CH-46E Sea Knight
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The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem-rotor
transport helicopter A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to maintaining supply l ...
powered by twin turboshaft engines. It was designed by
Vertol Piasecki Helicopter Corporation was a designer and manufacturer of helicopters located in Philadelphia and nearby Morton, Pennsylvania, in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Its founder, Frank Piasecki, was ousted from the company in 1956 and start ...
and manufactured by
Boeing Vertol Boeing Rotorcraft Systems (formerly Boeing Helicopters and before that Boeing Vertol) is the former name of an American aircraft manufacturer, now known as Vertical Lift division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The headquarters and main r ...
following Vertol's acquisition by Boeing. Development of the Sea Knight, which was originally designated by the firm as the Vertol Model 107, commenced during 1956. It was envisioned as a successor to the first generation of rotorcraft, such as the H-21 "Flying Banana", that had been powered by
piston engines A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is typically a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common featu ...
; in its place, the V-107 made use of the emergent turboshaft engine. On 22 April 1958, the V-107 prototype performed its maiden flight. During June 1958, the US Army awarded a contract for the construction of ten production-standard aircraft, designated as the YHC-1A, based on the V-107; this initial order was later cut down to three YHC-1As though. During 1961, the US Marine Corps (USMC), which had been studying its requirements for a medium-lift, twin-turbine cargo/troop assault helicopter, selected Boeing Vertol's Model 107M as the basis from which to manufacture a suitable rotorcraft to meet their needs. Known colloquially as the "Phrog" and formally as the "Sea Knight", it was operated across all US Marine Corps' operational environments between its introduction during the Vietnam War and its frontline retirement during 2014. The Sea Knight was operated by the USMC to provide all-weather, day-or-night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment until it was replaced by the MV-22 Osprey during the 2010s. The USMC also used the helicopter for combat support,
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
(SAR), casualty evacuation and Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP). The Sea Knight also functioned as the US Navy's standard medium-lift utility helicopter prior to the type being phased out of service in favor of the MH-60S Knighthawk during the early 2000s. Several overseas operators acquired the rotorcraft as well. Canada operated the Sea Knight, designated as CH-113; the type was used predominantly in the SAR role until 2004. Other export customers for the type included
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
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, and Saudi Arabia. The commercial version of the rotorcraft is the BV 107-II, commonly referred to simply as the "Vertol".


Development


Origins

During the 1940s and 1950s, American rotorcraft manufacturer Piasecki Helicopter emerged as a pioneering developer of tandem-rotor helicopters; perhaps the most famous of these being the piston-powered H-21 "Flying Banana", an early utility and transport helicopter. During 1955, Piasecki was officially renamed as Vertol Corporation (standing for vertical take-off and landing); it was around this time that work commenced on the development of a new generation of tandem rotor helicopter. During 1956, the new design received the internal company designation of ''Vertol Model 107'', or simply ''V-107''; this rotorcraft differed from its predecessors by harnessing the newly developed turboshaft engine instead of piston-based counterparts. During that year, construction of a prototype, powered by a pair of Lycoming T53 turboshaft engines, each one being capable of producing 877 shp (640 kW), commenced.Apostolo, Giorgio. "Boeing Vertol Model 107". ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters''. New York: Bonanza Books. 1984. . On 22 April 1958, the V-107 prototype performed its maiden flight. In order to garner publicity for the newly developed rotorcraft, it was decided to use the prototype to conduct a series of publicised flight demonstrations during a tour across the United States and several overseas nations. During June 1958, it was announced that the U.S. Army had awarded a contract to Vertol for the construction of ten production-standard aircraft based on the V-107, which were designated ''YHC-1A''.Spenser, Jay P. ''Whirlybirds, A History of the U.S. Helicopter Pioneers''. University of Washington Press, 1998. However, this order was later decreased to three helicopters; according to aviation author Jay P. Spenser, the cutback had been enacted in order that the U.S. Army would be able to divert funds for the development of the rival ''V-114'' helicopter, which was also a turbine-powered tandem rotor design but substantially larger than the V-107. All of the U.S. Army's three YHC-1As were powered by pairs of GE-T-58 engines. During August 1959, the first YHC-1A-model rotorcraft conducted its first flight; independently, it was shortly followed by the maiden flight of an improved model intended for the commercial and export markets, designated ''107-II''.CH-46 history page
. U.S. Navy, 16 November 2000.
During 1960, the
U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through comb ...
evolved a requirement for a medium-lift, twin-turbine troop/cargo assault helicopter to replace the various piston-engined types that were then in widespread use with the service."Tandem Twosome", ''Vertical Magazine'', February–March 2007. That same year, American aviation company Boeing acquired Vertol, after which the group was consequently renamed
Boeing Vertol Boeing Rotorcraft Systems (formerly Boeing Helicopters and before that Boeing Vertol) is the former name of an American aircraft manufacturer, now known as Vertical Lift division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The headquarters and main r ...
. Following a competition between several competing designs, during early 1961, it was announced that Boeing Vertol had been selected to manufacture its model 107M for the U.S. Marine Corps, where it was designated ''HRB-1''. During 1962, the U.S. Air Force placed its own order for 12 ''XCH-46B Sea Knight'' helicopters, which used the ''XH-49A'' designation; however, the service later decided to cancel the order due to delays in its delivery; instead, the U.S. Air Force opted to procure the rival Sikorsky S-61R in its place. Following the Sea Knight's first flight in August 1962, the military designation was changed to ''CH-46A''. During November 1964, the introduction of the Marines' CH-46A and the Navy's UH-46As commenced. The UH-46A variant was a modified version of the rotorcraft to perform the vertical replenishment mission. The CH-46A was equipped with a pair of T58-GE8-8B turboshaft engines, each being rated at 1,250 shp (930 kW); these allowed the Sea Knight to carry up to 17 passengers or a maximum of 4,000 pounds (1,815 kg) of cargo.


