The Sikorsky Sea King was developed for the U.S. Navy in the late 1950s and introduced into service in 1961. The chopper was designed as an anti-submarine amphibious helicopter and it also serves in various roles with the Navy, including duty as one of the official helicopters of the President of the United States.
My fondness for the Sea King stems from its work recovering astronauts during the Apollo missions (see photo from Apollo 10 below). The enduring design is still relevant today as it was fifty years ago.
Great post, best in a while.
Not too retro: Canada still flies the ones it bought in 1963.
yeah I agree with Pat, pretty cool ass article mike
With the Royal Canadian Navy, fly the Sea King your granddad flew.
Love the Apollo shot
Yep, Those Sea Kings are classics. But of course I will always be partial to the venerable UH1 “Huey”… http://photos.imageevent.com/rockinjwranch/thefamily/websize/UH1N%20USMC.jpg
Here in Flanders we still use them…
Good enough for Jack Ryan, good enough for me. I think he jumped out of one in “Red October”.
Great post! Check out the awesome “Onboard-Marine One” documentary available on YouTube for lots of helo-porn.
very handsome post. thank you.
Looks nice from afar. They have more time in maintenance than in the air though. The
The American military and its technology always marvels.
Check out Sikorsky’s latest.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/the-fastest-helicopter-on-earth/?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=090210
I’ve had the opportunity to actually get on HMX-1 (“Marine One”) here at my job and it is heart-achingly beautiful, and lovingly maintained. It travels with its own maintenance crew of several Marines. Been in the Aviation business for over twenty years now, and HMX-1 and the Lockheed Constellation were easily the two coolest pieces of equipment I’ve ever boarded. Nice post.