The Boeing CH-47 Chinook

[@megaprojects9649]

Check out Squarespace: squarespace.com/megaprojects for 10% off on your first purchase.

[@Zach-ku6eu]

#SimonIsaCoward What about the Hind Attack Helicopters being shot down over Old Folks homes, Schools, Maternity Hospitals, and Orphanages in the last two days? Does your GREAD overshadow your CREDIBILITY?!

[@Thickcurves]

I worked on many aircraft as airframe in the army for over a decade. Most of my time was with black hawks but our sister company in the 25th the hill climbers had chinooks and I also worked on those. The chinook is the fastest helicopter by far, disregarding prop experimental aircraft and transition aircraft like osprey. Something super interesting that you missed about the chinook.... they float! I learned this in army aviation school and every class had to replace the float lining on a chinook as a class project over 6 months. It has a rubber material under the floor boards that will keep it floating while turned off for about 30 minutes, though they will generally float much longer than the guarantied time often for several hours. Also, love you Simon, never stop making videos home nugget :)

[@BrianMcKinny]

@@Zach-ku6eu It's spelled "greed." Just FYI. And what the hell does the war in Ukraine have to do with Simon or his channel? Seriously...

[@paintedblue1791]

The Falklands Chinook (BN) Bravo November is still in service and has racked up an impressive record of flights and battle damage from conflicts . It is known in the RAF as the Chinook that won't die and is slated fro preservation once its service life is over.

[@ROOSTER333]

It's definitely the happiest looking helicopter from the front

[@NightstalkerGW]

Spent 20 years working on Chinooks, 'D's and 'E's. And a slight correction on the speed of the Chinook. It is faster than the Apache. Remember several times that we would have to slow down while flying in formation with them.

[@purplepidgin]

Yup they are faster.

[@keithjackson4985]

Lol 😆 lol 😆 hilarious.

[@mattna1010]

Very true but when they have to turn it’s like a greyhound bus

[@get2dachoppa249]

"Heavy Metal"!

[@spacebear49]

Beat me to it. 😁

[@davehertle]

I was a Flipper pilot (CH-47s) during 1969 in VietNam - 196th ASHC (Assault Support Helicopter Co.) Our "A" and "B" models had engines with 2750 shaft horsepower each. 2.5 hours of fuels added 4,000 lbs. of weight. We normally could easily lift a 7,000 pound external load. For a load approaching 10,000 pounds, we would delay until we had burnt off 3,000 lbs. of fuel. 112 decibels of sound in the cockpit meant I learned the joys of tinnitus since my early 20s and high frequency loss of hearing. I can not hear the blowing of a whistle or the higher notes on a piano. Instead of the strings being hit by the hammers in the piano, I hear all the sounds of the working of the mechanisms to strike those strings. I have performed single-engine rolling takeoffs after losing an engine in a remote location and not wanting to risk staying there with a disabled machine and a target for the enemy. I have performed one engine approaches to a slow short rolling landing. The earlier model chinooks could hardly be expected to hover on one engine. I have suffered transmission failure in flight getting the aircraft to the ground just prior to total trans-box failure. I once evacuated an entire mountain village in one sortie, over 100 souls on board, included all their livestock. Quite an aroma, even in flight. I know the current hook drivers are taught to drive it like a bus, but this aircraft is extremely capable and when needed can perform when flown as if you stole it. During the years in Afghanistan, I understood and appreciated the mighty force of the CH-47s and how they were deployed in areas of higher elevation. They are a force to be reckoned with.

[@theoneneo5024]

Thank you for your service and the additional information.

[@ridethecurve55]

And yes, tinnitus is a Bitch. Too much rock music back in the day, I imagine.

[@kamakazi339]

What a baller. Bravo sir

[@SnoopReddogg]

Pfft... Tinetus is sitting in the back of a lock down M113 on battle runs with a trigger happy crew commander. End result is always the same, except I got blisters when they'd make me get out and walk around deaf after the cav-wits had their fun.

[@davehertle]

The hearing loss was from the 112 decibels of non-stop sound from the transmissions. 80-85 decibels for 30 minutes or longer without protection will result in permanent hearing loss. What is that you said?

