• Heavylift helicopter • Flying crane • Salvage and retrieval
This bizarre-looking but superbly performing machine has got real muscle. Called tho CH-54 Tarhe – an American Indian name meaning ‘crane’ – by soldiers and the S-64 by its makers and by civilians, the big Sikorsky SkyCrane lifts, hauls and delivers almost any cargo on a sling or in a van under its fuselage. Used In combat in Vietnam, this veteran went on to servo on construction projects, oilfields and logging sites, where the SkyCrane works today as a heavylift champion of the skies.
▼ Flying crane
The S-64 was little more than a rotor system with a cockpit on the front. The giant legs could straddle just about anything the hehcoptec could lift.
< Troopship helicopter ▲
To turn tho S-64 into a troop assault helicopter. Sikorsky designed а special pod which could be clipped underneath the aircraft. This could accommodate a largo number of fully-armed troops.
FACTS AND FIGURES
>• CH-54 Tnrhe helicopters In Vietnam retrieved 380 shot-down aircraft, saving S210 million.
► The S-64 mnde its first flight on 9 May 1962; about 20 ore still flying today.
>• The S-04’e cargo pod Is a box 8.36 x 2.69 x 1.98 m (approximately 27 x 9 x 6 ft.)
> When repairs were needed to tho 11000-kg (24,250 lb.) statue atop Washington’s Capitol dome. It was lifted away ond thon returned by a SkyCrano.
^ This colossal ‘dorrick of tho air’ was patterned after Sikorsky’s earlier S-60 heavy liftor.
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A huge variety of missions can be flown by the Tarhe, from airlifting field hospitals (left) through the recovery of crashed aircraft (below). The aircraft shown left is fitted with skis to operate from snow, and carries extra fuel tanks on the inside of the undercarriage legs.
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mission, the SkyCrane carried а 4>Vvkg t 10,000-lb.) bomb used to blast away trees to create a landing zone
Tlie improved Cll-Vtb model set international payload and climb records which stood for years licfore bigger. Russian-Іміііі craft exceeded them The newer Chinook and Stallion luive replaced the SkyCrane In the Army, releasing many of these. sturdy ships for private use
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Today the ageing SkyCrane has been retired from military service ami is much missed by the I S Army Some still soldier on in civil hands, however, hauling logs and outsize cargoes that no other helicopter can touch.
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The Turbos tal rotor wan я oenvonuonni tout-Wadcd unit ruined to mat o( the Sea King Imrn which « was dorsad
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The Tamo nact iwo angr «“>. when ctrcrvc mo manroior iiirouyti a conirnt gwrtxx*. Тій dowo» from «the ongne OtxAl keep Ию СИ-54 оІсЛ In an emergency, but not wtUn і ігуоу a tood
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Since the CH-545 job was to lift heavy toads ra’Jw than By b»t or ftghe, much ot the rotor system was Ht uncovered, witeji made mantorvonco aasnr Ruining along Urn top ot the twboom from t»ve engrmy to I ho tail was tho drivo-nhaft tor the tal rotor,
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ю CH 54 was one ot the fvr. t odtJar jrctar The cabn ■‘ion. drive tran and leogo were ritorchangoatoto •t j when couo bo rnptocod ft – title oflorl in the ie*ld
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S-64 by t-korsky, the Tame >xd n modrtrod • -* ЖГО ot tho s et, 5aa Ктд front ond – ated! o U tt»mg ■one’ typo fuselage
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Thn nnrtoronmwjo togs worn made vwy wvm and taJ so trvw the Tarhe could straddto most loads Attachment Pont» on die conimi tusofage ctxJd hod pods desgned spooofly tor the Tartw or.«Amg fcoib corned on strops and cables. In Vtolnam the CH-54 ovon Amctorcd аз а bomb*v, dropping grant wivijxm to tdoor vogetaton tor landing ertoe or ortilery omptocemoeta
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As wot as convontlcrot larword-taano portion#, ire сосков ol Ию Тэте tovo hod a rearward-Ілсюд sf-i’.cn w«h a largo guuod iron This ttoov.») the crew to така drtcate nvmoouv*os when picking up ioodr..
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Although inn standard twee COM3 slog loads ol i® to поте try то», it «»» not *o much a иылу to horet neevy ««guts but moos its ab. it, to dool wUh mskword or ouhrer loadt when moan the ScyCrana such a usolii. and meotaceobe workhers*.
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Itoavym hetcooWm we ganeraty caUrd on to move Iher bade ove» reurt/i-wy short distance», to «not» they can be irans-ampped to more convecoonal means ol traraportatKxv As a result, thoy do not need в tong opwatlng range
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VEHICLE TRANSPORT: Many typo-4 ot vehicle could bo carried from the underfuselafle attachment points
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AIRCRAFT RECOVERY: Tames regularly retrieved crashed or damaged aircrati.
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MAKESHIFT BOMBER: In Vietnam CH-54s dropped the BLU-82 bomb to make cteaietgs m the jungle
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OUTSIZE LOADS: A bewildering variety of toad# has boon carried by CH-54s, InekKfaig boats
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PLACING ARTILLERY: The CH-54 was the pnnopal means by which the US Army shifted its artillery amend tho battlefield
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Sikorsky
