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Sikorsky SH-34J 'Sea Horse'

Description
  Manufacturer:Sikorsky
  Base model:H-34
  Designation:SH-34
  Version:J
  Nickname:Sea Horse
  Equivalent to: HSS-1N
  Designation System:U.S. Air Force
  Designation Period:1948-Present
  Basic role:Helicopter
  Modified Mission:Anti-submarine
  See Also:

Specifications
Not Yet Available

Known serial numbers
151729 / 151731, 152380 / 152381, 153617 / 153622

Examples of this type may be found at
MuseumCityState
Fred E. Weisbrod Museum / International B-24 MuseumPuebloColorado


 

Recent comments by our visitors
 DAN SHEA
 Burbank, CA
Hello Gentlemen,

Just happened to be going thru the family "war chest" that I (sadly) inherited when my Dad recently passed. I found a couple Navy name tags that belonged to my uncle (Cdr Jim Shea - dec.) with squadrons from his later career - HS-772 & HS-773.

So, I Googled HS-772 and found this post.

I wanted to find out more about these squadrons because I know he flew during the Apollo capsule-recovery missions before he retired between the late 60's ND MID 70's. He started with the HS-4 Black Knights on the Princeton and has Sikorsky rescue awards for Tonkin.

Anyone recognize the name? Any history to offer? Please e/mail me - I'll try to remember to check this post but I send out quite a of these feelers...

V/R
D. Shea
inspro2000@sbcglobal.net


10/14/2014 @ 17:02 [ref: 68694]
 Michael D. Byers
 Rockland, MA
To anyone who can help me,

I joined the Naval Air Reserves in 1963 just out of High School and was assigned to HS-773 Helo Squadron based at Los Alamitos, Calif. I spent my boot camp there and finally went active duty in 1965, going to "A" School for ADR at NATTC Memphis, and then on to NAS South Weymouth, Mass. I can surely remember my shaking around in that Seahorse, especially when we were just landing and the ground air buffeted us around (kind of scary).

My main inquiry is finding out where I could obtain a Squadron Patch of HS-773 back when it was still HS-773. If anyone could direct me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you, Michael Byers, ADR1 Naval Air Reserves
03/27/2010 @ 04:17 [ref: 25930]
 Roger L. Brown
 Pueblo West, CO
Does anyone have or know of pictures of the Sikorsky SH-34J instrument panel?
08/07/2008 @ 12:37 [ref: 22390]
 Philip B. Rossetti
 Noblesville, IN
I enlisted in the United States Naval Air Reserve, December,1963, at USNAS Los Alamitos, California, as a member of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron HS-771, as a "Weekend Warrior". In April, 1964, I was sent to NATTC Memphis, Tennessee, for six months; 1 month Boot Camp (special for the Reserves), followed by 2 weeks of Aircraft Familiarization School, and then "A" school for the balance. You could accelerate your A school schedule so that you could complete a 6 month curriculum in what time you had left of your 6 month active duty for training. I graduated from Avionics school as an AX, Aviation Anti Submarine Warfare Technician (SONAR).

At this time, the basic mission of the USNR HS (Rotary Wing), VS (Short Range Patrol) and VP (Long Range Patrol) squadrons was Anti-Submarine Warfare, and we in Southern California spent our drill weekends flying SH-34J's up and down the coastline from San Diego to Point Mugu, searching, not only for Soviet submarines but those pesky Russian antenna festooned "fishing trawlers" as well. We must have done a hellava job keeping them away as we never saw a single one from '63 thru '70.

Around 1969, we were transitioned from our beloved SH-34J's to the SH-3A Sea King, and the three Los Alamitos based squadrons (HS-771, HS-772 and HS-773) were combined into HS-84, of which I am a Plank Owner. In 1970, HS-84 was transferred to NAS North Island, San Diego, California, where it still exists today as HSL-84, flying HS-60's.

The SH-34 was a sound and reliable bird but noisy and a real vibrator. The ASW gear was primitive and you had to have good hearing to be able to tell if a target was coming toward you or away from you, (Doppler shift, it was called). But when I think of all the hours I flew over open ocean in that bird, one piston engine, non-amphibios, sometimes 20+ miles from shore, . . . man how stupid can you be???!!! But, I was much younger then.