[@Bloodbeard-os2xh]

One quote I remember about the Chinook is that it doesn't fly, it just beats the air into submission

[@TheBooban]

I think that’s any helicopter

[@cruisinguy6024]

That’s said about all rotor wing aircraft

[@AugustusTitus]

@@TheBooban Any Bell helicopter.

[@rogerwilco1777]

I live next to an airbase and Chinook's do sound like they are beating the air.. We never know when Cobras or Blackhawks go over but a Chinook shakes the whole house!

[@ERAUsnow]

@@cruisinguy6024 No, usually they're so ugly the ground rejects them.

[@klumzyee]

you forgot to mention how insanely skilled the pilots who flew these were.... the payload capacity was necessary for the amount of balls some of those guys had.

[@jimdennis2451]

Also forgot to mention how it made babies... the CH-46.

[@Graybeard218]

I remember a rescue mission they did with a Chinook on Mt. Hood Oregon, where they landed the rear of the aircraft kept the front up in the air due to the angle of the mountain side while the loaded it with the stranded hikers. it was an incredible display of the pilots skill and the Chinooks outstanding stability

[@tgmccoy1556]

I spent 10 years as an aerial firefighter. (DC6/DC7 co-pilot) when they started using Chinooks for firefightng (and skycranes) game changer. now the Ch-47 is popular as they are fast, and capable of hauling up to 2500 usgal of water or retardant.

[@teaser6089]

Chinook truly is a must need for any large firefighter / relief effort team. It can carry a ton of water and carry a lot of people to safety and do both really fast!

[@SuperMauserMan]

Chinook is a Native American tribe and also the name of a seasonal hot wind. If you have ever walked up the tail ramp beneath two turbines exhaust in the rotor wash you realize the name is appropriate.

[@Penfold101]

It’s also the name of a breed of salmon. Make of that what you will.

[@Lewis-jn8ry]

I made the mistake of breathing that hot air in once. That was a mistake.

[@evernewb2073]

@@Penfold101 the fish-name and the civilization-name are related...dunno about the wind off the top of my head, I've heard the term before but I don't have enough context and/or interrelated information to so much as place a continent for it, let alone an actual etymology. huh, well that's kinda hilarious: quick internet search says that all _3_ names are related: the word is an approximation of their term for winter->spring seasonal winds that were understandably rather culturally important, the term got adopted and widely used and later turned back around to refer to the civilization who are _not_ actually called chinook...might not even be a single unit since I'm getting a few different names for who it actually refers too. and the fish are named in association with the people. kinda weird that the only use of this word I commonly run into is the fish and the helicopter when I apparently live about an hour's drive away from what's left of the civilization in question, I even individually picked up on those wind patterns in question unless I'm misidentifying what this is referring to.

[@RealCherry8085]

Even Apache is a native American tribe.

[@SuperMauserMan]

@@RealCherry8085 all US Army helicopters are named for Native American individuals or tribes.

[@kkarllwt]

Yesterday 2 chinooks landed at the national guard base near me ( 3 miles) to pick up troops for a ride to des moines, ia. I went an stood under them as the took off. Chinook mechanic . PHU bai 1971 C159 ashb. 67u20. 50 years on it was still a thrill.

[@TheMilwaukieDan]

Thank you for a great documentation. I was a flight engineer on CH 47-A,D Models. 242 ASH VIETNAM. Philip black cats. Have always been proud of this aircraft and it’s roll is supporting the troops.

[@SomeGuyFromOttawa]

I grew up in the Ottawa, ON Canada region, and was lucky enough to have 2 encounters with them when I was young. First was when my Cubs (Scouts) unit got to visit one at the former CFB Uplands Airforce Base. We got to get in and sit in the cockpit and it was super impressive. A year or so later I lived in a small village and during the winter Carnival one landed in the field not far from my house to the thrill of the local children! we were welcome aboard and got another tour and then got to watch it take off again. Since then I've had a soft spot for the Chinook! Thank you to the Canadian forces for those wonderful memories!!

[@bjw4859]

We used them a lot in Australia, we also have a lot of natural disasters, & Dad always used to say when the Chinooks turned up it was all going to be ok, these last floods we've had in Queensland & New South Wales, the Chinooks were back.

