The last 53D I flew was out of Lash Kar Gah in 12-13 I think. Crew was outta Hawaii I believe and we’re some squared away dudes but them poor bastards looked like beggars with all the hydraulic fluid that dripped from it. I even looked like I’d flown 10K miles just riding after an hour flight.
Good memories.
All the CH53D's final days were in Hawaii. Hydraulic Fluid is a good thing! Not bad for 40 years of service.The CH53K is a thing of Beauty and a Beast of a machine. Full Glass Cockpit, Fly by Wire, No engine or transmission limitations. Wider cabin and narrower footprint.
I saw an E variant grab a small dozer in East Timor. Took a couple of tries since the mud was making a little suction to the tracks. They moved it a few feet and the 53 made off with it. It was a cool sight though. The pilot was the MEU XO who flew for awhile with the 160th and was rumored to have the most hours in a 53 as any pilot at the time. Great dude.
Who was he? A dozer is a breeze for a CH53E, They had to lift it easy so they could control the load. If they just snatched it out it would be swinging everywhere.
LtCol Fitzgerald maybe? I’ll dig around and check my float book. 13th MEU XO 2002... it’ll come to me though.
Yeah, he always said the Echo had more power than the frame could take. I believe it.
It's not the airframe that can't take it. It is engines and transmission that are limited. Not going to be so on the Kilo! I don't know Fitzgerald.
