the UH-1N Twin Pack Huey showed up.

Brings back a lot of memories when I see one on display.
 
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druryj

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Man, I never saw one of these in person but it sure would make for a neat parachute jump out of that back end. Kinda insect-looking little thing huh?
 

Fyrtwuck

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The Huskie was a Firefighting Classic. Some of the guys I worked with when I went into the AF in the seventies had been crew members. They said it was good duty and hated to see it retired.




 
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Engineman1960

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The movie has Pitts in a Huey but it was an HH43-B helo-twin rotors the day of his mission. This was an odd duck helicopter in that when the rotors were turning the aircraft had to be either entered at the front or rear going under the jet exhaust. The reason entering from front or rear was that often the blades would be at knee-high level on the sides. I flew on these things from 1968-1972 and the AF got rid of them due to high maintenance. They gave them to Spain. Further, flight was restricted in the rain due to canvas covering on the blades separating and in high heat lift was sorely restricted. The 43 had a 600 Ft rescue cable and a power charge that would sever the cable if the aircraft was taking ground fire or the jungle penetrator became entangled and then the AC or CP would hit the red button and sever the cable with the loser of whatever was on the cable. They were restricted in range in that they couldn't carry much fuel she 55 drums with fuel were strategically placed certain areas and they'd land, pump the fuel into the 43 and off they'd go back to base. But in 1972, Air Rescue transitioned to the Huey helicopter. Sadly, not many are left that remember the 43's.

I saw this post that’s why I started this thread !!!
 

druryj

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With that bigass exhaust pipe I'm amazed that they even needed a fire suppression unit. They could just back into a fire, throttle up and blow it out!

You know, I took another look at that thing after reading this and on second thought, I'd rather not jump out of the back of one of them...that exhaust might just melt your canopy into a ball of molten panels and paracord, swirling in the wind as you plummet to the ground. No thanks; my PLF technique was marginal at best, on a good day under a good canopy. I don't think I'd like to try to execute one at near terminal velocity.
 

Snattlerake

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I had a very good friend that graduated Ft Rucker in 1974 when they withdrew from Nam. He was training to go over there. He always told me a helicopter is defined as a loose assemblage of aeronautical parts all moving in the same general direction beating the air into submission.
 

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