HC-7 Sea Devils

Modeling Subjects Helicopters
1

Hello!

I’m looking for some info on the SAR helos of the HC-7 Sea Devils. I’d love to know if there are any photos of the interior of the H-3 or H-2 Seasprite SAR helicopters.

The second question is if the squadron repainted their helicopters immediately or did they initially use the “high viz” helos for SAR work?

Additionally I’d love to get any info on the H-2 Lt. Lassen used on his Medal of Honor mission.

Thanks in advance and have a nice day

Paweł

2

Just what time period and location are you thinking of?I have only seen two Seasprites while in the Air Force. This one:

taken in 1971 during a visit to U-Tapao during the Vietnam war. I happen to catch it whillle I was on patrol just as it lifted off.

Then this one, taken at Kadena immediately after a F-14 lands with one wheel down, slides past the copter and his winggman goes screaming down the runway, and pulls up hard, most probably in anger because the AA.F. fire department didn’t respond until the firist aircraft touch down.

3

Hello Bob!

Thanks a lot for your comments and for the photos!

The first one - is a twin engine variant of the Seasprite (the early ones only had one engine - I read that they seriously needed more power). As written on the fuselage it’s from a HSL squadron - that would be a light anti-submarine squadron. Now the HC-7 was a support squadron and some its detachments only did search and rescue work. I would be interested in building a one-engine search and rescue helo.

BUT there is one story about Navy “renting” one of their MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detector) equiped helos to look for a weapons cache in the jungle (lots of steel, eh?). Maybe you just photographed this very helo?

The second photo is a H-3 Sea King. Those were also used by the HC-7 for SAR work - one of these days I’d love to build one, too, but now I would like to concentrate on the Seasprite.

Thanks again and have a nice day

Paweł

4

My pleasure.

Haven’t heard from you in a while.

5

Hello!

My new job really takes a lot of time…

But now I try to research a new Vietnam project.

Have a nice day!

Paweł