Further developments

During 1966, production of the improved ''CH-46D'' commenced with deliveries following shortly thereafter. This model featured various improvements, including modified rotor blades and the adoption of more powerful T58-GE-10 turboshaft engines, rated at each. The increased power of these new engines allowed the CH-46D to carry an increased payload, such as up to 25 troops or a maximum of of cargo. During late 1967, the improved model was introduced to the Vietnam theater, where it supplemented the U.S. Marine Corps' existing CH-46A fleet, which had proven to be relatively unreliable and problematic in service. Along with the USMC's CH-46Ds, the U.S. Navy also acquired a small number of UH-46Ds for ship resupply purposes.Eden, Paul, ed. "Boeing-Vertol H-46 Sea Knight", ''Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft''. Amber Books, 2004. . In addition, approximately 33 CH-46As were progressively re-manufactured to the CH-46D standard. Between 1968 and 1971, the U.S. Marine Corps received a number of CH-46F standard rotorcraft. This model retained the T58-GE-10 engines used on the CH-46D while featuring revised avionics and featured a number of other modifications. The CH-46F was the final production model of the type. During its service life, the Sea Knight received a variety of upgrades and modifications. Over time, the majority of the U.S. Marine Corps' Sea Knights were upgraded to the improved CH-46E standard. This model featured fiberglass rotor blades, reinforcement measures throughout the airframe, along with the refitting of further uprated T58-GE-16 engines, capable of producing each; in addition, several CH-46Es were modified to double their maximum fuel capacity. Starting in the mid-1990s, the Dynamic Component Upgrade (DCU) programmes was enacted, focusing on the implementation of strengthened drive systems and modified rotor controls. The commercial variant, the ''BV 107-II'', was first ordered by New York Airways during 1960. During July 1962, they took delivery of their first three aircraft, which was configured to seat up to 25 passengers. During 1965, Boeing Vertol sold the manufacturing rights of the 107 to Japanese
conglomerate Conglomerate or conglomeration may refer to: * Conglomerate (company) * Conglomerate (geology) * Conglomerate (mathematics) In popular culture: * The Conglomerate (American group), a production crew and musical group founded by Busta Rhymes ** Co ...
Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Under this arrangement, all Model 107 civilian and military aircraft built in Japan were referred to by the ''KV 107'' designation. On 15 December 2006,
Columbia Helicopters, Inc Columbia Helicopters, Incorporated (CHI) is an aircraft manufacturing and operator company based in Aurora, Oregon, United States. It is known for operating tandem rotor helicopters; in present times, exclusively the Boeing Vertol 107 and Boeing ...
acquired the type certificate for the BV 107-II; at the time, the company was reportedly in the process of acquiring a Production Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Plans for actual production of the aircraft were not announced.


Design

The ''Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight'' is a medium-lift tandem-rotor
transport helicopter A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to maintaining supply l ...
, furnished with a set of counter-rotating main rotors in a tandem-rotor configuration. It was typically powered by a pair of General Electric T58 turboshaft engines, which were mounted on each side of the rear rotor pedestal; power to the forward rotor was transferred from the rear-mounted engines via a
drive shaft A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft (Australian English), propeller shaft (prop shaft), or Cardan shaft (after Girolamo Cardano) is a component for transmitting mechanical power (physics), power and torque and rotation, usually ...
. For redundancy, both engines are coupled so that either one would be capable of powering both of the main rotors in the event of a single engine failure or a similar emergency situation. Each of the rotors feature three blades, which can be folded to better facilitate storage and naval operations."Boeing Sea Knight"
Vectorsite.net, 1 August 2011.
The CH-46 features a fixed tricycle landing gear, complete with twin wheels on all three legs of the landing gear; this configuration results in a nose-up stance, helping to facilitate cargo loading and unloading. Two of the main landing gear were installed within protruding rear sponsons; the free interior space of the sponsons are also used to house fuel tanks, possessing a total capacity of 350 US gallons (1,438 L). The interior of the CH-46 was largely taken up by its cargo bay, complete with a rear loading ramp that could be removed or left open in flight for the carriage of extended cargoes or for parachute drops. Various furnishings were normally provided to aid in its use as a utility rotorcraft, such as an internal winch mounted within the forward cabin, which can be used to assisting loading by pulling external cargo on
pallet A pallet (also called a skid) is a flat transport structure, which supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, a pallet jack, a front loader, a jacking device, or an erect crane. A pallet is the structural foundat ...
s into the aircraft via the ramp and rollers, and an optionally-attached belly-mounted cargo hook, which would be usually rated at for carrying cargoes externally underneath the Sea Knight; despite the hook having been rated at , this was safety restricted to less payload as they got older. When operated in a typical configuration, the CH-46 would usually be operated by a crew of three; a larger crew could be accommodated when required, which would be dependent upon mission specifics. For example, a
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
(SAR) variant would usually carry a crew of five (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Crew Chief, Swimmer, and Medic) to facilitate all aspects of such operations. For self-defense, a
pintle A pintle is a pin or bolt, usually inserted into a gudgeon, which is used as part of a pivot or hinge. Other applications include pintle and lunette ring for towing, and pintle pins securing casters in furniture. Use Pintle/gudgeon sets have ma ...
-mounted 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine gun could be mounted on each side of the helicopter. Service in southeast Asia resulted in the addition of armor along with the machine guns.


