H-46 aerial delivery, hauling bombs for USS Midway 1991 (HC-11 DET-4)

On this day, the girls are flying 66 and boys are flying 67. Pilots on cruise: Kropp, Curtis, Vertel, Sise, Jackson & LaForge.

[@marinz4life]

I am a United States Marine Corps veteran....but I readily admit the US Navy has some of the most impressive helicopter pilots I've ever seen.

[@socaljarhead7670]

You ain’t lyin’ brother. It gets no better.

[@flyjuice]

@@socaljarhead7670 160th SOAR would like a word lmao

[@lyndadelucia9549]

That's my sister!

[@tomstiveson1313]

I was a plane captain on the USS San Diego, USS Milwaukee and several other supply ships out of HC-6, Norfolk NAS 1983 - 1986. I completed 3 8 month tours and and 3 short tours over the course of 3 years. Mostly in the Med. My 1st year out of boot camp was spent in an several schools related to airframes and power-plants. I graduated from Millington, Tennessee and was sent to Norfolk. I absolutely loved the travel time. Spent numerous months in some of the best ports in the world. Working as a plane captain on the flight deck was about as exciting and rewarding as it gets. Outstanding teamwork made it all happen without incident time and time again. Some of the best years of my life and I've had many! Would I do it again? In a New York second - without thinking twice.

[@decibully1984]

My dad was a pilot in HC-6 around that time. I know during 83 he was on the Guadalcanal flying Hueys, but otherwise he would’ve been with HC-6 around then.

[@SolomonSamson747]

I’m so grateful to whatever seaman captured this.

[@roadglide447]

My video. I have so much more to edit and post.

[@SolomonSamson747]

Please do. As a historian, this footage is important. Fantastic video.

[@roadglide447]

Did you see my other videos from this cruise? With Battleship USS Wisconsin and working the beach det in Fujarah, UAE?

[@dancrocker5114]

Great memories! Spent countless hours vertrepping as a Phrog crewchief in HC-6 and even more as a Phrog pilot in HC-11 and HC-5! Getchu summa that!!!!

[@dungareenavy5970]

This video brings me peace every time I watch it. Brings me back to some of the best times of my life and being in concert with some amazing people, covering their back and vice versa. It is hard to describe the feeling you get from being amongst some awesome people you will ever meet. God I miss it sometimes. Bravo Zulu.

[@SEEPHUS1]

Beautiful vertrep! Thanks for the memories

[@socaljarhead7670]

This is one of the greatest Phrog videos that you will ever find on the Internet. Pure efficiency . The Navy will never possess another aircraft that can vertrep is smoothly and efficiently as the Phrog did rest in peace.

[@garyhaber7353]

missing those days. loved hearing that sound when I was on fire party. the startup. the smell of the exhaust. sad that they retired the phrogs. we had HC6DET8 onboard during cruises. got to ride in one once. truly cool. wish we had celphone tech back in 86. one of the best times of my life. USS CONCORD AFS5 85-90

[@ludvigtande1236]

Great aircraft pilots and crew. Kudos to the on deck loaders too❤

[@jerrywomack7548]

Every book I ever read, every crewmember I talked to who ever flew in or worked on the Phrog absolutely SWORE BY IT! I watched a few vertreps in person on the Kitty Hawk and the Ranger and just like in this video, it sure looked like the pilots were having the time of their life1

[@sarvet5]

Great video! I miss those days.Best job I ever had was being a Crewchief on the 46.

[@dalewright3667]

TG... I was an vert rep first crewman. Mt. Baker San Diego seattle.... To this day.... Nothing was more exciting than what I did in the Navy..... I still miss calling approach..

[@flubbyhog]

I flew on 47's in the army for 11 years and you could do some amazing things with those big girls but that was impressive. Returns back to pick up bombs with constant right pedal in and decel right over the ship. Nice..

[@firstnamelastname3558]

HC-11 was one prolific helicopter squadron. Lots of deployments seemingly in every corner of the globe. I was part of a reserve helo squadron, so our deployments during my time were very short in duration. I was an active duty TAR, so we trained the reserves.

