What is it?

Looks like a Sikorsky S-58/H-34. Early to mid-'60s piston powered, some later changed to a turbine, helo. Great old helo that is still in service with many private companies.

more info:
http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=358

I think you are right. The nose looks a bit different in the photos on the page you provided, but that could have been a turbine conversion.

They are cool old birds, and it's great to see them still flying. I've seen this one before from a distance but never this close. The company that owns it does a good bit of lifting in this area. I'm not sure if it's the same company, but I also occasionally see a Skycrane when they really need some heavy-duty lifting capabilities.

Thanks for the info!

It looks like it has the turtleback (tranny oil cooler cover) behind the mast removed. I've never seen one flying like that before.

QUOTE: Originally posted by HeavyArty Looks like a Sikorsky S-58/H-34. Early to mid-'60s piston powered, some later changed to a turbine, helo. Great old helo that is still in service with many private companies.

Yeah, I watched an orange one lift some of those hudge A/C units to the top of a new Super Wally World under construction in Florida a few years back.

I saw this S-58 at Sikorsky's family day last year. Cool birds. I grew up down the street from a guy who flew them (UH-34D Sea Horse) in Vietnam. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten my hands on a kit yet. I know they're old kits out there in 1/72 (Italeri) and 1/48 (Monogram).

The 1/48 kits are actually Revell of Germany not Monogram. I also saw a piston engine powered S-58 putting AC units on the new Super Wal Mart a couple years ago. They must have the contract with them.

Thanks for the info and pix guys. I appreciate it.

It just really makes my day when I see one of these old birds still flying. They just seem to have some sort of stately grace that is missing from jets. I remember about 20 years ago when we moved in this house I had been working all evening, was worn out and hot. It was night and I sat down on the deck for a bit. I heard a plane coming (we're close to Nashville Intl. Airport) but it was real slow sounding recips. It was an old DC-3 and flew right over my head at about 1,000 ft and probably 150 knots. Blue flames blowing out the exhausts, head held high. There just aren't enough of them left these days.

Had the turbine engined variant lifting radio tower parts to the top of a mountian in Phoenix a few years ago. Nice to see some still around. Also saw a Bell 47(OH-13) flying around a couple of weeks ago. Lost a DC-3 this week in Florida(good pilot)

I shot these pix back in March. There's an "airfield" (their words, not mine) halfway between here and Atlanta just off I75 where several aircraft are slowly and sadly rotting away. An S-58 is among them...

That's pretty sad.

Looks like an F-84F in the background, and maybe an F-86 tail sticking up in the first photo. Thanks for sharing.

Great set of photos, Grant. I love looking at pics of dilapidated aircraft. It's kinda fun to imagine what that aircraft has been through and what it has seen. Thanks for sharing those pics.

Fitter
You are absolutely correct. That is indeed an F-84F and an F-86D in the background. I'll post those pix tonight sometime and provide a link in the aircraft forum.

Albert
Yeah, the same thoughts went through my head when i was climbing all over the S-58, hoping not to slip and fall inito one of the standing puddles - sorry - mosquito hatcheries or a mud pit. I just hate to see aircraft rotting away like this; it completely lacks of any dignity.

QUOTE: Originally posted by grandadjohn Had the turbine engined variant lifting radio tower parts to the top of a mountian in Phoenix a few years ago. Nice to see some still around. Also saw a Bell 47(OH-13) flying around a couple of weeks ago. Lost a DC-3 this week in Florida(good pilot)

Is the Bell 47 the old piston-engine one with the glass bubble and the framework tail that I've seen flying around Phoenix from time to time? (The other day, it flew low over Berridge Nursery, where I work.) When I was little in the 1960's, I used to see those all the time! They make a hell of a racket; the engine has that distinctive "metallic whistle" and at the same time, sounds like it has a lot of loose change flying around inside. You don't see too many of those helicopters anymore, although I know of another one I'd see flying over Northridge, California once in a while when I used to work there.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jim Barton Is the Bell 47 the old piston-engine one with the glass bubble and the framework tail that I've seen flying around Phoenix from time to time? (The other day, it flew low over Berridge Nursery, where I work.) When I was little in the 1960's, I used to see those all the time! They make a hell of a racket; the engine has that distinctive "metallic whistle" and at the same time, sounds like it has a lot of loose change flying around inside. You don't see too many of those helicopters anymore, although I know of another one I'd see flying over Northridge, California once in a while when I used to work there.

Yes, you are describing a Bell 47, OH-13 Sioux, of MASH fame. This is the bird you speak of:

in my day the marines of the 3rd maw commonly said two things: 1 when youre outta 34's youre outta helos, and 2 you can eat the apple but you cant f@(% the corps. it is indeed an s58/h34. pilots i have talked to said it was a comfort to hunker down in the seat behind that big radial, then we took a look at whats up front in our ch53d mods, not much.

There are several of those old H-34's still earning their keep in the construction industry around the country putting AC units on building roofs, hauling cables across canyons, lift construction material up to new buildings etc.

Darwin, O.F.