Operational history


United States

Known colloquially as the "Phrog", the Sea Knight was used in all U.S. Marine operational environments between its introduction during the Vietnam War and its frontline retirement in 2014. The type's longevity and reputation for reliability led to mantras such as "phrogs phorever" and "never trust a helicopter under 30". CH-46s transported personnel, evacuated wounded, supplied forward arming and refueling points (FARP), performed vertical replenishment, search and rescue, recovered downed aircraft and crews and other tasks.


Vietnam War

During the Vietnam War, the CH-46 was one of the prime US Marine troop transport helicopters in the theater, slotting between the smaller
Bell UH-1 Iroquois The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helic ...
and larger Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion. CH-46 operations were plagued by major technical problems; the engines, being prone to foreign object damage (FOD) from debris being ingested when hovering close to the ground and subsequently suffering a compressor stall, had a lifespan as low as 85 flight hours; on 21 July 1966, all CH-46s were grounded until more efficient filters had been fitted. On 3 May 1967, a CH-46D at
Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana Marine Corps Air Station Tustin (IATA: NTK, ICAO: KNTK, FAA LID: NTK) is a former United States Navy and United States Marine Corps air station, located in Tustin, California. History The Air Station was established in 1942 by the Uni ...
crashed, killing all four members of the crew. Within three days the accident investigators had determined that the mounting brackets of the main transmission had failed, allowing the front and rear overlapping rotors to intermesh. All CH-46s were temporarily grounded for inspection. On 13 May, a CH-46A crashed off the coast of Vietnam when the tail pylon containing the engines, main transmission and aft rotors broke off in flight. All four crew members were killed. On 20 June, another CH-46A crashed, though two of the four-man crew survived. Once again, even though the aircraft was not recovered from the water, failure of some sort in the rear pylon was suspected. On 30 June a CH-46D at Santa Ana crashed when a rotor blade separated from the aircraft, all three of the crew survived. As a result of this latest accident, all CH-46Ds were immediately grounded, but the CH-46As continued flying. On 3 July another CH-46A crashed in Vietnam, killing all four Marines of its crew. The cause of the crash again was traced to failure of the main transmission. On 31 August 1967, a CH-46A on a medical evacuation mission to disintegrated in midair killing all its occupants. The following day another CH-46A experienced a similar incident at Marble Mountain Air Facility leading to the type being grounded for all except emergency situations and cutting Marine airlift capacity in half. An investigation conducted by a joint Naval Air Systems Command/Boeing Vertol accident investigation team revealed that structural failures were occurring in the area of the rear pylon resulting in the rear rotor tearing off in flight and may have been the cause of several earlier losses. The team recommended structural and systems modifications to reinforce the rear rotor mount as well as installation of an indicator to detect excessive strain on critical parts of the aircraft. 80 CH-46As were shipped to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa where they received the necessary modifications by a combined force of Marine and Boeing Vertol personnel. The modified CH-46As began returning to service in December 1967 and all had been returned to service by February 1968. During the 1972 Easter Offensive, Sea Knights saw heavy use to convey US and
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
ese ground forces to and around the front lines. By the end of US military operations in Vietnam, over a hundred Sea Knights had been lost to enemy fire.