[@teaser6089]

Indeed, the Chinooks ability to cary supplies, large amounts of people and water make it not only a great military craft, but on of the, if not best flying relief effort machine man has ever designed

[@PahzWatchesYouTube]

I'm enjoying the comments where folks are sharing that this is their favorite aircraft. Me too! I grew up on Army bases (and was an Army wife) and no matter where we were stationed, there were always Chinooks. As a kid, I assumed it was the same batch that moved with us, but hey, kids are silly. The fondness for them stayed with me and they remind me of "home". The last place we were stationed was Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia and I'd see all sorts of aircraft every day while living on base. But the Chinook is the favorite. :)

[@882952]

Patty Smith, same situation here. I was a little army brat, when we got stationed to fort Campbell. I instantly fell in love with the helicopters constantly flying overhead since we were close to the airfield. Huey's, Chinooks, and cobras. Back then we used to ride our bikes out of the airfield and no one would stop you from just walking around the aircraft. Being there when they take off was awesome because the wind would almost blow our little bodies right off our feet. Later we moved to Alaska and we had plenty of hellis flying overhead there too. I'm over 50 now, and to this day those three aircraft warm my heart every time I see one fly overhead somewhere.

[@PahzWatchesYouTube]

@@882952 I am over 50 as well. And we were in Alaska twice! The first time I was a toddler to the age of five, then when I was eleven till I got married and left (husband was also an Army brat and then joined up himself). In between our Fort Richardson stationing, we were in Missouri. My dad had done almost all his overseas stuff before we were born (he pulled three years in Germany, did a tour in 'Nam, then Colorado where my brother was born, then Missouri for my birth, then Alaska, then Missouri, and back to Alaska). Of course, back then, Alaska was still considered "overseas". My husband split his childhood between two tours in Germany, with two in Georgia, eventually ending up in Alaska, where we met in high school. While married, we did Kansas, then Georgia. He went to the Persian Gulf War in between. I just asked him what his favorite military aircraft was and he said he never thought about it. So I asked if he had a favorite piece of military equipment. He said the 109 Howitzer (he was field artillery for his first four years and during the Gulf War).

[@adzaaahhh]

That's exactly how I feel whenever I see a Chinook, always reminds me of home and a much simpler time. I was never in the armed forces (other than Air Cadets) but my parents' old house was very close to an army barracks in my native England, where we would see them flying in and out frequently, especially in the early 80s around the time of the Falklands conflict. Amazing how this aircraft has such universal appeal, regardless of geographical location - definitely feeling the love in all these comments.

[@jonathanwright5550]

Always amazes me that the army got so big its ended up with its own air division

[@terenceconnors9627]

If anything is going to replace Chinooks, it's going to be an upgraded Chinook design. The strengths of their double-rotor design are too important to ignore.

[@osumbuckeyenut]

Yeah but politicians do stupid shit. Some of those idiots are actually trying to get rid of the A10, arguably one of the best ground attack aircraft at our disposal

[@guindle9291]

@@osumbuckeyenut It's not actually, it's been proven by math, research, success rate, kill count, and rate of friendly fire. It's only popular because it's iconic and because the troops actually see it as opposed to a high altitude bomb drop from a fighter.

[@TheDisgruntledImperial]

@@guindle9291 truth

[@Dj.MODÆO]

Lost enough army buddies in CH-47 “Sh!t-hooks” that yea, get rid of them and replace them with Osprey vtol fixed wing transport aircraft….at least you can parachute out of those if you have an engine failure. If your in a CH-47 and an engine gets damaged or you have engine problems…your fukin dead, no escape. Half of seal team 6 was killed in one of these death traps

[@jonathanwright5550]

@@ERAUsnow he probably wasn't talking about the pilots jumping out

[@IrishMike22]

My dad flew a CH-46 (very very similar) in the Marine Corps. One of my first memories is of the day I got to wear his helmet while visiting him. It's a great photo of a very 3 year old me with the widest eyes ever seen. My dad LOVED his bird, absolutely loved it. *Thanks for the excellent video

[@atomicskull6405]

