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The S-61R differs significantly in a number of ways from the original S-61, in that it has a more capacious boat-type hull, modified to take a rear loading ramp, while the two sponsons have been replaced by two stub wings set farther back, into which the rear members of the tricycle landing gear retract.
The prototype was built by the company as a private venture and flown with a civil registration on 17 June 1963. However, the USAF had already placed an order with Sikorsky in February of that year for 22 aircraft, designated CH-3C, and they began to receive the first helicopters at the end of 1963. Subsequent orders brought the total number for the USAF to 133.
The CH-3C was used in the Vietnam War for rescuing pilots who had been shot down and came to be nicknamed the "Jolly Green Giant"; it was given more powerful turbines from February 1965 and redesignated CH-3E. The uprated "Green Giant" could carry 26 troops or 15 wounded, or vehicles of equivalent weight, and could also be armed with two Emerson turrets on the leading edges of the two stub wings. Forty-two CH-3Es were built, in addition to which 41 CH-3Cs were modified to this standard. The USAF also asked for specific modifications to be made to this helicopter to meet the demands of the Vietnam War: application of armour; use of supplementary fuel tanks for extended flights; self-sealing internal fuel tanks and a telescopic in-flight refuelling probe. Two of the first aircraft of the 50 to be built in the HH-3E rescue version became famous in 1967 by flying non-stop from New York to Paris (for the Air Show), covering the 6870km journey with nine refuellings by airtankers.
In August 1965, the US Coast Guard ordered a special version of the HH-3 which was given the designation HH-3F Pelican. This paramilitary American rescue service needed an aircraft with all-weather capability, which could safely land on water, and the HH-3F was the ideal solution. The Pelican was virtually identical to the HH-3E, apart from the lack of protection, armament and other military equipment. It had an AN/APN-195 search radar on the port side of the nose. The US Coast Guard received 40 HH-3Fs. The only foreign license-holder for this variant was Agusta, who began producing it in 1974. The 22 aircraft built by Agusta were all delivered to the Italian Air Force as replacements for the old, amphibious Grumman Albatross used for search and rescue missions at sea. G.Apostolo "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters", 1984
FACTS AND FIGURES- Two HH-3Es made the first non-stop
transatlantic helicopter flights in 1967,
making nine tanker contacts each. - The first S-61R flew on 17 June 1963,
almost one month ahead of schedule. - The CH-3E could seat up to 30 troops or
carry 2270kg of cargo. - At least nine USAF surplus CH-3Es and
HH-3Es were purchased by the US Coast
Guard to supplement their 40 HH-3Fs. - In 1975 CH/HH-3Es became the first
helicopters in the US Air National Guard. - Variants of Sikorsky's S-70 have replaced
S-61Rs in US service.
| Technical data for Sikorsky CH-3C
Engine: 2 x General Electric T58-GE-1 turboshaft, rated at 969kW,
main rotor diameter: 18.90m,
fuselage length: 17.45m,
height: 5.51m,
take-off weight: 9750kg,
max speed: 261km/h,
cruising speed: 232km/h,
hovering ceiling, OGE: 2600m,
range with max fuel: 748km,
payload: 3630kg
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| Mauro Laurenzi, e-mail, 07.02.2014 | reply |
Flew the HH3F /B produced under license by Agusta. New avionics /nav /comms /flir /variuos counter-measures and machine guns........great memories, great machine unfortunatelly going to be replaced at the moment. | | bailey, e-mail, 02.07.2010 | reply |
it is great! | | terry s. owens sr., e-mail, 04.07.2014 | reply |
I have 12 years experience working on ch-3c and hh-3 helicopters at andrews afb and osan ab korea . I took 3 h-3's to pontiac michgan in1987 to fly with vice president george bush to see the pope. | | Bob C, e-mail, 10.10.2012 | reply |