Post-Vietnam

In February 1968 the Marine Corps Development and Education Command obtained several CH-46s to perform herbicide dissemination tests using HIDAL (Helicopter, Insecticide Dispersal Apparatus, Liquid) systems; testing indicated the need for redesign and further study. Tandem-rotor helicopters were often used to transport nuclear warheads; the CH-46A was evaluated to deploy Naval
Special Forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
with the Special Atomic Demolition Munition (SADM). Nuclear Weapon Accident Exercise 1983 (NUWAX-83), simulating the crash of a Navy CH-46E carrying 3 nuclear warheads, was conducted at the Nevada Test Site on behalf of several federal agencies; the exercise, which used real radiological agents, was depicted in a
Defense Nuclear Agency The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense (DoD) for countering weapons of mass destruction (WMD; chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high explosives). Accord ...
-produced documentary. U.S. Marine CH-46s were used to deploy the
8th Marine Regiment The 8th Marine Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. When last active, it was based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and fell under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Exped ...
into
Grenada Grenada ( ; Grenadian Creole French: ) is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Pe ...
during
Operation Urgent Fury The United States invasion of Grenada began at dawn on 25 October 1983. The United States and a coalition of six Caribbean nations invaded the island nation of Grenada, north of Venezuela. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, ...
, evacuated the surviving crewmember of a downed AH-1 Cobra, and then carried infantry from the
75th Ranger Regiment The 75th Ranger Regiment, also known as Army Rangers, is the U.S. Army's premier light infantry unit and special operations force within the United States Army Special Operations Command. The regiment is headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgi ...
to secure and evacuate U.S. students at the Grand Anse campus of
St. George's University St. George's University is a private medical school and international university in Grenada, West Indies, offering degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, the health sciences, nursing, arts and sciences, and business. St. Geo ...
, though one crashed after colliding with a palm tree. CH-46E Sea Knights were also used by the U.S. Marine Corps during the
2003 invasion of Iraq The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one month, including 26 ...
. In one incident on 1 April 2003, Marine CH-46Es and CH-53Es carried U.S. Army Rangers and Special Operations troops on an extraction mission for captured Army Private Jessica Lynch from an Iraqi hospital. During the subsequent occupation of Iraq and counter-insurgency operations, the CH-46E was heavily used in the CASEVAC role, being required to maintain 24/7 availability regardless of conditions. According to authors Williamson Murray and Robert H Scales, the Sea Knight displayed serious reliability and maintenance problems during its deployment to Iraq, as well as "limited lift capabilities". Following the loss of numerous US helicopters in the Iraqi theatre, the Marines opted to equip their CH-46s with more advanced anti-missile countermeasures. The U.S. Navy retired the type on 24 September 2004, replacing it with the MH-60S Seahawk; the Marine Corps maintained its fleet as the MV-22 Osprey was fielded. In March 2006 Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 (HMM-263) was deactivated and redesignated VMM-263 to serve as the first MV-22 squadron. The replacement process continued through the other medium helicopter squadrons into 2014. On 5 October 2014, the Sea Knight performed its final service flight with the U.S. Marine Corps at
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Miramar and Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the av ...
.
HMM-364 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 (VMM-364) is a United States Marine Corps medium-lift tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Ospreys. The squadron, known as the "Purple Foxes", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Californi ...
was the last squadron to use it outside the United States, landing it aboard on her maiden transit. On 9 April 2015, the CH-46 was retired by the
Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron 164 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164 (VMM-164), is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron operating the MV-22B Osprey. Known as the ''Knightriders'', they fall under the command Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircr ...
, the last Marine Corps squadron to transition to the MV-22. The USMC retired the CH-46 on 1 August 2015 in a ceremony at the Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington DC. Beginning in April 2011 the Navy's Fleet Readiness Center East began refurbishing retired USMC CH-46Es for service with the United States Department of State
Air Wing In military aviation, a wing is a unit of command. In most military aviation services, a wing is a relatively large formation of planes. In Commonwealth countries a wing usually comprises three squadrons, with several wings forming a group ( ...
. A number of CH-46s from
HMX-1 Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the president and vice president of the United States, heads of state, Department of Defense officials, and other VIPs ...
were transferred to the Air Wing in late 2014. In Afghanistan the CH-46s were used by Embassy Air for secure transport of State Department personnel. The CH-46s were equipped with missile warning sensors and flare dispensers and could be armed with M240D or M2 Browning machine guns. A report in September 2019 by the State Department Inspector General found that a seat on a CH-46 for a seven-minute flight cost US$1,500. Seven of the CH-46s were rendered unusable and abandoned at
Kabul Airport , nativename-r = , image = Flightline at Kabul International Airport.jpeg , caption = The flightline at Kabul International Airport in January 2012 , IATA = KBL , ICAO = OAKB , ...
following the
2021 evacuation from Afghanistan Large-scale evacuations of foreign citizens and some vulnerable Afghan citizens took place amid the withdrawal of US and NATO forces during the final days of the war in Afghanistan and the Taliban offensive in Afghanistan in 2021. After the ...
.


Canada

The Royal Canadian Air Force procured six CH-113 Labrador helicopters for the SAR role and the Canadian Army acquired 12 of the similar ''CH-113A Voyageur'' for the medium-lift transport role. The RCAF Labradors were delivered first with the first one entering service on 11 October 1963.Milberry, Larry: ''Sixty Years – The RCAF and Air Command 1924–1984'', p. 472. McGraw Hill Ryerson, 1984. When the larger CH-147 Chinook was procured by the Canadian Forces in the mid-1970s, the Voyageur fleet was converted to Labrador specifications to undertake SAR missions. The refurbished Voyageurs were re-designated as CH-113A Labradors, thus a total of 15 Labradors were ultimately in service. The Labrador was fitted with a watertight hull for marine landings, a 5,000 kilogram cargo hook and an external rescue hoist mounted over the right front door. It featured a 1,110 kilometer flying range, emergency medical equipment and an 18-person passenger capacity. In multiple instances throughout the 1970s and 1980s, this increased range provided the capability of the CH-113 to provide assistance to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) missions or perform long range medevacs over distances the USCG helicopters at the time simply could not reach. In 1981, a mid-life upgrade of the fleet was carried out by Boeing Canada in Arnprior, Ontario. Known as the SAR-CUP (Search and Rescue Capability Upgrade Program), the refit scheme included new instrumentation, a nose-mounted weather radar, a tail-mounted auxiliary power unit, a new high-speed rescue hoist mounted over the side door and front-mounted searchlights. A total of six CH-113s and five CH-113As were upgraded with the last delivered in 1984. Nonetheless, as a search and rescue helicopter it endured heavy use and hostile weather conditions; which had begun to take their toll on the Labrador fleet by the 1990s, resulting in increasing maintenance costs and the need for prompt replacement. In 1992, it was announced that the Labradors were to be replaced by 15 new helicopters, a variant of the AgustaWestland EH101, designated ''CH-149 Chimo''. The order was subsequently cancelled by the
Jean Chrétien Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003. Born and raised in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Chrétien is a law graduate from Uni ...
Liberal government in 1993, resulting in cancellation penalties, as well as extending the service life of the Labrador fleet. However, in 1998, a CH-113 from CFB Greenwood crashed on Quebec's
Gaspé Peninsula The Gaspé Peninsula, also known as Gaspesia (; ), is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River that extends from the Matapedia Valley in Quebec, Canada, into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. It is separated from New Brunswick o ...
while returning from a SAR mission, resulting in the deaths of all crewmembers on board. The crash placed pressure upon the government to procure a replacement, thus an order was placed with the manufacturers of the EH101 for 15 aircraft to perform the search-and-rescue mission, designated ''
CH-149 Cormorant The AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant is the Canadian Forces designation for the AgustaWestland AW101 (formerly EH101), a helicopter used for air-sea rescue in Canada. Developed as a joint venture between Westland Aircraft in the UK and Agusta i ...
''. CH-149 deliveries began in 2003, allowing the last CH-113 to be retired in 2004. In October 2005
Columbia Helicopters Columbia Helicopters, Incorporated (CHI) is an aircraft manufacturing and operator company based in Aurora, Oregon, United States. It is known for operating tandem rotor helicopters; in present times, exclusively the Boeing Vertol 107 and Boeing ...
of
Aurora, Oregon Aurora is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. Before being incorporated as a city, it was the location of the Aurora Colony, a religious commune founded in 1856 by William Keil and John E. Schmit. William named the settlement after h ...
purchased eight of the retired CH-113 Labradors to add to their fleet of 15 Vertol 107-II helicopters.