In case you were wondering how cyclic and yaw work on a tandem. Front/back is by increasing the collective pitch on one rotor and decreasing it on the other. Left/right is the same as a normal helicopter, apply left or right cyclic on both rotors at the same time. Yaw is by opposing left.right cyclic at the front and rear rotors which rotates the aircraft. There is no pilot controllable fore/aft cyclic but there are electronically controlled "longitudinal trim actuators" that apply forward or rearward cyclic to the rotors to pull the nose up in forward flight to decrease drag or push the nose down in hover (CH-47s naturally hover nose high because the masts are slanted forward slightly). On a tandem fore/aft cyclic won't propel the aircraft it pulls up or pushes down the nose. The collective lever in a CH-47 is called the "thrust control lever" instead. Theoretically you don't need any longitudinal cyclic at all on a tandem, they can work entirely with the left/right cyclic axis only. (remember forward / rearward is by collective difference between the two rotors)

[@ToastGhost]

A fabulous machine, one even saved my town by dropping cement bags onto a failing Victorian era dam back in 2019. Leading to the town adopting the catchphrase "Keep your Chinook up" that can still be seen in shop windows, on car bumpers and many other places still today.

[@Beesechurgler]

One of the things I am proud to have been a part of, we recieved many thanks to the base after 😄

[@ToastGhost]

Well here’s another, thank you!

[@THEBIGHAM1000]

During my time in the Marines I only got to fly in a helicopter one time. Luckily that time was with the 160th in a 47, even for a training mission it was awesome. Some of the best pilots around and still one of the smoothest flights I’ve ever had. Always loved this helicopter before I joined and fell even harder after that flight.

[@edwardrosier1805]

I used to work there and watched the assembly of the special systems on the MH-47E. This was also during the design of the V22. Very cool time.

[@SJR_Media_Group]

Chinook was an awesome aircraft... way ahead of it's time. By having 2 counter rotating blade assemblies, the chopper didn't need a tail rotor to counteract torque from a single rotor. This allowed the aircraft to have a very high top speed and the ability to lift heavy loads. Some aircraft are icon's and still in use 50 years after they were introduced to the world: Chinook, A-10, B52, F15 Eagle.

[@teaser6089]

It still is!

[@SJR_Media_Group]

@@teaser6089 Thanks for comment

[@RowdyGrunt]

Thanks for doing this man! I'm an Army Infantry vet and got to bounce around in these quite a bit. It's a beast!

[@joeywatch1145]

You did it a lot of justice on this one, Simon. One of my favorite abilities of the Chinook, though, is its total flexibility. Armor? Pick a level. Range? Add extra internal fuel tanks. Weapons? Multiple machine guns, cannons, rockets, automatic grenade launchers, any direction you like. It can land, literally, in the water. It can also do a hybrid landing called a pinnacle where only the aft gear is grounded, meaning it can access almost any location of any size if there is air clearance around it. And while the statistics are neat, the loading is incredible. There's no drawn-out process of attaching a load. Ready loads can be hooked midair in 30 seconds without ever landing; it's accomplished by the aircrew inside. But, by far, the best thing is its maneuverability. Due to its tandem rotors, it's capable of moving and rotating in virtually any direction at speed. And it's slated for Block II upgrades in the near future, which I'm excited to see come to fruition.

[@MostlyIC]

They've also been used for civilian search and rescue. In the late 70's I got to see one of these up close, I was on the top of Mt Whitney with the UCSD Muir Mountaineering Club when a "banana copter" hovered a couple feet off the ground while a rescue team jumped out. Turned out a couple weeks prior a climbing team got caught in a winter storm, one guy died and they had to leave the body, and this mission was to recover the body now that the weather was favorable. It was very surreal being a couple days from civilization and totally by ourselves because it was January, and this chopper comes in and drops a load of people and equipment.

[@griffinpaul7458]

I’m 3 years into working and flying on the CH-47F and I think it’s one of the best aircraft ever designed

[@oliverpowell3141]

That single Chinook from the Falklands was Bravo November, "The Survivor" (pictured, 11:25) and is now being put up for display at the RAF Museum.

[@BrianMax]

I logged many hours on board CH-47 birds with the 6th Air Cavalry at Ft. Hood in the 80s. A magnificent piece of equipment. The sound of the jet engines powering up and the helicopter taking off still does something to me emotionally.

[@davidchristensen2970]

Stud Cav!👍

[@BrianMax]

@@davidchristensen2970 You were HHC 34th support BN too?

