No Visible Means of Support

[The Chief]

Nice photograph, high res; <1 meg pix, courtesy of Navy.News.Mil. Nice composition of an SH-60F Seahawk, with both rotors in near-sync with the camera shutter.

Photo is of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron SH-60F firing a Hellfire Air-to-Ground Missile during exercise Valiant Shield 2007. HS-8 is operating with the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group. The John C. Stennis, Kitty Hawk and Nimitz Carrier Strike Groups are participating in Valiant Shield 2007, currently being held in the Guam operating area.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Nice pic, almost as good as Ned's!

 

[HH-60H]

That is an HH-60H. I know PHs (or whatever they are now) have a hard time digging up the facts to label their pictures.

 

[raptor10]

Have Navy helo's ever fired shots in anger?

 

[A4sForever]

Have Navy helo's ever fired shots in anger?

I know of at least one ....

*hint* think HAL-3

 

[BlkPny]

I know of at least one ....

*hint* think HAL-3

HAL-3, the Seawolves, was one of the Navy's most active, aggressive, and heavily decorated squadrons in Viet Nam. An awful lot of river boat crews and SEALs owe their lives to them. We worked a lot of targets with them, and I was always impressed with their courage and their performance.

I would safely guess that they had more Navy Crosses, DFC's, and Air Medals than any other squadron.

 

[A4sForever]

BlkPny's kudos to HAL-3

And this is comin' from a guy who's right up there (or down there -- all depends on your relative perspective ) with 'em ... well done, HAL-3 and VAL-4 --- they were tigers, all ...

 

[TheBubba]

Ok... how can you tell the -60 is an H vs. an F or any other model?

 

[phrogpilot73]

Ok... how can you tell the -60 is an H vs. an F or any other model?

The crap that's hanging off of it. Case in point:

SH-60B - Large Radome (I think) under the nose:

SH-60F - No hump on tail boom:

HH-60H - One hump on tail boom, none on fuselage:

MH-60S - Tail wheel further out on tail boom, similar to UH-60:

MH-60R - One hump on tail boom, one on fuselage:

DISCLAIMER: I've never flown the H-60 series, and only point out what I can identify based on the pictures on Sikorsky's website.

 

[The Chief]

... I know PHs (or whatever they are now) have a hard time digging up the facts to label their pictures.

Uhh.. I think it is Mass Communication Specialists, of course I was lucky even to have ID'd it as a '60.:icon_tong:icon_tong

 

[llnick2001]

To add to what Phrog said, the exhaust on the S and H are different than the rest.

 

[HH-60H]

Ok... how can you tell the -60 is an H vs. an F or any other model?

Well, in this particular case it is easy. If the helo in the picture is from HS-8, it is either an F or an H. However, only H's can fire hellfires (B's can too). I am not sure about R's and S'.

The rest of what phrog said is correct, except for one error of omission. The picture he labeled HH-60 as an HH-60H. There are H, G, and J models of the HH-60.

Yes, the thing under the B's nose is a radome.

Back to Bubba's question, without the picture caption, the only two clues that I can see that identify this as an H (over a B) would be the lack of a large protrusion about half way down the tail boom on the bottom (which the B has) and the position of chaff/flare launcher on the side of the tail boom.

 

[phrogpilot73]

The rest of what phrog said is correct, except for one error of omission. The picture he labeled HH-60 as an HH-60H. There are H, G, and J models of the HH-60.

Fixed. I meant to say HH-60H, and that's the picture I put up. In case anyone's curious, the G is the Pave Hawk (AFSOC), and the J is the Jayhawk (USCG).

 

[HH-60H]

... and the J is the Jayhawk (USCG).

Possibly your future aircraft.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Possibly your future aircraft.

Only time will tell! I can't talk to the detailer until I have a current flight physical (mine expired in July)...