Sweden

In 1963, Sweden procured ten UH-46Bs from the US as a transport and anti-submarine helicopter for the Swedish Armed Forces, designated Hkp 4A. In 1973, a further eight Kawasaki-built KV-107s, which were accordingly designated Hkp 4B, were acquired to replace the older Piasecki H-21. During the Cold War, the fleet's primary missions were anti-submarine warfare and troop transportation. They were also frequently employed in the search and rescue role, most famously during the rescue operation of the MS ''Estonia'' after it sank in the Baltic Sea on 28 September 1994. In the 1980s, the Hkp 4A was phased out, having been replaced by the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma; the later Kawasaki-built Sea Knights continued in operational service until 2011, they were replaced by the UH-60 Black Hawk and NH90.


Civilian and others

The civilian version, designated as the BV 107-II ''Vertol'',Eichel, Garth. "Columbia Helicopters". ''Vertical Magazine'', February–March 2007. was developed prior to the military CH-46. It was operated commercially by New York Airways, Pan American World Airways and later on by Columbia Helicopters. Among the diversity of tasks was pulling a
hover barge A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is an amphibious craft capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces. Hovercraft use blowers to produce a large volume of air below the hull, or air cushion, ...
, and constructing transmission towers for overhead power lines. In December 2006, Columbia Helicopters purchased the type certificate of the Model 107 from Boeing, with the aim of eventually producing new-build aircraft themselves.


Variants


American versions

;Model 107: Company model number for basic prototype, one built. ;Model 107-II: Commercial airline helicopter. All subsequent commercial aircraft were produced as BV 107-II-2, two built as Boeing Vertol prototypes, five sold to New York Airways, ten supplied to Kawasaki as sub-assemblies or as parts. The second prototype was later rebuilt into a Sea Knight replacement for a lost unit in the Swedish navy she was named Y64 in Swedish service. ;Model 107M: Company model number for military transport of BV-107/II-2 for the
U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through comb ...
. ;YHC-1A: Vertol Model 107 for test and evaluation by the United States Army. Adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps as the HRB-1. Later redesignated YCH-46C, three built. ;HRB-1: Original designation before being renamed as CH-46A before delivery under the
1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system The Tri-Service aircraft designation system is a unified system introduced in 1962 by the United States Department of Defense for designating all U.S. military aircraft. Previously, the U.S. armed services used separate nomenclature systems. ...
. ;CH-46A: Medium-lift assault and cargo transport and SAR helicopter for the USMC, fitted with two 1,250 shp (935 kW) General Electric T58-GE-8 turboshaft engines. Previously designated HRB-1. 160 built for USMC, one static airframe. ;UH-46A: Medium-lift utility transport helicopter for the United States Navy. Similar to the CH-46A. 14 built. ;HH-46A: Approximately 50 CH-46As were converted into SAR helicopters for the United States Navy base rescue role. ;RH-46A: Planned conversion of CH-46As into minesweeping helicopters for the US Navy, none converted. Nine SH-3As were converted to the RH-3A configuration instead. ;UH-46B: Development of the CH-46A to specification HX/H2 for the United States Air Force; 12 ordered in 1962, cancelled and Sikorsky S-61R / CH-3C ordered instead. ;YCH-46C: YHC-1A redesignated in 1962. United States Army retained two, NASA used one for vertical autonomous landing trials (VALT). ;CH-46D: Medium-lift assault and cargo transport helicopter for the USMC, fitted with two 1,400 shp (1,044 kW) General Electric T58-GE-10 turboshaft engines. 266 built. ;HH-46D: Surviving HH-46A were upgraded and a small number of UH-46Ds were converted into SAR helicopters. SAR upgrades included the addition of an external rescue hoist near the front crew door and an 18-inch X 18-inch Doppler RADAR system located behind the nose landing gear, which provided for automatic, day/night, over-water hovering capability for at sea rescue. Additionally a "Loud Hailer" was installed opposite the crew entrance door for communicating with downed aviators on the ground or in the water. ;UH-46D: Medium-lift utility transport helicopter for the US Navy combat supply role. Similar to the CH-46D. Ten built and one conversion from CH-46D. ;CH-46E: Approximately 275 -A, -D, and -F airframes were updated to CH-46E standards with improved avionics, hydraulics, drive train and upgraded T58-GE-16 and T58-GE-16/A engines. ;HH-46E: Three CH-46Es were converted into SAR helicopters for Marine Transport Squadron One (VMR-1) at MCAS Cherry Point. ;CH-46F: Improved version of CH-46D, electrical distribution, com/nav update BUNO 154845-157726. Last production model in the United States. 174 built, later reverted to CH-46E. ;VH-46F: Unofficial designation of standard CH-46F used by HMX-1 as VIP support transport helicopter. ;CH-46X: Replacement helicopter based on the Boeing Model 360, this Advance Technology Demonstrator from the 1980s never entered production. The aircraft relied heavily on composites for its construction and had a beefier drive train to handle the twin Avco-Lycoming AL5512 engines (4,200 shp). ;XH-49: Original designation of UH-46B.