Hi guys, hope you won't mind me chipping in, but thought you might find this of interest. In 1975 I was a sergeant serving in the British army surface to air missiles. I had the honour of flying in the CH63 at the Paris air show. Skiorsky flight crew took over a Jolly green Giant from the the American air base at Woodbridge and we joined up with them to train for the air show. We had to lay on a demo to show how the CH could carry a Land Rover and Rapier missile launcher. Every day Jim would take off and show what the CH could do. He would then land in the middle of the run way and we would deploy the launcher. I'm 60 now but still remember those days with great affection. | | DeWitt Kavanaugh, e-mail, 19.10.2012 | reply |
My dad was a member of the 302nd... Mike Kavanaugh. He passed away in 2001 but my mom, Maggie is doing well in Florence (no she is not in prison). I had such good memories as a kid coming out to Luke... A lot of these names ring a bell. I hope all is well. | | John Furqueron AEC-USCG, e-mail, 08.04.2010 | reply |
I flew as aircrew in the Coast Guard HH-3F at CGAS Puerto Rico & Astoria, Oregon. We did a lot of searches and rescues from the HH-3F and it always performed well. | | John Furqueron AEC-USCG, e-mail, 08.04.2010 | reply |
I flew as aircrew in the Coast Guard HH-3F at CGAS Puerto Rico & Astoria, Oregon. We did a lot of searches and rescues from the HH-3F and it always performed well. | | Joyce Bernier-Lilley, e-mail, 20.02.2010 | reply |
I was a member of the 302. I have pictures of our unit at the lake. I live in maryland now. | | Roger (Ramjet) Arnott, e-mail, 02.09.2009 | reply |
I was flight engineer on the Ch-3 at Luke AFB,AZ,302 SOS been trying to fine pictures of 302 and aircraft. 1978-1980. Mine all burned in house fire. Also would like to hear from people that were in that unit then. | |
| | Jeff Long, e-mail, 15.07.2009 | reply |
Don't have any personal experience with the Jolly Green, but understand that "BAT 21" included one flown by a good friend, Cpt John Call, of Silver Spring, MD., and who died during a crash on that mission. We grew up together. Anyone know him? | | Colonel Larry Mayes, USAF (Retired), e-mail, 09.03.2009 | reply |
The crash site of Jolly 71 was found during the successful search for the crash site of Jolly 23. I know the A /C of Jolly 71, Major Holly Bell's remains were repatriated in 1989, but I have found no reference to efforts by CILHI to visit and possibly recover the remains of the other crew members of Jolly 71. Can any one out there clarify if or why not the recovery effort has or has not occured?? Thanks. | | Margaret Robertson, e-mail, 21.01.2008 | reply |
love the herby sound just sight forgot sound. | | penny juday, e-mail, 20.09.2007 | reply |
hello, help please. i need measurements of the interiors and doors of several helicopters. can you tell me where i might find the specs? i am working on a movie for sony pictures.
thank you... | | Ramond Christopher, 21.04.2007 | reply |
Corrected; MATT and 2004
Art you may know this already but Matt Kirkpatrick passed away in 2004. I have been e-mailing several people one who left a Pony at Lima Site 85. He is now a professor at Ca Poly. Myself and James G.A. Smith contributed the historical data for the H3's on the Golly Green site. Jim and I were members of the 302 SOS and 71 SOS which flew H3's for Like AFB and DMAFB from 1977 to 1995. All of our aircraft were for the Vietnam conflict. One sits at the Wright-Patterson muesum. You may know her, 676, Black Maria. Yes we flew them in Desert Storm except for 676 which was ferried there a month after we deployed. | | Ramond Christopher, e-mail, 21.04.2007 | reply |
Art you may know this already but Mtt Kirkpatrick passed away in 1994. I have been e-mailing several people one who left a Pony at Lima Site 85. He is now a professor at Ca Poly. Myself and James G.A. Smith contributed the historical data for the H3's on the Golly Green site. Jim and I were members of the 302 SOS and 71 SOS which flew H3's for Like AFB and DMAFB from 1977 to 1995. All of our aircraft were for the Vietnam conflict. One sits at the Wright-Patterson muesum. You may know her, 676, Black Maria. Yes we flew them in Desert Storm except for 676 which was ferried there a month after we deployed.
Chris | | Art Wallace, e-mail, 30.12.2006 | reply |
I flew the CH-3 in South East Asia 1967-68 with the 20th SOS, Pony Express, at Udorn RTAFB, and I've been trying to find a desk model but with no luck. |
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