[@davidchristensen2970]

1984-86

[@BrianMax]

@@davidchristensen2970 83&84 for me. I cooked at the mess hall.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Don't forget, it was Frank Piasecki who pioneered the tandem rotor helicopter in the U.S. in the 1940s. His Vertol Helicopter Co. was eventually purchased by Boeing becoming Boeing-Vertol.

[@gniawd]

2:10

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@gniawd I was pointing out Piasecki's connection to Vertol.

[@markowsley4954]

Exactly. The Piasecki CH-21 flying banana is the proper predecessor for the Ch-47. It was used in Vietnam before the CH-47 was put into service.

[@ERAUsnow]

@@markowsley4954 And the H-21 and the HUP.

[@SoapBoxMediaTV]

The key development of tandem router technology by Piasecki /Vertol is somewhat overlooked here. Boeing came in pretty much afterward and just bought the company and took over. The CH 46 Seaknight had success serving the Navy and Marines as ship based aircraft.

[@marine6680]

The cruising speed of the CH47 is faster than an Apache… So when flying in a group, the CH47 has to slow down. I have worked on these many times, as a civilian after getting out of the military. Being a Marine I didn’t work on them in the service. One time we were doing to finishing touches and last minute updates on one that was being delivered to the Dutch military. They sent a lot of people over to do an inspection prior to final delivery. Several were the crew that would be in charge of the maintenance on that exact A/C. I had been told to keep my music turned down, while they were there, as I am big into metal, especially the prog and symphonic stuff which includes many bands from Europe… It was amusing when one of the Dutch military guys asked me to crank my music, and the whole group were there bobbing there heads as they were inspecting the A/C. The boss man came and said something to me… “They asked me to.”… “Oh, ok then” It was a good day. Same job, they brought in a CH47 that had been hit by an RPG and crashed. It was being brought in to be stripped of useful equipment. Fortunately they set it down without too much extra damage and no one was hurt. The molten slag from the RPG had tore through the aft section and disabled an engine and the rear transmission. The aft crew seat had been peppered in slag with the burn holes from the molten metal everywhere, luckily no one was sitting there when it was hit. The way the slag melts through metal components is nasty.

[@billkessinger6806]

Acutely we could cruise (in the AH-64a) at 175-190 its without a combat load. We had to slow down for our OH-58 scouts. (See above!) I did not fly the CH-47 but did get the AH-64.

[@lastguy8613]

I have to ask what music you were cranking, I'd guess Rainbow would get those heads cranking lol I've never been anywhere near a helicopter so I'll leave it at that

[@marine6680]

@@lastguy8613 It was a mix, but at that moment I think it was Dream Theater “In the Presence of Enemies” With various other Prog and symphonic, with some melo deth, mixed in. And yes Rainbow is always good to get a head moving. I particularly like Stargazer.

[@teaser6089]

This was so cool to read as a Dutch person! I can tell you my country loves the Chinook just as much as you do! Great reliable machines

[@tycho_m]

These first hand accounts are just so awesome. Chinooks are still an iconic part of the (small) Dutch air force!

[@wokohedgehogs]

A and B models purely meant the production designs, they now go up to G models. The four that were converted to gun ships were called “guns a go go”, search for that on KZbin and there are some great videos about that. The 107 model was called the Sea Knight and was mostly used by the US Marine Corp until fairly recently when it was replaced by the V22 Osprey.

[@catchthewind8563]

Great video Simon! I have ridden a few times on a Chinook. Unlike the movies you cannot hear anything on that helicopter! You have to communicate with hand signals. The rear engines are exposed on the inside of the helicopter so the flight crew is able to constantly inspect them during all phases of flying. It is extremely loud! Also a cool note: as the blades spin they produce a static discharge that is visible with the naked eye at night, and looks super cool with a nod(night optical device). A safety note: Absolutely never walk in front of a Chinook either! The front blades when fully powered down are only 4.5 feet off the ground. People have been decapitated and fatally injured because they walked in front of the helicopter as the blades were spinning down low. If the blades are spinning and you walk in front of it, you risk getting your head lobbed off, or getting cut in half😬

[@AJL15N]

Worked on 47D/F/G during my time in the Army. My favorite aircraft that I got to work on!

