Favorite helicopter...and why?

I forgot to mention one earlier, the Fairey Rotodyne - like something out of the Thunderbirds or Joe 90 that became reality (for a short while anyway);

TheWildChild

 

HeavyArty:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this is an interesting bird.......looks alot like a cross between a Mi-24 hind and an apache.....would make an interesting kitbash project.

Anigrand offers a kit of this one.  I haven't gotten around to building it but it is on the list!

 I cant pick just one. But I will go with four.

1) The Huey, my first several chopper rides were in those, and it is just one of those classics that ya love.

2) The Blackhawk, most of my chopper rides were in those and I just love seeing, hearing, or being around those birds.

3) OH-6/MD-500 One bad little chopper with lots of possibilities. Only one I have ever seen flown in a loop with my own eyes.

4) The original purpose designed gunship, still going strong around the world 40+ years later...

Those 47s scare me to be in even when I had a parachute on.... they just dont feel natural in the air.

OH-13 because it was my first

UH-1H because I've got a lot of (back seats) time in it.

I spent quite a while working the UH-1N for air rescue.  cut my teeth on it.  that was before they invented the H-60.... after 30 years i am working on guess what !!!!  helicopters.  I am in a rut  lol 

HeavyArty

 

 

 

 

this is an interesting bird.......looks alot like a cross between a Mi-24 hind and an apache.....would make an interesting kitbash project.

So many 'copters- can't say I have one favorite- perhaps three:

SH-3 SeaKing because they recovered the Apollo space capsules

Piasecki H-21 due to unusual appearance and long service

Sikorsky H-34 Chocktaw - still saw 'em hauling loads in the skies over Chicago area as of a few years ago

CH-54 / S-64 Skycrane.

Nothing Else comes close to what it can do.  'Sides, it looks like a praying mantis.

Reid

My fave Helo?

1st. Kamen Seasprite

2nd Airwolf (ok really its the H-53 series)

3rd NH-90 (Sorta like a scaled down H-53), Huey, Apache, Cobra S/W/Z models, Hind and Alligator

RotorHead10

Dang Gerald! I meant to catch your show. Ive been meaning to give it a listen. Do you play replays throughout the week?

Yes either direct from the site or iTunes.

Visit the show's page http://www.warbirdra...-modeling-hour/ each episode has its own posting, at the bottom of each is a place where you can click to listen to a livestream of the episode or download it.



To download it from iTunes, search the podcasts for Warbird Radio, use the sort feature (right click on the column) of the various program titles so The Plastic Scale Modeling Hour is easier to find.

With either you can listen to the program on portable audio device. Also the show rebroadcasts in the morning and again in the early afternoon throughout the week.

http://www.warbirdra.../info/schedule/

RotorHead10

Wasn't the S-67 the Blackhawk with no tail rotor in the back, but a big directional shrouded fan?

The S-67 Blackhawk was Sikorsky's experimental technology demonstrator gunship from the early '70s.  It looked nothing like a UH-60 Blackhawk.  Blackhawk was the name Sikorsky gave it.

The ducted-fan tail on the SH-60 Seahawk is an experiment by Piasecki, the X-49 Speedhawk. 

As to my favorite helo....thats a hard one.  I pretty much like them all.  I do have a soft spot for the Huey though.

Milairjunkie

I've always though of the Sea King as a "classic" helicopter & the any version of the CH-53 is like a pumped up Sea King, so the 53 is my favorite - being followed closely by the still born Comanche. 

You reminded me of those concepts that never made it!  I have add a concept category and include the Cheyenne and the S-67 Blackhawk.

The Cheyenne was the right answer but was just a little ahead of its time as the technology was just not quite there to make it a service ready airframe.  The S-67 was a rather mature and capable concept that was a victim of inter-service politics of the time.

I've always though of the Sea King as a "classic" helicopter & the any version of the CH-53 is like a pumped up Sea King, so the 53 is my favorite - being followed closely by the still born Comanche. 

In all seriousness, probably the Huey. Tough, versatile platform. It's like the pickup truck of helicopters.

Surprised nobody's gone with the Mi-24.

Without a doubt the Huey will always be my favorite.  besides being the first fielded turbine powered helicopter, a Huey brought dad back from every mission in one piece.  Including one day with 5 AK-47 holes in the main rotor.  Plus as much as the Army has tried to divest itself of this magnificent helicopter, the Marines will still be flying the Huey well into the next two decades.  Don't count out the old saying that "when the last Blackhawk goes to the boneyard, a Huey will carry the crew home."    It just might be a UH-1Y instead of the venerable H model that I love so much.  Long live the Huey!

    Ray

I am partial to the -60, maybe that's because I currently have one in pieces in the corner of the hangar.  It also performs a variety of roles from lift, to strike, to ECM and handles an incredible optempo with relative ease.

After that, I have always liked the CH-54 for it's practical beauty and the Mi-17 variants for their surprising capability ( saw one do a cyclic climb at 100 ft and 100 kts into a hard left turn right off the end of the runway.  I was counting blades as they went around and it still stayed in the air!)

I'm more of a Chinook guy myself.  Nothing like seeing two palm trees "having relations with a garbage can".  My house is in the flight path of the heavy lift birds coming in and out of JRB-Fort Worth.

would have to agree with the -60 as well.  spent a lot of time in the front office of one.  may not have the payload capacity of others, or the toughness of some but is a very versatile and stable platform.  plus it's just a joy to fly!

not a super big helo guy, but i've always found the Russian KA-50 to be a pretty cool chopper. its compact, packs a punch, and the contra-rotating rotors also add to the cool factor.

Tough choice.

Huey for sentimental reasons (and its like a dc-3, only thing better than a huey is another huey) Grew up around them.

Or the MH-53 Pave Low, because thats one mean lookin mother of a chopper. and Blackout is awesome (transformers)

The Apache. It's versitile and good at it's mission. Also, because they knocked out Iraqi radar with their hellfire's the first night of Desert Storm, saving myself and a lot of other airmen over there a lot of grief.

 AH-1G Cobra. Because it was the best!

Huey...cause I've got a bunch of hours in them. Another aircraft that will never die.