Canadian versions

;CH-113 Labrador: Search and rescue version of the Model 107-II-9 for the Royal Canadian Air Force ;CH-113A Voyageur: Assault and utility transport version of the Model 107-II-28 for the Canadian Army. Later converted to CH-113A Labrador when the Canadian Forces acquired the CH-47 Chinook


Japanese versions

;KV-107II-1 (CT58-110-1) :Utility transport version, one built from Boeing-supplied kits. ;KV-107II-2 (CT58-110-1) :Commercial airline version, nine built from Boeing-supplied kits. ;KV-107IIA-2 (CT58-140-1) :Improved version of the KV-107/II-2, three built. ;KV-107II-3 (CT58-110-1) :Minesweeping version for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), two built. ;KV-107IIA-3 (CT58-IHI-10-M1) :Uprated version of the KV-107/II-3, seven built. ;KV-107II-4 (CT58-IHI-110-1) :Assault and utility transport version for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), 41 built. ;KV-107II-4A (CT58-IHI-110-1) :VIP version of the KV-107/II-4, one built. ;KV-107IIA-4 (CT58-IHI-140-1) :Uprated version of the KV-107/II-4, 18 built. ;KV-107II-5 (CT58-IHI-110-1) :Long-range SAR version for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), 17 built. ;KV-107IIA-5 (CT58-IHI-104-1) :Uprated version of the KV-107II-5, 35 built. ;KV-107II-7 (CT58-110-1) :VIP transport version, one built. ;KV-107II-16 :HKP 4C for
Swedish Navy The Swedish Navy ( sv, Svenska marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet () – as well as marine units, the Amphibious Corps (). In Swedish, vessels o ...
. Powered by Rolls-Royce Gnome H.1200 turboshaft engines, eight built. ;KV-107IIA-17 (CT58-140-1) :Long-range transport version for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, one built. ;KV-107IIA-SM-1 (CT58-IHI-140-1M1) : Firefighting helicopter for Saudi Arabia, seven built. ;KV-107IIA-SM-2 (CT58-IHI-140-1M1) :Aeromedical and rescue helicopter for Saudi Arabia, four built. ;KV-107IIA-SM-3 (CT58-IHI-140-1M1) :VIP transport helicopter for Saudi Arabia, two built. ;KV-107IIA-SM-4 (CT58-IHI-140-1M1) :Air ambulance helicopter for Saudi Arabia, three built.


Swedish versions

;HKP 4A: Boeing Vertol 107-II-14, used originally by Air Force for search and rescue, ten built ;HKP 4B: Boeing Vertol 107-II-15, mine-layer/antisubmarine warfare/search and rescue helicopter for Navy, three built and one conversion from Boeing-Vertol civil prototype ;HKP 4C: Kawasaki KV-107-II-16, advanced mine-layer/ASW/SAR helicopter for Navy, eight built ;HKP 4D: Rebuilt HKP 4A for Navy as SAR/ASW helicopter, four conversions


Operators


Military and government

; * United States Department of State **
State Department Air Wing The State Department Air Wing (DoSAW), formally the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office of Aviation (INL Air Wing or INL/A) is an office of the United States Department of State that supports diplomatic aviation ...


Civil

; * Helifor Canada ; *
Columbia Helicopters Columbia Helicopters, Incorporated (CHI) is an aircraft manufacturing and operator company based in Aurora, Oregon, United States. It is known for operating tandem rotor helicopters; in present times, exclusively the Boeing Vertol 107 and Boeing ...
* Sky Aviation Corp


Former operators

; * Canadian Land Force Command - Voyageur variant (later as CH-113A) * Royal Canadian Air Force - both CH-113 and CH-113A **
103 Search and Rescue Squadron 103 Search and Rescue Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force is a search and rescue unit based at 9 Wing Gander on the Canadian island of Newfoundland. The squadron is responsible for a large area covering the offshore waters of Canada's Exclu ...
**
413 Transport and Rescue Squadron 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron is an air force squadron of the Canadian Armed Forces. It was originally a flying boat squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. It currently operates the C-130 Hercules and the CH-149 ...
** 102 Composite Unit /
424 Transport and Rescue Squadron 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron (French: ''424e Escadron de transport et de sauvetage''), nicknamed "Tiger Squadron", is a Royal Canadian Air Force strategic transport and search and rescue unit based at CFB Trenton, Canadian Forces Base (CFB) ...
**
442 Transport and Rescue Squadron 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron (french: links=no, 442e Escadron de transport et de sauvetage) is a Royal Canadian Air Force tactical transport and search and rescue unit based at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Comox in British Columbia. The squadr ...
** 450 Transport Helicopter Squadron ; * Japan Air Self-Defense Force * Japan Ground Self-Defense Force * Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force * Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department ; * Ministry of Interior ; *
Swedish Air Force The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. History The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
*
Swedish Navy The Swedish Navy ( sv, Svenska marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet () – as well as marine units, the Amphibious Corps (). In Swedish, vessels o ...
* Royal Thai Army ; * New York Airways * Pan American Airways * United States Marine Corps **
HMX-1 Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the president and vice president of the United States, heads of state, Department of Defense officials, and other VIPs ...
**
HMM-262 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (VMM-262) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Flying Tigers", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Ja ...
** HMM-265 **
HMM-268 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (VMM-268) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of MV-22 transport. The squadron, known as the "Red Dragons", is based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe, Hawaii and falls under ...
**
HMM-364 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 (VMM-364) is a United States Marine Corps medium-lift tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Ospreys. The squadron, known as the "Purple Foxes", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Californi ...
**
HMM-764 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 764 (VMM-764) is a United States Marine Corps Reserve squadron consisting of MV-22B Ospreys. The squadron, known as "Moonlight," is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, CA and falls under the com ...
**
HMM-774 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 774 (VMM-774) is a United States Marine Corps medium helicopter squadron consisting of V-22 Osprey transport helicopters. The squadron, known as the "Wild Goose", is a United States Marine Corps Reserve unit based ...
**
HMMT-164 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164 (VMM-164), is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron operating the MV-22B Osprey. Known as the ''Knightriders'', they fall under the command Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircr ...
** VMR-1 * United States Navy


