The Coast Guard HO4S (later designated the HH-19G) was based on the Navy’s first operational ASW helicopter. The Navy’s wish for a longer-endurance hunter/killer able to carry sonar and weapons simultaneously led to the 14,000-pound Sikorsky S-58 (Navy HSS-1) with a 1,525-horsepower Wright radial engine and automatic hover capability. The Coast Guard aviation plan of 1957 specified 79 medium-range helicopters capable of rescuing six survivors 300 nautical miles offshore, and the service ordered six S-58/HUS-1G helicopters in 1959. In 1960, Lt. Cmdr. James Sigman flew one from AirSta New Orleans into Hurricane Ethel to search for a lost fishing vessel.
Nine of the more powerful, more capable Sikorsky HUS-1G (aka HH-34 Seahorse) helicopters, which introduced hands-off night hover capability, flew for the Coast Guard between 1959 and 1963. While able to carry more load greater distances, helicopters to this point had been dependent upon heavy and sometimes unreliable piston engines for power. Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives photo
Though the HUS-1G (later redesignated HH-34F) was a more capable, more sophisticated aircraft than the HO4S-1, two of the big piston engine helicopters crashed into Tampa Bay during a single rescue in September 1960. Another was lost in November 1962 in the Gulf of Mexico. The remaining HH-34Fs were relinquished soon after, and the Coast Guard looked to a new generation of amphibious, turbine-powered
helicopters.
TURBINE TRANSITION
Despite its substantial size and installed power, the HUS-1G was limited by its heavy reciprocating engine, especially at high ambient temperatures. Turboshaft engines promised more power in a far lighter package with greater reliability. Sikorsky flew twin General Electric T58 turboshafts on an HSS-1F test helicopter in February 1957. Later that same year, the company announced development of the 8,300-pound S-62, with a single T58 de-rated to 730 shaft horse power, HO4S dynamics, 10-passenger cabin, and a boat hull for water landings.
The commercial S-62 became the Coast Guard HU2S-1G or HH-52A Seaguard, with hydraulic rescue hoist and fold-out platform for water rescues. The HH-52A stability augmentation system also provided a beep-to-a-hover function that brought the helicopter to a stable hover over water at night.
The HH-52A first flew in 1958 and passed a Coast Guard-directed test program at the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland. The first operational delivery was made to AirSta Salem, Massachusetts, in December 1962. The last of 99 HH-52As was delivered in 1969. During their time on alert, HH-52As were credited with more than 15,000 “saves.”
The amphibious HH-52A joined the Coast Guard in 1963 and logged more than 15,000 “saves” in its career. The HH-52 and HH-3F were the last Coast Guard helicopters to be amphibious. Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives photo
On the night of Dec. 21, 1968, Lt. Cmdr. George Garbe flew an HH-52A to rescue five sailors from a fishing vessel grounded and breaking up off Marmot Island, Alaska. Unable to climb higher because of freezing conditions, Garbe proceeded in darkness through heavy snow showers and fog. He executed a beep-to-a-hover approach, turned off aircraft lights to eliminate reflections from sea spray and snow, and landed in the water about a mile from the vessel. With searchlight back on, Garbe taxied the helicopter toward the vessel until rocks appeared. He lifted again to air-taxi over the ship and held the HH-52A over the stern while staying clear of surrounding terrain and ship’s rigging. He returned five times to rescue the crew.
HH-52s served the Coast Guard well from 1963 to 1986, but they were limited to a rescue radius of about 150 nautical miles and on hot days could typically carry only three survivors and crew. The Coast Guard wanted a medium-range recovery (MRR) helicopter to fly 300 nautical miles, loiter 30 minutes, and return with six survivors plus crew. The twin-turbine, long-body Sikorsky S-61R amphibian in production for the Air Force won the MRR competition. It was the HH-3E Jolly Green Giant combat SAR helicopter of the Air Force in Southeast Asia. Significantly, three Coast Guard aviators flew with Air Force rescue squadrons in Vietnam. Lt. Jack Rittichier was lost on June 9, 1968, trying to rescue a downed Marine pilot and was awarded the Silver Star posthumously.
The HH-52 Seaguard brought lightweight, reliable turbine power to the Coast Guard helicopter fleet. HH-52As deployed during Hurricane Betsy in 1965 were credited with 1,200 saves. Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives photo
The Coast Guard HH-3F first flew on Oct. 11, 1967, and 40 “Pelicans” were delivered from December 1968 to June 1972. (In 1990, the Coast Guard bolstered the fleet with a mix of nine Air Force HH-3Es and CH-3Es.) The HH-3F first implementation station was AirSta New Orleans. At around 19,000-pounds normal mission weight, the HH-3F with 4,000-pound normal fuel had 3 to 3.5 hours endurance plus reserves. Maximum gross weight with up to 6,000-pounds of internal auxiliary fuel was 22,050 pounds.
On March 1, 1977, Lt. James Stiles rescued four crewmen from a fishing vessel sinking off Cape Sarichef, Alaska. From AirSta Kodiak, his HH-3F flew 475 miles under ceilings as low as 100 feet with half-mile visibility in heavy snow showers, icing, and winds gusting to 70 knots. On scene, Stiles hovered over the vessel while his crew hoisted the four sailors aboard to return in treacherous weather. Less than two years later, Stiles and two of his crew were lost attempting to rescue an injured sailor from a Japanese fishing vessel 200 nautical miles from AirSta Cape Cod, Massachusetts.