Coast Guard UH-60?

J-Hulk,

The USCG has been using the HH-60J "Jayhawk" since the late 80s. From what I've heard its a rather effective SAR platform. I personally like the new MH-68s that they're using for drug interdiction. Those are friggin COOOOOOL!

Right you are Jon!
About using them since the late 80's. . .
The HH (Search and Rescue Helicopter) 60J replaced the HH3F pelican as he medium range helo. In fact HH3F's were so low in inventory the USCG had to use some older HH3E airframes while waiting for the Jayhawk.
The USCG had a contest to name the new helo, the USCG couldn't use the name "SEAHAWK", because then most of the airframes would have had NFL names:
SEAHAWK, FALCON, DOLPHIN. . . so some office weenie came up with JAYHAWK, not because of the "J", but because they were from KANSAS!!!
I flew in the '60 a few times but never got qualed on it. It was a pretty neat aircraft.

Don

I thought they couldn't use Seahawk because that name was already taken by the navy's 60's.

Sal,
The USCG has a long history of using the same aircraft and name as the other services, usually in the hand me down form. Why the Air Force believes an aircraft is unsafe only after 10,000 flight hours is beyond me. Anyway, word around the enlisted scuttlebutt was that the higher ups so botched the Dauphine=Dolphin name for the HH65, it was decided to let someone else share the blame for the '60.
The NFL reference was purely an enlisted mans keen thought process and idea.
But the name Jayhawk was for really and for true an office weenies idea, and yes the first time it was in print, the mascot for the Kansas Jayhawks was used, in keeping with the tradition of , once again,using someone elses name.

Don

Cripes, where have I been? (Building too much armor, I suppose!)
I suppose it may have something to do with the fact that in my head the main Coastie helo is still the Sea King! My dad was a 30-year veteran of the USCG, from the late 50's till the 80's. Saw many a Sea King during that time!

Thanks for all the info, fellas.

Uhhh, J. . .
The USCG NEVER had the Sea King. . .You must mean the HH52A SEA GUARD.
Sikorsky's first Amphibious Helicopter.
The Navy was afraid of the single engine so they had Igor build a bigger helo with 2 engines. . .DOH! Only one gear box anyway!!

Don

No Sea Kings? Ok...does the HH52A at least resemble the Sea King? Or is it the same helo with the USCG name Sea Guard? I've spent my whole life calling them Sea Kings...woe...woe...
I hope you all realize I'm primarily an armor modeler!

Thanks for all the info. Better to learn late than never!

J-
The Sea Guard looks really close to the Sea King. . .
The Little Sea Guard had one engine (A GE T58), was shorter and had a two tail rotor blades and three mains. The Sea King had Five main blades and five tail blades and was alot longer.
Sea Guard was the "official" name, we never called them that, to us it was the helo or the '52. If it was specifics, we used the last two digits of its hull number: 55, 05, etc.

Don

Don,
I'm fearful of your scathing response to this post (as with all others I make) but here goes anyway (fear is an overrated emotion anyway, at least that's what they told us in PJ school).
I actually saw an H-52 on the ramp in Maui Hawaii (1983 0r 1984). I was working with a civilian helicopter company searching for another helicopter that went down while fighting a fire on the big island., and the -52 was also involved in the search. Anyway, the biggest surprise we had was that there was ONE guy on the crew...the pilot. No SAR swimmer, no copilot, no FE. It just really surprised us.
So was this common in the 52?

Jeez Sal,
You have no reason to fear any response from me! If you think I am scathing, sorry, I'm not trying to be. Or rude or uppity either. Voice inflection doesn't carry over too well to the written word, if it did you, would hear my usual joking attitude coming through. Sometimes what I know is in such a hurry to get out, it comes through as crass. I'll work on it.
My remark about AF aircraft. . .the USCG got the HU16E's from the AF and we both called them Albatross (Or GOATS). Anyway, the HU16 on permanent display at Chanute AFB had less hours than some of those the USCG bought to fly! Towards the end of their life the HU16's were not allowed to land on the water. . .they were afraid they would break apart!
Now, to answer your question: Was it common for a one person crew? No not usually. Especially over water flights. Most of the time you'd expect to see at least an enlisted Flight Mechanic on board too. Might have been a weird case of no crews to man the planes, or other aircraft being used for something else. It is odd. In 1983-1984 there were no Rescue Swimmers in the CG, the program was just beginning. (and I was sweating having to go through it. . .literally.)

Don

Thanks for all the info, Don. I've learned a lot from this thread!
And ya didn't scare me one bit!

Hey Don,
Now you and I both know as current and former military SAR crewdogs that ribbing each other is nothing but good hearted, and meant as friendly banter. Seriously, I joined this group as someone getting back into the modelling game to learn from those with experience. I consider you one of those types of guys. I also joined to lend my experience as an operational USAF CSAR/STS member whenever I could, and have sent several members photos and info on various aircraft, PJ's, Ops, etc... I'm sure you have done the same. So PLEASE don't take anything I say personal or too serious. For me, I tend to chalk up some of my comments to too many feet-face PLFs.
As far as scaring me, after 4 1/2 months in Mogadishu and one Helo crash I figure I'm on borrowed time as it is.

HU-16 Albatross...I spoke to a former pilot up here in Alaska who said they would land North of Barrow on the ice pack and even on glaciers and frozen lakes gear-up in the HU-16. They had somewhat beefed up hulls.

Yeah, it really surprised me when we got finished BSing with the -52 driver and he saddled up alone and took to the sky. We never did find the objective of the search (H-500D with a fire-bucket). consensus was that he flew a little low over-water and the bucket made contact and drug him in.

Everyone take care and have a very Happy Thanksgiving! Remember that there's a lot of folks wearing a uniform eating turkey in a tent in some hot zone today.
Salbando