Notable accidents and incidents

*On 14 October 1963 New York Airways Flight 600, a Boeing Vertol 107, registration N6673D, crashed shortly after takeoff from
Idlewild Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the New ...
(now JFK) en route to
Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...
via Wall Street. All three passengers and all three crew members died. The accident was caused by mechanical failure due to contaminated lubricants. * On 15 July 1966 in the Vietnam War during Operation Hastings, two CH-46As of HMM-164 collided at Landing Zone Crow while another, crashed into a tree avoiding the first two, resulting in 2 Marines killed. Another CH-46 of HMM-265 was shot down at the LZ later that day resulting in a further 13 Marine deaths. * On 4 June 1968, CH-46D BuNo 152533 of HMM-165 was hit by anti-aircraft fire at
Landing Zone Loon Operation Robin was a U.S. Marine Corps operation that took place southeast of Khe Sanh, Quảng Trị Province from 2–19 June 1968. Background In late May 1968 US aerial reconnaissance detected a People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) supply road be ...
and crashed killing 13 Marines. * On 14 March 1969, CH-46D BuNo 154841 of
HMM-161 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (VMM-161) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron that operates the MV-22 Osprey. The squadron, known as the "Greyhawks", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the ...
was hit by a
B-40 rocket The RPG-2 ( Russian: РПГ-2, Ручной противотанковый гранатомёт, ''Ruchnoy Protivotankovy Granatomyot''; English: "hand-held antitank grenade launcher") is a man-portable, shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon that was de ...
as it conducted a resupply and medevac mission at
Landing Zone Sierra Landing Zone Sierra was a U.S. Marine Corps base located northwest of Cam Lộ, Quảng Trị Province in central Vietnam. History The base was located on Mutter's Ridge north of The Rockpile, approximately 16 km northwest of Cam Lo. On 15 ...
, killing 12 Marines and 1 Navy corpsman. * On 10 May 1996, a CH-46E collided in mid-air with an Bell AH-1W attack helicopter, killing fourteen (twelve Marines, one Navy sailor, and one Army soldier) aboard the two helicopters. The pilots of the CH-46E were injured. Both helicopters, of HMM-266, were operating from USS ''Saipan'' and were participating in Operation Purple Star, a joint exercise involving troops from the U.S. and the UK at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. * On 2 October 1998, a CH-113 Labrador crashed near
Marsoui, Quebec Marsoui is a village municipality in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region of Quebec, Canada. The name Marsoui is thought to originate from the Mi'kmaq word ''malseoui'', meaning "flint" which is abundant in the area. However, another the ...
, after an inflight fire. All six crewmembers were killed. * On 9 December 1999, a CH-46D Sea Knight BuNo 154790 of
HMM-166 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 (VMM-166) was a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "SeaElk", was last based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. ...
crashed during a boarding exercise off the coast of San Diego, California, killing seven U.S. Marines. The pilot landed the CH-46 short on the deck of the USNS ''Pecos'', causing the left rear tire and strut to become entangled in the safety netting at the back of the ship, which caused it to plunge into the ocean.