[@ryankc3631]

These guys are bad ass! I witnessed this in the late '80's. Great video. I've seen some SH-60's doing vert rep and they're slow and don't have near the athleticism. The interference you see and hear on the video is an SPS-49 radar from USS Leyte Gulf CG-55. (example :18 and :28).

[@jeffj126]

Damn, these Naval Aviators make this shit look EASY! Precision, exactitude, grace and absolute confidence in thier abilities. Thank you ! It was a pleasure to watch this magnificent aerial ballet!

[@barryking7633]

HC-6 89-92, loved doing this stuff PHROGS PHOREVER! SOML

[@dalewright3667]

Barry..... Dale Wright was in HC6 HC16 VXE6 BEING ABLE TO FLY AS AN ENLISTED MAN WAS AWESOME!!

[@TheJimpickeringjr]

This never gets old. My CO said tomorrow's your last day, whaddya want to do? I said, I want stick time. I got to fly a 46 for 2 hours, it was awesome!

[@roadskare63]

AMAZING pilots,...BOTH men and women.....rotating in "backwards" for the pickup was a sweet sight!!

[@scottmitcheltree4182]

I loved Vert Rep, and pretty much everything else about flying from the boat. USMC HMM-163. 1977-1981. Crew Chief YP-01.

[@MikeM91320]

I was a 46 crew chief in the Marine Corps late 70's early 80's with HMM 161...flew over 1500 hours...miss it now. Flew so many different types of hops and also ended up getting a Boeing safety award for saving a Marines life flying a Medi-Vac and also got to do a recruiting trip where we flew to schools and gave rides to students. Did a few of these but never on a ship. These pilots and the crew were damn good. Of course I still hear the engines in my ears every day and especially at night due to old flight helmets that did not protect our ears enough.

[@eric4bills3]

MADE TWO MED CRUISES WITH HC-6 IN 83 and 84 ON USS CONCORD OUT OF NORFOLK. GREAT TIMES

[@stevedotson1263]

U.S. Naval aviators are the best IN THE WORLD...………!

[@davidglass5413]

I did this dance for about 3 years on USS Suribachi AE-21. Even had one come too low on me, had to hit the deck and roll out from underneath. We didn’t miss a beat next one came in and got hooked without delay.

[@keithashline505]

I got a couple of rides on the CH -46 between 1980 and 1984, once from Diego Garcia out to the Indy CV-62 and then 3 plus years later the America CV-66, I saluted the boat via a window in the 46, actually, it was a middle finger lol... Great ride each time, a bit of a rattle kinda like an old wooden roller coaster.

[@cbertulfo]

This was the era of the US Navy my dad served through. It sure as hell isn't the same. These phrog jockeys are bad ass, SHIT HOT! I remember as a kid seeing the phrogs, sea kings, sea sprites and s3 Vikings operate out of north island. The 60s (sea hawks) were phasing them out but but I liked the legacy aircraft more. These weren't advance aircraft compared to what they have today and just look at the precision flying. So cool!

[@mikegerard8712]

Stationed with HC-3 at North Island 73-77. 2 detachment Far East, great duty. That cable hook up was called a donkey dick.

[@briandowning5264]

Even 30+ years later, I would still like to go back out on deck and do a few hook ups. HC-5 Det 2 1985.

[@clydecoffey8815]

i would love it ack in 78

[@StevenLindly]

USN 1984-1988. USS Mount Baker AE-34. I used to love watching those 46's do there thing so cool m

[@cx1138]

wow! I see my former ship t the beginning of the video. Leyte Guld CG 55. Desert Storm cruise was a good memory. I wish I could go back and do it again. I miss so any people.

[@saltyshellback]

Good times! I was with HC-1 (North Island) '88-'92, then HC-8 (Norfolk) 92-96. I kinda miss those vertrep days :-)

[@robertruschak1964]

My squadron was HC-3 and we did that in Vietnam. I was on Detachment 101 on the Mt Hood AE-29. We proved it worked.