Philip B. Rossetti, AX1, USN, Ret.

P.S. My cousin, William Chabot, was the Chief flight test engineer for the prototype H-34 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. I still have an original copy of his final report as part of my library.
.

02/19/2007 @ 16:40 [ref: 15590]
 Philip B. Rossetti
 Noblesville, IN
I enlisted in the United States Naval Air Reserve, December,1963, at USNAS Los Alamitos, California, as a member of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron HS-771, as a "Weekend Warrior". In April, 1964, I was sent to NATTC Memphis, Tennessee, for six months; 1 month Boot Camp (special for the Reserves), followed by 2 weeks of Aircraft Familiarization School, and then "A" school for the balance. You could accelerate your A school schedule so that you could complete a 6 month curriculum in what time you had left of your 6 month active duty for training. I graduated from Avionics school as an AX, Aviation Anti Submarine Warfare Technician (SONAR).

At this time, the basic mission of the USNR HS (Rotary Wing), VS (Short Range Patrol) and VP (Long Range Patrol) squadrons was Anti-Submarine Warfare, and we in Southern California spent our drill weekends flying SH-34J's up and down the coastline from San Diego to Point Mugu, searching, not only for Soviet submarines but those pesky Russian antenna festooned "fishing trawlers" as well. We must have done a hellava job keeping them away as we never saw a single one from '63 thru '70.

Around 1969, we were transitioned from our beloved SH-34J's to the SH-3A Sea King, and the three Los Alamitos based squadrons (HS-771, HS-772 and HS-773) were combined into HS-84, of which I am a Plank Owner. In 1970, HS-84 was transferred to NAS North Island, San Diego, California, where it still exists today as HSL-84, flying HS-60's.

The SH-34 was a sound and reliable bird but noisy and a real vibrator. The ASW gear was primitive and you had to have good hearing to be able to tell if a target was coming toward you or away from you, (Doppler shift, it was called). But when I think of all the hours I flew over open ocean in that bird, one piston engine, non-amphibios, sometimes 20+ miles from shore, . . . man how stupid can you be???!!! But, I was much younger then.

Philip B. Rossetti, AX1, USN, Ret.
02/19/2007 @ 16:36 [ref: 15589]
 Keith Honhart
 Birmingham, MI
In 1964, I enlisted in the Naval Air Reserve (USNR-R) program at NAS Grosse Ile. This air station was on the island of the same name at the lower end of the Detroit River. It dated back to the early '20's and was a primary flight training base during WW-2. It was closed in the early "70's.

I went to NAS Memphis for 4 weeks basic and 5 months "A" School (Aviation Electronics). On return to Grosse Ile, I was assigned to Helicopter Squadron HS-732. Our primary mission was ASW and we had 5 or 6 SH-34J's. Actual training on the ASW gear consisted of "dipping" in Lake Erie and trying to get a "ping" off the sides of lake freighters. We drilled one weekend a month and did a 2-week stint, usually in the Spring. Several cruises were in Key West, FL. I flew in the back seat for about a year, but didn't get much flight time as we had a lot of equipment problems (engines). We lost 2 planes due to sudden power loss. One went down in Lake Erie and was recovered. The other went into the south end of Lake Huron and I believe it's still there. All 8 crewmen got out without injury, but were kind'a shook up.

Those old planes were horrendously noisy to be around, or fly in, plus they vibrated like crazy. In, I believe 1970, we were moved to Selfridge Field and the old birds were hauled off somewhere. We were given SH-3A's in their place. Really a big improvement. My enlistment was up in 1972 and I did not ship-over. All in all, I had a lot of fun in that program and the "34's" were a hoot to fly in. I met a lot great guys, both enlisted and officers. Why we never got called up for duty in Viet Nam has always been a mystery to me, but I'm not complaining. Thanks for the chance to comment on your web-site!

Keith Honhart
ATN-2 (retired)
06/04/2002 @ 17:49 [ref: 5051]

 

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