Dates |
|
Event |
|
|
Constructed as a HH-53B. |
Circa 1966 |
|
Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 66-14433.
The first aircraft to be fitted with PAVE LOW I trials for a projected night/all-weather combat rescue/infiltration mission. Fitted with early low-light TV system which proved inadequate, though the first successful night rescue was made with an improved system in December 1972, in Laos. The aircraft later modified to PAVE LOW II standard, with external sponsons and tanks. |
From 1967 to 1972 |
|
Flew combat missions during the Vietnam War. |
18 September 1975 |
|
Redesignated as HH-53H.
Prototype for the Pave Low III program. |
|
|
Transferred to 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing, Kirtland AFB, NM. |
From January 1976 to June 1976 |
|
Conducted operational testing and evaluation at Kirtland AFB with the 1550th ATTW. |
From April 1978 to May 1980 |
|
Conducted operational testing and evaluation at Kirtland AFB with the 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing. The rigorous tests covered everything from aerial refueling to night ingress and egress in all kinds of weather to rapid-deployment in a C-5 Galaxy. |
From January 1980 to May 1980 |
|
Assisted with the first Pave Low-credited rescues, as aircrews saved four lives between January and May 1980. |
May 1980 |
|
Transferred to 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL. |
1990 |
|
Converted to a MH-53J. |
May 1991 |
|
Transferred to 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing, Kirtland AFB, NM. |
November 1991 |
|
Transferred to 542nd Crew Training Wing, Kirtland AFB, NM. |
From December 1991 to May 2005 |
|
Participated in nine searches, with four saves credited, and contributed to the training of more than 750 Pave Low aircrew members. |
April 1994 |
|
Transferred to 551st SOS, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, NM. |
November 1996 |
|
Became the first MH-53 to reach 10,000 flying hours. |
|
|
To National Museum of the United States Air Force Loan Program, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.
 View the Location Dossier |
|
|
Loaned to 58 MXS/MXMFS, Kirtland AFB, NM. |
June 2007 |
|
To Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM.
View the Location Dossier |
|
 | | This airframe dossier is based on
unreviewed imported data.
If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor. |
