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Helicopters!

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I'm fascinated with these machines. They seem to glide along in an ungainly way, twisting as they take off as if the pilot doesn't have perfect control, yet they are so versatile. In Los Angeles they are used by the police, news companies and traffic reporters as well as for shuttling people to and from airports. The most impressive are the helicopters that signal the arrival of a presidential mission to the city, most often for campaigning!


Here are some of the pictures from a recent fly past.


_MG_6034_800.jpg


Asher Kelman: A Pair of Important Looking Helicopters! #1



_MG_6043_800.jpg


Asher Kelman: Important Looking Green Helicopter!



_MG_6039_800_copy.jpg


Asher Kelman: Important Looking Helicopters! #2


I wonder who might be able to identify the models and also surprise us with your own favorites!

Asher
 

Jean Henderson

New member
Life Star Approach and Landing

One day this spring, I was waiting for the bus when Life Star came in for a landing. I pulled out my P&S from my purse and shot away. These birds come to our community hospital from two different bigger hospitals. You can tell which one it is by the chopper's sounds, too.

p1286210826-3.jpg


p1286210838-3.jpg


p1286210940-3.jpg


p1286210864-3.jpg


p1286210972-3.jpg

Jean
 
I'm fascinated with these machines. They seem to glide along in an ungainly way, twisting as they take off as if the pilot doesn't have perfect control, yet they are so versatile. In Los Angeles they are used by the police, news companies and traffic reporters as well as for shuttling people to and from airports. The most impressive are the helicopters that signal the arrival of a presidential mission to the city, most often for campaigning!


Here are some of the pictures from a recent fly past.


_MG_6034_800.jpg


Asher Kelman: A Pair of Important Looking Helicopters! #1



_MG_6043_800.jpg


Asher Kelman: Important Looking Green Helicopter!



_MG_6039_800_copy.jpg


Asher Kelman: Important Looking Helicopters! #2


I wonder who might be able to identify the models and also surprise us with your own favorites!

Asher

Asher, you know I like to google, right.. well, I have your answers...

the top and the bottom pairs are Boeing Ch46 Sea Knights. They are very similar to the Ch47 Chinook but checking out a comparison of both, it is obvious they are the first. These are used for cargo and personnel, mainly.

the middle one, the green helicopter is is an executive V.I.P. helicopter.
It's a Sikorsky VH 3D (S-61B) Aircraft. It is also called the Sea King. It is used for the President of the UNITED STATES , Vice President etc., Plans for a new helicopter are envisioned for 2017.
Oh, and VH 60N's are also used, but they have their wheels in different places etc.,
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Asher, you know I like to google, right.. well, I have your answers...

the top and the bottom pairs are Boeing Ch46 Sea Knights. They are very similar to the Ch47 Chinook but checking out a comparison of both, it is obvious they are the first. These are used for cargo and personnel, mainly.

the middle one, the green helicopter is is an executive V.I.P. helicopter.
It's a Sikorsky VH 3D (S-61B) Aircraft. It is also called the Sea King. It is used for the President of the UNITED STATES , Vice President etc., Plans for a new helicopter are envisioned for 2017.
Oh, and VH 60N's are also used, but they have their wheels in different places etc.,

Yes, Maggie, your identification if correct! The Sikorsky is the green Air Force One 'copter according to my pilot friend Paul. The two in formation are Boeing Vertols.

Magnificent birds. I suspect that they are armed with everything unimaginable, LOL!

Asher
 
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
One day this spring, I was waiting for the bus when Life Star came in for a landing. I pulled out my P&S from my purse and shot away. These birds come to our community hospital from two different bigger hospitals. You can tell which one it is by the chopper's sounds, too.Jean



p1286210838-3.jpg



Jean,

I like this shot the best. One does not get the opportunity to choose san ideal angle, but at least when the 'copter is against the sky, it stands out well!

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Now I know the identity of the airplanes, I discovered that indeed "Marines" is painted on the underside of the giant Boeing helicopter.


_MG_6041_underside_Marines_Cropped_900.jpg


Asher Kelman: Marine Helicopter Protecting Presidential Sikorsky


I believe there's a helmetted marine with sunglasses, behind the bubble glass on the side. I'd imagine that this fellow has the buttons of some guns or missiles to protect Airforce One!

