USN Sea King "66"

And about the 66; There’s this Belgian Gem:D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HToNZDWAWDo

Airwolf crashed as a medevac helicopter in Germany in bad weather. A replica was made a few years ago using a junked airframe and casts of off the original modified external skin pieces. Looks just like the real one! It’s now in a US museum.
While the 222B actually flew better with the Airwolf mods, Blue Thunder was a different story. The mods made it so heavy, it flew like crap. The helicopters were scrapped for parts after the movie. only a cockpit mockup survived at Disney until about 5 years ago. it was scrapped because it had deteriorated so bad, it was no longer salvageable.

I understand the Airwolf 222 was written off after becoming an aeromed machine in Germany. Not sure if the Blue Thunder Gazelles still exist, but to joe public they are probably the best known if they do.

Of course there’s always Little Nellie

Frank, ‘298 is a worthy airframe (esp after surviving her A4 attack and RPG hit…) but she’s really only known in a very small circle – “Humphrey” is arguably better known. BN/ZA718 has had the benefit of 4 DFCs, several TV programmes and even a range of T-shirts! Even more impressive, she survived me flying her for 15 years….. If TC’s 500 was ‘famous’ then Airwolf probably was too (I’m giving Blue Thunder a stiff ignoring). There are other iconic but anonymous airframes out there…which AH64 of TF Normandy fired the first shot in GW1 for example? Which was the last UH-1 off the US Embassy roof in Saigon? Though that one is probably at the bottom of the ocean…It may well be a while before we see a OBL raid Blackhawk preserved!!!

Or, for that matter, Sea King HC 4 ZA298, “King of The Junglies”?

Regards,
Frank

Iconic helicopter ID?
How about G-LYNX…….the world speed record Lynx helicopter.

[QUOTE=J , “T.C’s” Hughes 500 was “played ” by several different airframes over the years. [/QUOTE]

Roger, thanks- I was aware of that, was just trying to ID a helo that a wide part of the public would recognize, even if it was not the exact airframe. Still a cool paint job.

…or T.C.’s Hughes 500 from the Magnum P.I. TV show- every spotter of a certain age would know that bird. Even the MASH TV helicopters or Marine One are easily identifiable, but not by side number. Not to say there are not some very historical helo’s out there…

Just to make it clear, “T.C’s” Hughes 500 was “played ” by several different airframes over the years. One was wrecked years ago during an external load mission in Hawaii. Likewise, the MASH H-13s…which at various times played by a mix of Bell 47D-1s, and Gs (and IIRC, even a “J” in the film).

Yes, it’s a pity that “66” wasn’t preserved, but like Chinook BN, it still had a job to do.

Thank you

Good link, thanks for posting. Interesting thesis in the article, that there are really no individual iconic helicopters the public can identify (they can identify type’s like the huey, yes, but not an individual airframe). Seems to be fairly true- no Memphis Belle, Flak Bait, Enola Gay, Vulcan 607, SAM 26000, Spuce Goose, etc….. A potential candidate could be the “Bravo November” Chinook of Falklands fame and still going strong, but perhaps not known much outside of enthusiasts circles or outside the U.K., or T.C.’s Hughes 500 from the Magnum P.I. TV show- every spotter of a certain age would know that bird. Even the MASH TV helicopters or Marine One are easily identifiable, but not by side number. Not to say there are not some very historical helo’s out there- just none that are instantly recognizable by side number or nick name.

Another link on 66: http://www.check-six.com/Crash_Sites/Helo-66.htm