I flew in one as a young "Buck" sgt. back in 72 or 73. A sister to it in front of us got up 20' or 30' then came back down quick.The crew chief ran out, grabbed two 5 gallon cans of something, poured it in and off we went. After that, I was fixated on a bolt in the floor turning clockwise, then counter clockwise. thanks for the memories. Gary
Flew in those H-34's way back when. It had a 9 piston engine and was the precursor to the Huey. They are where the phrase "give me a hus" came from. Used for many roles early in the war, a great aircraft.
Flew all my ops in 34's in 68 and 69 all over Quang Tri province and Quang Nam...at night chuck could see you coming a mile away as those pipes kicked out one hell of a flame.
I recall seeing these helicopters back in '64 as a child living on base in Camp Pendleton, CA. In fact one of them had to make an emergency landing just behind our housing area. I ran out to check the commotion. It was thrilling to see those Sikorskys flying overhead with the Marines logo on the side. Eventually, we didn't see them much anymore due to the phasing in of the UH-1 Hueys.
The jarheads were still using these when my dad was in Vietnam,in 1967. Dad told me they were loading up and a guy wheeled a big old CO2 extinguisher up to the front,opened the doors and stood there. My dad asked the crew chief what that was all about,and he told Dad that they sometimes caught a little bit on fire when the engine started. Dad got off the bird and stayed off til it started up without bursting into flames,then he got back onboard. After that he refused to get onboard til the engine was running,and the doors closed! Everybody thought it was just funny as hell,but they never tried to make dad do any different!
This brings back good memories from a bad situatuion. I flew in these old girls in 1967 & 1968 in New River North Carolina, MARINE AIR GROUP 26, & Marble Mountain & Chu Lai, MARINE AIR GROUP 16,. They were phasing them out in late 1968 & early 1969. They were slow & vunerable, a death trap if they caught fire! Makes me feel young again to see & hear one run again. I'd love to fly in one again if given the chance.
Reminds me of a RON at Andrew’s AFB. We forgot the time change in the Spring losing one Hour, we were in the coffee shop taking our time. When they paged us Will The Crews of Marine Helicopters Report Immediately to The flight Line, We had got in pretty late and they let us leave the Aircraft right in from of the Operations Building, there were three Helicopters Two Started Right away the Third Refused to kick in. Mean while the Ceremonial Troops were Falling in to greet a Big Shot. But we were in the way of everything we even sent to the Navy Side asking if they had Tow Bar for A UH-34 No Good. They were rolling out the Red Carpet When the Pilot Tried one Last Time, It Started With such a roar And the Biggest Black Cloud Of Suet I ever saw, Heading straight for the Ceremonial Troops they broke Ranks and ran out of the way as we chugged are way to the Compass. 😂🤣😇
That's exactly what my old ass sounds like waking up in the morning. 'Clug..clug..blap.. Clug..chug...clug...clug...blap... Ka-chug...putt...ka-plap..ka-plap...ka-plap..chug...chug...vroom...!!! Man! The guys who flew these things in Vietnam...hats off! What a frightening machine.
Many GI's carried in the medivac configuration, were glad is was there. Not sure but I believe these were the same model used for Mercury capsule recovery after splash down
Rode in one of those exactly once. ROTC summer camp at Ft. Lewis, Wa., 1970. For some reason when we did training with helicopters we got a flight of Hueys and one lone UH-34.
Năm 1968 tôi còn nhỏ mới tuổi ở ngay thị trấn Giồng Trôm thuộc Quận Giồng Trôm tỉnh Kiến Hòa thuộc VNCH có xem máy bay trực thăng loại này đáp tại sân đáp trực thăng ở khuôn viên Quận Giồng Trôm
In a world dominated by turbine engines, the ole piston engine Sikorsky's are still a very functional helicopter design. If new engines were available, they could still do certain jobs more efficiently than most.
Ahh, but the Brits fitted Napier Gazelle turboshaft engines in to theirs and called it the Wessex. They were still flying them in active service in to the early '90s.
this flying memorial i think now is located in Brewster WA with their other S58 fleet military H34. this should go to an other firm like Fantisy of Flight Orlampa Inc in florida to be in kermit Weeks's care or the Commerative Air Force. both have vintage wwll to vietnam planes and helicopters.
My dad was a crew chief on one of these from 64-65 he said they were junk, they overheated and had no power. They were better when they converted them to jet engines
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