Can you identify this chopper?

Ordinarily I wouldn't even ask "can you identify" since ATS aircraft folks I believe can identify anything. But the problem here is, although this thing made a ton of noise warning me of its approach, by the time I got done fumbling around with my phone it was almost out of range. So frustrating since it flew right past me, argh!!

Anyway, here are the 2 shots I managed to get before it got out of range. I can't provide any other features because I was busy trying to get my camera phone up and running in time. Sorry about the low quality.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/8fa20cad2496.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e0b62a9b7bc0.jpg[/atsimg]

I seen that helicopter on television before. Those copters usually pick up the President or carry military men.
www.popsci.com...
Here's a link about a similar copter.

Pasecki h21 flying banana .maybe
www.bing.com...=2e1be9aaa2277a8412c02438c5949404&furl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.strangemilitary.com%2fim ages%2fcontent%2f122661.jpg

I would have to say chinook helicopter. I see then all the time

reply to post by camaro68ss

Same here looks like a Chinook
The Chinook are a main transport foe the US marines

[edit on 8-7-2010 by hillbilly4rent]

yup, a Chinook, made by Boeing

I was hoping it was a Chinook I was freaked out that it may be one of those double rotor UFOs

Looks like a Chinook to me...big as a bus, noisy as hell...

reply to post by uptheirons!


I googled it and I'm satisfied you guys are right, as usual. And yes, it was a NOISY mother.

I don't like the way it looks for some reason.... the pylons at the rear indicate a CH-46 Sea Knight (Naval derivative of the CH-47 Chinook, more or less).

The problem is that its landing gear seem bowed outward, and the fuselage too thin. It also seems to have four sets of landing gear - though it is hard to tell.

As far as I can tell, you have two possibilities, the CH-46:







That one is much closer to the angle of your first shot - which seems to point more towards a CH-46.

It still looks a bit long and thin for a CH-46 - but that could just be due to the tree, there, making it seem longer than it really is.

However, the only other possibility I see (when it comes to tandem-rotor helicopters, which this clearly is) would be the Bristol Belvedere (or a modified version of it) .... though those are no longer in service, anywhere, that I know of (could have been a private collector or something, though).

The problem with that is that the Belvedere is a little TOO thin for the craft in your picture, and doesn't have pylons, but a sort of wing-like structure located at the extreme aft of the fuselage (not where the pylons are located on this one).

Which leads me to believe that it is a CH-46 Sea Knight with near 100% certainty.

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


yeah your correct they call the one that picks up the president is designated marine one until it picks him up then they call it airforce one i THINK but yeah good eye!!

reply to post by Aim64C


Thanks for that Aim. So let me ask, what exactly would I be looking for to tell the difference between a Chinook and a Sea Knight?

Originally posted by yuefo
Thanks for that Aim. So let me ask, what exactly would I be looking for to tell the difference between a Chinook and a Sea Knight?

Size. A CH-46 is about 45 feet long. Carry about 25 troops.

The CH-47 is about 98 feet long. Carry about 55 troops.

A CH-46 isn't "more or less" a naval version of the CH-47.

Originally posted by Romantic_Rebel
I seen that helicopter on television before. Those copters usually pick up the President or carry military men.

Nope. The President uses a VH-3D or a VH-60N (V=VIP transport).

Originally posted by Romantic_Rebel
www.popsci.com...
Here's a link about a similar copter.

VH-71 program got canx'ed due to cost overruns and they are looking for another.

reply to post by jerico65


Your post got me to looking for something to compare and I found this. It doesn't look like the length difference is as great as you indicated. Anyway, so it is a CH-46, right?

mil.cnwest.com...

[edit on 7/8/2010 by yuefo]

reply to post by 12voltz


yep, you called it CH-21 flying banana, or two superimposed CH-46's....

reply to post by yuefo



That's a great set of drawings showing the difference between the two aircraft, but are they to scale?

Originally posted by freetree64
yep, you called it CH-21 flying banana, or two superimposed CH-46's....

Nope. The H-21 has vertical stabs on both sides of the tail, it's long and skinny, and doesn't have the sponsons that a 46 or 47 has.

Originally posted by yuefo
reply to post by Aim64C

 

Thanks for that Aim. So let me ask, what exactly would I be looking for to tell the difference between a Chinook and a Sea Knight?

The CH-47 has four landing gear, the CH-46 has three in a tricycle arrangement.

The CH-46 also has the fuel pylons located at the rear that the CH-47 does not have (those things sticking out of the sides that the landing gear are mounted to).

There is a size difference - but it will be hard for anyone to tell the difference between the two based on their length.

reply to post by jerico65


Can't see the rear well enough in the photo, one thing's for sure it definitely wasn't this model of the CH-46......

helicopterphotos.net...