[@tuckersmoak6632]

The Uh-60 Blackhawk I deployed to Iraq with in 2010 was one of the oldest in the entire Army and was made in the late 70s. Pretty amazing when you think about it.

[@GaryRandall]

We had two H-47's when I was stationed at Midway Island in the Navy. 1977-1978. They still had bullet holes in the airframe from their time in Vietnam. I've been upside down in one.

[@nickp.6144]

Awesome job on this video. I work on these helicopters (currently the F model), and the chinook sits dear in my heart. I absolutely love you guys for making this video. Good stuff!

[@Penfold101]

11:20 Worth pointing out the the sole survivor the Atlantic Conveyer sinking, Bravo November, is right now being moved to the RAF museum at Cosford for display due to the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict. It’s a piece of British history.

[@graeme0]

Thanks, I will try and get up to see it. Didn't they push one over the side of the carrier when they ran it into the ground with no spares?

[@wilcovanwinden6581]

@@graeme0 No. Bravo November was literally the only Chinook in the Falklands because the others never left the deck of Atlantic Conveyor before it was sunk.

[@connornixon2971]

I managed to work on ZA718 before her end of service. A real privilege indeed to work on a huge part of Great British history!

[@tonydavidhelps5777]

Just a minor correction the 80 paras wernt being taken to Safety during the Falklands they were being ferried to goose green from san carlos to engage the enemy.

[@richardvernon317]

@@graeme0 The Captain of HMS Hermes wanted to push BN over the side after she landed on the ship after Atlantic Conveyor was hit. Four Chinooks were lost on that ship.

[@adzaaahhh]

Thanks so much for this Simon. You heard me... you delivered! Although I daresay I wasn't the only one who put in a request for a presentation on this mighty workhorse of a chopper. I used to see (and of course, hear) them flying overhead frequently to and from the nearby Chattenden Barracks frequently as a kid some 40 years ago, and have been in awe of them ever since. Great job on your part, quality as always.

[@Svensk7119]

I think I rode a Chinook once in the Infantry. I remember riding a Huey once, and I think a Blackhawk... remember riding the C-130 ride best. I was mechanized, so I rode more on the 113 and Bradley. You mentioned safety issues. That's where the load master comes in. He has great power over go/no-go of the plane on that mission. I have heard of a colonel who got into a spit-lot of trouble for ordering a flight despite the load master's protest.

[@jamesengland7461]

About a month ago, 5 Chinooks flew over my workplace at low level. It was a magnificent sight and SOUND! Shook the building and the very air outside!

[@teaser6089]

Truly an amazing sight(and sound) to behold. I love it when the Dutch airforce flies it's Chinooks to exercise with the infantry

[@terrysmith4831]

You said that the D model Chinook came out in the early 80's. I was stationed in Germany with the 295th Aviation Regiment from '87 to '89. We were the last Chinook unit on the planet to trade in our Super C models and get the new D models in 1988. Our brand new D model Chinooks came factory equipped with hydraulic leaks, the wrong antennas, the wrong push/pull rods the run next to the combining transmission and empty pop cans under the floor. 😎

[@EH-nw6bu]

Story time. I was stationed at Ft Campbell as a Chinook mechanic and Phase Team Leader. At the time we were conducting a lot of night ops, because we were gearing up for deployment, so OP TEMPO was pretty high. Some of the folks who lived around the post started to complain that we were making so much noise they couldn't sleep. Of course they called different numbers and finally reached the Public Relations Officer and that got shipped over to COL Brady. It just so happens that I was assigned to be his driver and was in the office when the PR Officer came calling. COL Brady, after setting this young MAJ straight, retrieved the complainants phone number and name. In his normal military command voice, he called the person and conducted his introductions. After listening to the person berate him for about 45 seconds to a minute, the COL said and I quote; "Mam, with all due respect, I will not apologize for the noise of the helicopters. I will not change the route of flight and I will not stop the training we are conducting. As defenders of this country we must be prepared for all contingencies of battle. Flying at night protect my men and the taxpayers equipment. So instead of complaining about the noise, realize what you hearing is the sound of freedom". With that he said his goodbyes and ended the call.

