67-18546

 

             67-18546, Boeing build number B-515, was a CH-47C helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 9 August 1968. 67-18546 accumulated 4,342.0 aircraft hours. At some point, 67-18546 was assigned to the 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Black Cats", located at Phu Loi in the Republic of Viet Nam (RVN). At some point, 67-18546 and the 213th ASHC were relocated to the Republic of Korea (ROK). At some point the 213th ASHC was re-designated A Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, and then later A Company, 2nd Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, located at Camp Humphrey, Korea. On 5 September 1989, 67-18546 was inducted into the D model program and converted to 89-00166. As of 5 September 1989, the last known location of 67-18546 was at Boeing during the conversion. Aircraft status: Converted to D model.

 

 

         
Chinook helicopter 67-18546 performing a fire bucket mission at Tae Ninh Airfield, RVN, in the fall of 1971.

 

          Courtesy Bobby T. Crees:

   67-18546 was first assigned to the Black Cats while in the Republic of Viet Nam at Phu Loi. It was inducted into the "D" Model program and is now 89-00166.

   I was the Aircraft Commander in this photo. This occurred at Tae Ninh Airfield, RVN, in the fall of 1971. The 100,000 gallon fuel storage facility had been struck by a 120mm rocket. I was on fire bucket standby in Phu Loi (about 45 minute flight) when the call was received to try to put it out. We were unsuccessful because the water point was about one mile away. We filled the buckets half full of water then returned to the airfield where ARVN military poured light water (foam) into the buckets to fill them up using five gallon containers. It took about 20 minutes to accomplish this and by then the fire was back to its original rate. We made several attempts but to no avail.

   The buckets are two 350 gallon fiberglass containers which were originally electrically operated. The electric actuator continued to short out so the hydraulic shop converted them to hydraulically operated. A hydraulic line was attached to the sling and continued up through the hole. They were then attached to the utility hydraulics in the vicinity of the utility hydraulic accumulator. I personnally don't know exactly how. An aluminum plate was used to attach the switching mechanism and laid next to the FE. It was great fun!!!!!

 

 

          This aircraft was piloted by:

 

          CW2 Bobby T. Crees, AC, 1971.

 

          Your Name Here.

 

 

          This aircraft was crewed by:

 

          Your Name Here.

 

 

          The CH-47 - 40 years old and still circling the world.

         

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