[@chrisalexander2478]

I miss those days. I was a Marine Crewchief on Phrogs but we did vert replenishment like that too. Fun stuff :)

[@timbrwolf1121]

I love how you can tell when the pilots get the hang of it and mesh with the guy on the deck handing them the cable. All of a sudden the pilots like double their pace

[@dalewright3667]

DONOVAN... THE CREWMAN OPERATING THE HOOK IS CALLING DIRECTIONS TO THE PILOT THE PILOTS UP FRONT CANT SEE THE HOOK MAN!! THAT IS THE RESULT OF CREW CONFIDENCE AND OUTSTANDING COORDINATION AMONG THE CREW

[@dodgecrockett3474]

Yes, and you can tell that one of them was quicker to catch on than the other.

[@ComfortsSpecter]

Now that’s some dangerous efficiency I love how their just heli surfing back and forth

[@phillipeastman1326]

Loved VERTREP. We used to argue over whose turn it was...HC-11 Det 2 and 4....

[@johngorman2916]

Phillip was with HC-11 Dets 7 with CWO Bob Tarr and Det 9 with CWO Cochran 82 - 85. I could do another 25 years with them. Best time of my life except for USS Midway 75 - 78. John Gorman, AZC, USN Ret.

[@whharmon6987]

I was stationed on the USS midway from 02/1990 to 04/1992 . I was on the decommissioning crew. Anyone out there who was on the decom crew and was in either S6 or AIMD im-1 division during desert shield and desert storm?

[@scottmitcheltree4182]

The "Hell Hole" is a beautiful thing and the crew chief is the eyes on the load for the cockpit crew. Left left, steady, Repeat.

[@TakeDeadAim]

I was aboard USS Camden the day they lost Sideflare 56 close to Wake Island on our way back from Desert Storm in August of 92.

[@tomharbaugh8187]

I was an ET on USS Kiska 75-76. Flight Quarters was in control tower with air det. Officer. Had a pallet of 3 1000 lb Bombs break and dropped one on the flight deck from about fifty feet. It bounced a couple times and broke thru life nets over the side. From the control tower aged a couple years that day.

[@TheSticlizard]

Now that is how it's done. Former HC-3 and 5 crewman. Two Phrogs taking a load off the deck every 30 seconds. Nothen better than Phrog VERTREP.

[@tommytortuga3073]

Surely do miss the smell of JP5 now that it’s world’s away. lol…maybe that’s why I enjoy the smell of gasoline at the pump. To think this was someone else’s memories of a deployment. My time in was 01 - 05, hot dang how it all flys so quickly. Thanks for sharing Brown Shoes, hehe.

[@princeakilesh4881]

Wow...that air drift looks badass 2:25 😍✊

[@scottmitcheltree4182]

That is some good stuff there Maynard!

[@tireballastserviceofflorid7771]

This is the US in 91. I bet the Russians couldn't do this for an air show let alone in a real war theater. Incredible to watch.

[@calinick86]

id like to see an osprey do that

[@ronbennett6396]

Why wouldn't they ? If anything, they've a bit more agile.

[@sarvet5]

Ron Bennett that’s absurd! They can’t maneuver and flare like a 46. No other aircraft could VERTREP like a Phrog.

[@roadglide447]

Osprey's advantage is fwd speed and climb performance over a helicopter. It's advantage over fixed wing aircraft is manoverability and hover. Osprey is an outstanding aircraft because it combines limited capabilities of the two platforms but it cannot match the max performance of either two platforms.

[@FizzleWick1]

I’d like to see a ch53 super stallion do what the ch 46 can do lol

[@badian37]

I tip my hats off to the girls flying 66...they're better pilots..period.

[@donaldhawkes5226]

its amazing ,I was in the army in the 70,s ,I can watch this all the time everybody hustling some of the men their saying I can wait to get out oooo its bulshit but 30 years from now they,ll look at this and with a smile say yea we did this and say they love it ,that was me and a lot of other guys, its funny I do miss what I did.

[@davidglass5413]

Been about 30 years and I’m smiling

[@saboabbas123]

H-46 is best platform ever for VERTREP because there is no side-wind limitation on airspeed. So much safer and faster than the H-60. VERTREP guys can thread a needle with this airframe.