Aircraft on display

;Canada *
Canada Aviation and Space Museum The Canada Aviation and Space Museum (french: link=no, Musée de l'Aviation et de l'Espace du Canada) (formerly the Canada Aviation Museum and National Aeronautical Collection) is Canada's national aviation history museum. The museum is located ...
– Labrador 11301 *
Comox Air Force Museum The Comox Air Force Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits artifacts relating to CFB Comox, its squadrons and its units.A-AD-266-000/AG-001 Canadian Forces Museums –Operations and Administration 2002-04-03 The museum is located at th ...
– Labrador 11310 * National Air Force Museum of Canada – Labrador 11315 * Greenwood Military Aviation Museum – Labrador 11308 ;Japan * Japan Air Self Defense Force Hamamatsu Air Base Publication Center, Hamamatsu,
Shizuoka Shizuoka can refer to: * Shizuoka Prefecture, a Japanese prefecture * Shizuoka (city), the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture * Shizuoka Airport * Shizuoka Domain, the name from 1868 to 1871 for Sunpu Domain, a predecessor of Shizuoka Prefecture ...
, Japan * Kakamigahara Aerospace Science Museum, Kakamigahara,
Gifu is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku ...
, Japan * Kawasaki Vertol 107-II – Kawasaki Good Times World, within Kobe Maritime Museum,
Kobe Kobe ( , ; officially , ) is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture Japan. With a population around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located in Kansai region, whic ...
, Hyōgo, Japan. ;Sweden * Aeroseum, Gothenburg, Sweden – Boeing Vertol/Kawasaki KV-107-II (CH-46), Hkp 4C, c/n 4093, Fv 04072 "72" * Swedish Air Force Museum, Linköping Sweden. Prototype BV-107-II N6679D. Bought used from Boeing in 1970. ;United States * 150954 – USS ''Midway'' Museum in San Diego, California displays HH-46A (c/n 2040) as U.S. Navy SA-46 of HC-3 on one side and VR-46 of HC-11 on the other. * 151952 – National Museum of Naval Aviation in
Pensacola, FL Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ci ...
displays HH-46D (c/n 2102) as U.S Navy HW-00 of
HC-6 Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26 (HSC-26), nicknamed the "Chargers", is a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. The squadron was established on 1 September 1967 as Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 6 ...
. * 153389 – Carolinas Aviation Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina, has
Raymond Clausen Raymond Michael Clausen Jr. (October 14, 1947 – May 30, 2004) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam in January 1970. On a mission to rescue Marines from a minefield, under heavy enemy fire, he carried ...
's Medal of Honor mission CH-46E (c/n 2287) as
HMM-263 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Thunder Chickens", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Nor ...
EG-16. The rear fuselage of BuNo 153335 was used in restoration. * 153986 – National Museum of the Marine Corps Quantico, Virginia has a walk-through exhibit containing the rear half of a CH-46D displayed as the former BuNo 153986 (c/n 2337) YK-13 from
HMM-364 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 (VMM-364) is a United States Marine Corps medium-lift tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Ospreys. The squadron, known as the "Purple Foxes", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Californi ...
with their logo, The Purple Fox. The front half of the aircraft was used as a training aid display for HMX-1. * 153402 –
New River Aviation Memorial New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
at the front gate of Marine Corps Air Station New River, (part of Camp Lejeune) in Jacksonville, North Carolina – CH-46E (c/n 2300) as YS-02 of
HMM-162 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (VMM-162) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Golden Eagles", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Caro ...
on one side and HMM-261 on the other. * 153369 –
National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, also called the Air and Space Museum, is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, it opened its main building on the Nat ...
at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia has CH-46D (c/n 2265) displayed as MQ-400 of
HMM-774 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 774 (VMM-774) is a United States Marine Corps medium helicopter squadron consisting of V-22 Osprey transport helicopters. The squadron, known as the "Wild Goose", is a United States Marine Corps Reserve unit based ...
. This aircraft is on loan from National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia. The aircraft was last flown on 1 August 2015 at the Marine Corps' formal sunset ceremony for the type which was the last public showing of an airworthy Marine Corps CH-46. * 154009 – Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, has CH-46E (c/n 2360) of HMM-164. * 154803 –
Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is a United States Marine Corps aviation museum currently located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California. The museum contains exhibits and artifacts relating to the history and legacy of ...
, San Diego, California, USA has CH-46E (c/n 2410) as YS-09 ''Lady Ace 09'' of HMM-165. The CH-46 took part in Operation Frequent Wind and was used to evacuate Ambassador
Graham Martin Graham Anderson Martin (September 22, 1912 – March 13, 1990) was an American diplomat. He was the ambassador to Thailand and as U.S. representative to SEATO from 1963 to 1967, ambassador to Italy from 1969 to 1973 and the last United States Am ...
, the last
United States Ambassador to South Vietnam Following the end of World War II in Asia, France attempted to regain control of Vietnam, as part of French Indochina, which it had lost to Japan in 1941. At the conclusion of the First Indochina War, the country was split into two parts, the No ...
from the
United States Embassy, Saigon The United States Embassy in Saigon was first established in June 1952, and moved into a new building in 1967 and eventually closed in 1975. The embassy was the scene of a number of significant events of the Vietnam War, most notably the Viet Co ...
on 30 April 1975. * 156427 – Veterans Museum
Dyersburg Army Air Base Dyersburg Army Air Base is an inactive United States Air Force base, approximately 2 miles north of Halls, Tennessee. It was active during World War II as a training airfield. It was closed on 30 November 1945 Dyersburg AAB was the largest c ...
in Halls, Tennessee has YP-05, a CH-46E wearing the Evileyes of HMM-163. * 156469 – Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. Started life as a CH-46F, and was converted to the CH-46E standard sometime between 1975 and 1979. It is displayed as YP-12 of
HMM-163 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (VMM-163) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport tiltrotors. The squadron, known as "Evil Eyes", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and fa ...
"Evileyes" Scheme; accurate to this airframe. (On loan from the National Museum of the Marine Corps.) * 157688 – Classic Rotors Rotorcraft Museum in Ramona, CA. displays HH-46E '02' from VMR-1 Cherry Point MCAS N.C.


Specifications (CH-46E)


See also


References

;Citations ;Bibliography * Andrade, John ''U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909''. Midland Counties Publications, 1979. . * Andrade, John. ''Militair 1982''. London: Aviation Press Limited, 1982. . * Dunstan, Simon. ''Vietnam Choppers: Helicopters in Battle 1950–1975'', Osprey Publishing, 2003. . * Murray, Williamson and Robert H. Scales. ''The Iraq War''. Harvard University Press, 2005. . * Rottman, Gordon and Adam Hook. ''Vietnam Airmobile Warfare Tactics''. Osprey Publishing, 2007. .


External links


CH-46D/E Sea Knight
an



an


Columbia Helicopters — Largest Civilian Operator of BV/KV Model 107



Kawasaki Helicopter Services (S.A.) Ltd.
{{DEFAULTSORT:CH-46 Sea Knight
Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem-rotor transport helicopter powered by twin turboshaft engines. It was designed by Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol following Vertol's acquisition by Boeing. Development of th ...
Tandem rotor helicopters 1950s United States military transport aircraft Boeing aircraft Kawasaki Aerospace Company 1960s United States helicopters Twin-turbine helicopters Aircraft first flown in 1958