Support for the 75 years D-Day operations.

support for the 75 years D-Day celebrations

The 1st Infantry Division supported the 75 years D-Day celebrations with air transport of officials between the various events. For this operations a temporary helicopter base was created on the Carentan race course. Over ten transport helicopters did operate form this location.

6/6th Cav. Regt.

This former AH-64A (serial 86-08941) was thoroughly modified into AH-64D. Because of the massive modification, a new serial was applied. The attack helicopter is seen here after it returned from a combat mission over Uruzgan (Afghanistan) were it gave armed support to two CH-47F Chinooks.

The new Foxtrot Chinooks are a welcome variation in all green US Army helicopters. The 82nd Aviation Regiment were deployed to war-torn Afghanistan in 2010. They sport a nice Dolphin on their tail.

In a war environment Medical Evacuation (MedEvac) is often necessary. Some UH-60s are assigned to this duty, and they received a red cross on their doors. In this way, during combat evacuations, the military are hoping they will not receive enemy ground-to-air fires on their helicopter. In a worldwide gentlemen agreement, fighting forces will not attack machines of buildings with these markings. Unfortunately... for some rebel and opposing forces it doesn't matter at all. This old UH-60A was seen during its take-off for another MedEvac mission from deployment location Kandahar.

Chinooks are a real workhorse, especially in combat environments. They are used for a broad range of missions. The standard US Army Helicopter Drab colour (FS34031) is on the CH-47Fs changed into Woodland Desert Sage (FS34201). This colour is tactical seen, much better in a desert environment. The 82nd Aviation Regiment deployed their Chinooks early 2010 to Kandahar.

The serials of US Army UH-60s are so difficult to read, so maintenance high lighted the last three of the serial. In that way, pilots can more simply find the helicopter on the flight line that they are going to fly.

Helicopter pioneer Frank Piasecki founded PV Engineering in 1940 and flew his first helicopter, the single seat PV-2, in 1943. Renamed Piasecki Helicopter Corporation in 1946, Mr. Piasecki left the company in 1955 to form the Piasecki Aircraft Company. Concentrating on compound helicopter and other advanced vertical flight designs, the original Pathfinder flew in 1962. Pictured at the Vertical Flight Society's Forum75, the larger Pathfinder II flew in 1965 under a joint Army/Navy development contract. It was returned to the Piasecki in 1968 for further company funded research.

The U. S. Army selected the Sikorsky Choctaw in 1955 as a medium lift cargo and troop transport. Built as the CH-34A between 1955 and February of 1959 there were 426 Choctaws delivered to the Army. Others were delivered to the United States Air Force and Navy. Beginning in 1958 the Choctaw was upgraded to CH-34C standards with the installation of auto-stabilization systems to allow all-weather operations. Also beginning in 1958 several Choctaws were converted to VIP transports for use by the Executive Flight Detachment and provided helicopter transport for the President until the end of 1964