[@hbrien]

I can't believe I used to be able to do this!!!!

[@RandomShit169]

Just watched the aircrew interview about you, you sir are amazing.

[@383SS350]

Hey, Sir, Marine CH-46 Crew Chief here. Did the Navy use Crew Chiefs on the 46 the same way the Marines did? Where is the Crew Chief during these vert reps? Did Marine 46s do vert rep, or just Navy 46s?

[@sarvet5]

@@383SS350 I was a Navy crew chief on 46’s the crew chief would lay on their belly over the hell hole calling the pilot into the hookup. Sometimes 8-10 hours a day in the Gulf heat. Loved every minute of it and would do it all over again. Best damn job I ever had!!

[@fishead1967]

Like a boss those pilots are who save guys on the battle feilds wounded and troops on missions.

[@jetho69]

excellent pilots

[@calinick86]

100% bad ass

[@XaymacaJah]

bunch of BAD ASSES, nICE WORK!!!

[@lilbear1968]

I was on the Kiska 87 to 91

[@allgood6760]

Awesome vid 👍

[@checkyoursix5623]

BZ guys & girls - HC-3 alum '73-'76.

[@jakeblanton6853]

When I was in (quite a bit before this video was shot) and they were doing this, I didn't stay topside long to watch since I had other work that I needed to do, but I was under the impression at the time that the pilots flew a consistent pattern between the two ships (i..e always clockwise or counter-clockwise). In this video it seems that one helicopter tends to be at the front and the other at the back and they cross side to side instead of in a pattern as you typically see with aircraft taking off and landing at airports... Do they always do it this way? Maybe my memory is just fading after all these decades...

[@jimshowers1010]

There are two factors at play: first, the wind on the nose of the helicopter (you've gotta have it on the nose for max lift/safety/efficiency). Second, the "burdened" helo always gets the "most direct" path to the drop ship. The pattern gets adjusted regularly during Vertrep ops.

[@mikes7446]

Damn them crazy pilots :)

[@curtvote1099]

Wow! These soldiers aren't farting around.

[@zhengsng6203]

Fast and agile maneuver.

[@AutoHoax]

When it's girls against boys USN girls vs Marine Boys the girls always outperformed the marine Pilots. I was on the flight deck JL talker for uss Cayuga last 1186 89 to 91.

[@clydecoffey8815]

i call them june bugs heavy but powerful when i look at one

[@chrisotis9275]

Looks like the USS Flint AE-32 support ship supplying the VERT-REP ops?

[@roadglide447]

Kiska

[@chrisotis9275]

@roadglide447 gotcha. I was on the Flint same time frame. Sister ships... looked way to familiar. Thanks for sharing. Brings back memories. I'm a GMG and did countless vertreps

[@lilbear1968]

Your name? Dept?

[@tomasnordin9778]

Impressive.

[@williamwilson2010]

Obviously this isn't #66's first day on the job.

[@lilbear1968]

Who took the video?

[@roadglide447]

Barry Ynes I took the video. I was the day check mech. I also painted the Saddam Busters (ghost busters) on the vertical tails.

[@lilbear1968]

@@roadglide447 I was on the Kiska from 1988 to 1991.

[@Jeffmackens]

Killer video Roadglide! Was one of these pilots a female?? I remember a female vertrep pilot who was just amazing like this!

[@roadglide447]

Two pilots were females.

[@clydecoffey8815]

you pilot that beast you are a pilot hc-676 thro 80

[@dalewright3667]

Clyde Coffey.... I was in HC6 IN 1976 TO 1980 AD3 at that time powerplant.. Trouble Truck det mt baker Santa barbera Seattle most Awesome times and memories. I was a vert rep first crewman 8 hrs a day doing vertrep

[@clydecoffey8815]

aaa mule by any numer of namees czan a vasol do that

[@clydecoffey8815]

anyone still tag it was one of got one on ya

[@gTosca_666]

5:50 casi se suelta una caja

[@roadglide447]

Yes. Three 1k lbs bombs.