[@uingaeoc3905]

In Special Forces operations using semi-rigid boats the Chinook hovers with its ramp down on the water and the boat just powers straight in to the hold!

[@teaser6089]

That's amazing! Must have been quite the wild ride going towards a chopper at enough speed to get up that ramp haha

[@WeAreTheTrueMedia]

I'm COMPLETELY bowled over that the Chinook existed over a decade before I was born. At 43, I thought they were relatively new when I was an aware child.

[@lifetonic7772]

A technological marvel. XD

[@reisk1777]

Your comments about the CH-47's age are correct, and that highlights an important idea: There are pieces of military equipment that are perfectly suited to their tasks. Useability, dependability, suitability, ease of repair, and even price are all factors that go into judging a piece of military equipment. Equipment that survives in the military TO&E for decades (or even a century) has stumbled on a combination of traits that is either hard to improve or simply doesn't need improving (especially when budgets are limited.) Examples include the C-130, which has had ongoing cockpit and engine improvements while maintaining the characteristics that made it great in the first place, or the grand old 'Ma Deuce', the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, which has survived with very few changes. When I was in the Army our arms room has an M2 that had a manufacturer's plate dating it to 1945. It had pride of place on the commander's track, and the soldiers in my unit would salute it when it was deployed because it was a true veteran, having fought in every conflict except Desert Storm I.

[@cappyjones]

Recovered a crashed F16 outside of Anchorage, Alaska in a CH-47 about 30 years ago when I was at Ft. Wainwright. Great bird! 67U forever!

[@get2dachoppa249]

Got that right! Spent the first half of my time in uniform as a 67U, then they realigned all the AV MOS's to 15 series to align with the AV officer CMF, and reassigned all the 67 & 68 series to the medical field.

[@kkarllwt]

In viet nam you would have done that almost every afternoon on the way home. Loach or huey.

[@joshuaradick5679]

Last summer there were wildfires near where I was in Montana. Because it happened in the mountains traditional helicopters had difficulty delivering water to the hotspots, so CH-47s were used. I saw them filling up at the creek near our home and they are massive.

[@TalesOfWar]

A few times a year the RAF and Army do training exercises not too far from where we live and they fly over our town fairly low, along with Apache's and Lynx's. FUCKING LOUD is the way I'd describe them haha. Apache's are far louder than you expect them to be given their sleek design.

[@joshuaradick5679]

@@TalesOfWar But seeing something that large just sitting in the air is really cool

[@baconsnake6463]

Were those billings birds? They got tankers & long lines

[@garyneilson1833]

Good video Simon, the 1 Chinook which survived the sinking of Atlantic Conveyor was Bravo November. It has a great history itself as it has served in every major conflict the UK has taken part in for the last 40 years. It has just been retired from RAF service and will now go on show at the RAF Museum

[@truenetgmx]

Saw two of them yesterday near eastern polish border - wish this were more peaceful circumstances (I was transporting Ukrainian refugees, kids loved the view)

[@Tank50us]

That's still a humanitarian role, and damn is the Chinook good for it. Flying aid supplies in, and then flying the wounded and refugees out.

[@andersjjensen]

@@Tank50us Yeah, the Chinook is the incarnation of the line from Avenged Sevenfold's "Shepard of Fire": "Don't you see I am your pride, agent of wealth, bearer of needs, I am your war, arming the strong, aiding the weak" @Netgmx Poland rocks these days! Thanks for helping out!

[@smorrow]

Saw them all the time in Northern Ireland in the 90's. In the 2010s it hit me that army helicopters aren't a just-normal thing to see in normal countries.

[@Delgen1951]

@@smorrow Unless you live near a base or airport.

[@Sgt_SealCluber]

Just remember "If it isn't leaking hydraulic fluid, that means it's out. DON'T GET ON!!" 😁

[@hokutoulrik7345]

It is funny and kinda sad just how many aircraft that can apply to.

[@GorgeDawes]

Applies to just about every Rolls Royce aircraft engine too.

