The Great, Constantly Changing Picture Gallery, Troisième partie: la vengeance!

[Llarry]

1967 test of a CH-53A towing the USS Austin (LPD 4). Just think what a CH-53K could tow!

 

[JTS11]

1967 test of a CH-53A towing the USS Austin (LPD 4). Just think what a CH-53K could tow!


View attachment 41217

Huh? I guess there's a reason this is not a TTP. Probably didn't work out great.

This can't be what they were testing. Is there any other source material on what's going on in this pic?

 

[hscs]

1967 test of a CH-53A towing the USS Austin (LPD 4). Just think what a CH-53K could tow!


View attachment 41217

This was clearly dreamed up over beer….

 

[Uncle Fester]

Huh? I guess there's a reason this is not a TTP. Probably didn't work out great.

This can't be what they were testing. Is there any other source material on what's going on in this pic?

It was the spirit of the age. “Who cares if we need to do it, let’s just see if it’ll work.”

 

[Griz882]

While I think it was a bit of a Cold War “Fuck you, Russia!” stunt, there is a history of doing this.

The Brits…



The USCG…doing it with radial piston power!

 

[hlg6016]

It was the spirit of the age. “Who cares if we need to do it, let’s just see if it’ll work.” View attachment 41219

this was definitely dreamt up at the O-Club.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Do they have TKS?

You kid!!!

 

[Uncle Fester]

I was curious enough to dig around a bit, and apparently this technique was a no-kidding procedure for a while, called “Tugbird”. The Coasties equipped some of their helos for the mission. Problem was it was easy to lose control of the aircraft and after a couple of mishaps, the mission was discontinued.

Aviation Machinist Mate John Kaye Jr. recalls, “I Tugbirded three times and didn’t really enjoy the experience that much—something about tying things that fly to things that don’t.”

Hey, Letâs Use a Helicopter as a Tugboat!

That was the basic idea behind Project Tugbird.

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