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
7071805831_929294c788_c.jpg

Jake,

This seems awfully hazardous work with the risk of the rope getting tangled in trees. That's how the "bad guys" usually get killed in thrillers. I guess there's a quick release!

Asher
 

StuartRae

New member
Sunday April 28th 1991.
At the top of the climb from Lingcove Bridge the valley suddenly opens out, and there in front of us was a broken rescue helicopter.

009.jpg


010.jpg


011.jpg


012.jpg


It had carried out the rescue of a climber from Esk Buttress (centre image, 400 ft of clean rock) the day before and clipped the rock face.

eskdale-pano.jpg


Regards,

Stuart
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Sunday April 28th 1991.
At the top of the climb from Lingcove Bridge the valley suddenly opens out, and there in front of us was a broken rescue helicopter. It had carried out the rescue of a climber from Esk Buttress (centre image, 400 ft of clean rock) the day before and clipped the rock face.


012.jpg




Stuart,

This is in itself a fabulous dramatic picture. The tent is a great idea. I expect it's for emergencies just like this. Did they have the rescued person in that tent? Pretty fantastic shot and lucky for those who survived that crash. How they landed so well is a miracle. Good thing they were so low that they had some main rotor power still after the clipped tail!


eskdale-pano.jpg

So i guess this is a hand held pano of the area you've taken since then?


Stuart​
 

StuartRae

New member
Hi Asher,

The tent is a great idea. I expect it's for emergencies just like this. Did they have the rescued person in that tent? Pretty fantastic shot and lucky for those who survived that crash. How they landed so well is a miracle. Good thing they were so low that they had some main rotor power still after the clipped tail!

The casualty was rescued by a second helicopter. The tent is for RAF personnel guarding the crashed Sea King, which was eventually lifted out by a Chinook.

So i guess this is a hand held pano of the area you've taken since then?

Correct; it was taken in September 2000.

Regards,

Stuart
 

StuartRae

New member
Asher, you know I like to google, right.. well, I have your answers...

the top and the bottom pairs are Boeing Ch46 Sea Knights. They are very similar to the Ch47 Chinook ...............

Just to complete the comparison, here's a picture of a Chinook. Before flying operations at RAF Lyneham ceased last September, pending its closure next month, I lived in the flight path. Mostly Fat Alberts (Hercules), but Chinooks were quite common. Not a great shot, but the only one I can find.

It was a Chinook that was used to recover the crashed Sea King rescue helicopter in my previous post.

chinook.jpg

Regards,

Stuart
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Just to complete the comparison, here's a picture of a Chinook. Before flying operations at RAF Lyneham ceased last September, pending its closure next month, I lived in the flight path. Mostly Fat Alberts (Hercules), but Chinooks were quite common. Not a great shot, but the only one I can find.

It was a Chinook that was used to recover the crashed Sea King rescue helicopter in my previous post.
chinook.jpg

These are magnificent and massive! Somehow it brings to mind the machines from many decades back!

Now I wonder when we're going to see Russian helicopters. I remember a lot of those were seen over Afghanistan in the time of the Soviet empire fighting the mujahadin. Quite a few of these remained in active service with the Afghan Army to ferry reporters around!

Asher
 

Steve Robinson

New member
Here's my take on a helo shot. It's a challenge to shoot with a slowish shutter speed to get enough blur in the main rotor as the helo is constantly vibrating as well as moving. Pentax K5, DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, 135mm, 1/30 @ f/11, ISO 100, PP in LR 4.2.

Sikorsky S-61.
Helo-2750.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Here's my take on a helo shot. It's a challenge to shoot with a slowish shutter speed to get enough blur in the main rotor as the helo is constantly vibrating as well as moving. Pentax K5, DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, 135mm, 1/30 @ f/11, ISO 100, PP in LR 4.2.

Sikorsky S-61.
Helo-2750.jpg


Steve,

You chose shutter speed well as we rarely see the rear rotor so well and the large rotor has the wedge blur effect that we recognize. If course, you might bracket speeds. Hmm I've never done that! I'm always in aperture priority!

Asher
 
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