MH 53E

USCG does not use the HH/MH-53. There have been a few different color schemes over the years. Low-vis grey, sand, sand/brown, overall USMC green, gunship grey, etc. Most interesting was a sand and brown camo that had naked women as the squigglies used on a few birds in ODS..

I know that I saw the brown and sand with the babes but can't remmeber where. Any idea?

Greg

Are you thinking of the H-3 by chance? The Coasties flew the HH-3 in the SAR role. The H-3 is sorta like the H-53s little brother and there is something of a passing resemblance between the two types.

QUOTE: Originally posted by gregtarris I know that I saw the brown and sand with the babes but can't remmeber where. Any idea?

Send me an email and I can send back some pics of the "Babes Bird."

I don't know your email but mine is gregtarris@hotmail.com

Thanks

Email sent.

If you look across the bottom of my posts, below the signature block, you will see an Email tab. If you add your email to your profile, there will be one on your posts too. Makes it easy to ask further questions and contact members off-board if needed.

That sand and brown female siloette aircraft was a CH-53E from HMH-466 back in the late 90's. Since then all there stuff got the grey treatment. Navy MH-53E's with their larger sponsons and lack of auxilary fuel tanks are a much darker shade of grey than the Marine Corps CH-53D's and E's. Dark Ghost Grey is a good Match for Navy MH's.

Semper Fi,
Chris

can I use this model for the Marine craft or are the differences too great?

QUOTE: Originally posted by gregtarris can I use this model for the Marine craft or are the differences too great?

Yes, only USMC, and US Navy use the MH-53E. It is basically the same aircraft used by both services, just painted differently.

QUOTE: Originally posted by HeavyArty QUOTE: Originally posted by gregtarris can I use this model for the Marine craft or are the differences too great? Yes, only USMC, and US Navy use the MH-53E. It is basically the same aircraft used by both services, just painted differently.

I'm affraid you are mistaken there sir. Most Navy MH-53E has larger sponsons (they almost touch the #1 and #3 engines). The Italeri MH-53E kit has these sponsons. These larger side sponsons carry more fuel. Therefore, the MH-53E doesn't need the auxiliary fuel tanks always carried by the CH-53E's. The MH-53 also has a rear view mirrow under the pilot's chin bubble which CH-53E's don't have. This rear view is for watching the towed sonar array that the MH is designed to carry. The MH also has the towed sonar array which is absent in the CH-53E. There are other internal differnces, such as the MH's added hydraulic system for control of the towed sonar array (sonar sled) and its wench.

Basically, to make an MH-53E into a CH-53E you'd need to make the sponsons smaller and add auxiliary fuel tanks. Then you can just omit the other parts that the MH has, but the CH doesn't.

These pics can give you idea of what the sponsons on the CH-53E look like. Sorry I don't have an MH pic to help you out.

Concur with ridle. The USMC exclusively uses the 'CH-53E' variant.
A picture of the Navy 'MH-53E' version with the MUCH larger sponsons:

Anybody want to by this kit? Not going to build it.

greg

Don't get discouraged. The CH and MH's are awesome aircraft. A model of one these great machines would add to any collection. I am biased though, because I work on CH-53E's.

isn't the MH-53 called the Sea Dragon if i remember right???

if your selling how much do you want

ridleusmc wrote:

That sand and brown female siloette aircraft was a CH-53E from HMH-466 back in the late 90's. Since then all there stuff got the grey treatment. Navy MH-53E's with their larger sponsons and lack of auxilary fuel tanks are a much darker shade of grey than the Marine Corps CH-53D's and E's. Dark Ghost Grey is a good Match for Navy MH's. Semper Fi, Chris

Hello all, I'm visiting from the armor forum and saw this thread.  The CH-53E you are talking about was in fact a HMH-466 bird from Desert Storm. That A/C along with about six others were painted in that camo scheme. They were turned over to us (HMH-465) when we rotated back to Tustin from Okinawa in 1992. To say that the camo was a sand brown is too kind!  The paint actually made the A/C look like a two tone pink! The rest of the squadron A/C were painted in a pinkish-tan and light gray scheme. I also remember one bird with a couple pig silhoettes on it!

This has brought back some memories for me! Thanks guys, and Happy Birthday to all my fellow Marines!