[@perryleduc1954]

@@GorgeDawes every rolls royce engine * no need for the aircraft designation, they're cars have a decent amount of blow-by and oil burn and leak, I havnt worked on any newer than 2008/10 ish but they all had oil issues

[@aSportishOne]

The first couple times I was on a chinook I had a parachute on and was still a bit nervous, they feel like they're designed to shake themselves apart rather than get to their destination

[@gapratt4955]

Often heard conversation between crew chief and pilot; "Any downing gripes? No. Is it leaking? Yes. Will it start? Yes. Screw it fly it!" Pretty much sums up military aviation.

[@johnstuartsmith]

It's been 53 years since my last Chinook flights, but my ears still ring from the brain-scrambling whine of the big round gearbox connecting the two engines and the rotor driveshafts. Hearing protection wasn't a big priority under the circumstances.

[@stevef3401]

Can’t forget about the MH-47 (up to a G) flown by the 160th SOAR “Night Stalkers”. Anytime you hear on the news that special forces took out some high value target deep inside an unfriendly place, you can be sure they rode in on a 47 by the 160th… Also, aerial refueling in a helicopter is not terribly common in other units

[@kiwi_comanche]

NSDQ ♠️

[@davidsimmons7359]

They are back to flying to the x

[@davidrivero7943]

A fave in rc form. suttle inputs , trim foward & steer. Never around a real one but, still a fave. TY for showcasing the beatiful Cow .

[@LesNewell]

I used to live near the top of a large hill. I was outside one day and could hear this Chinook approaching. I looked around carefully and could not spot it. I then looked down and there is was flying straight towards me maybe 100ft off the ground. It's an unusual experience to be able to see the top of a flying Chinook while stood on the ground...

[@rosscollingwood5189]

My nephew flew these magnificent machines for many years with the Australian Army Aviation Regiment until he finally got to the point where his next promotion would have moved him into a non-flying role. Some of the pictures and stories he shared of flying these birds in places like New Guinea and Afghanistan were quite hair-raising and even though he loves his new civilian job as a rescue helicopter pilot, he remembers the Chinook with a great deal of fondness!

[@harrywilliamson7043]

Flew on Chinooks more than once. Had an old First Sergeant tell me once that if you ever get on one and don't see hydraulic fluid leaking, get off, it's out.

[@jerryhotep1810]

I flew that remarkable beast for almost 20 years, thank you for this episode!!

[@F14TomCat1231]

After working on these with the RAF as an Armourer for 10 years, from the Mk.2 to 6A, on numerous operational tours I can hand on heart say I will never come across another more versatile and epic aircraft. Still miss that classic blade slap.

[@meson183]

Awesome. One of my favorite helicopters. I'm sure I suggested this for Megaprojects quite some time ago, so thank you.

[@grapeshot]

I remember sling loading equipment underneath the Chinooks while serving in the US Army.

[@justme-ij2qy]

If the day comes that you forget doing things such as that you will likely not remember anything at all. Lol.

[@deejaydilemmah]

Praise God for your service

[@catessc1]

Thanks for posting ..... flight engineer 147th 25th ID. Turned that into a great career as a aviation contractor. Thanks Army.

[@deltavee2]

Je suis astonished that you didn't include the iconic photo of a Chinook discharging troops onto a hillside while hovering with just its ramp touching the side of the hill. That was some piloting!

[@alphaxalex1634]

While the Huey was the helicopter of the Vietnam war the Chinook is the helicopter of the war on terror. Whenever I think of them I think of us marines evacuating from a hot zone and seeing the rear door open like an angel reaching out to save them

[@ERAUsnow]

Marines don't use 47s. They used the little brother, the CH-46 Sea Knight (affectionately the Phrog to its crews. Look at one from the front, you'll see why). Now that the 46 has been retired, it's V-22 for the Corps.

[@peterkwolek2265]

These are incredible, coming off an OP on a Chinook, pilots decided to mess with us and basically stalled/went into freefall for several seconds, restored power and regained flight no problem. Either pilots were very bored with life, or they were very confident they could recover from stunts. I think it was the latter. Only time I thought they were dangerous was when we took small arms fire but since no helicopter is wearing heavy armor, that's not really an issue with CH-47

[@RobBulmahn]

So cool to see these featured on Megaprojects! I work at the site that manufactures these, so it's awesome to see our work featured like this.

[@garbo8962]

Was with the 135AHC in Nam 71-72 that had all Hueys. Great shit hooks would have no problem bringing a disabled UH1 home. They can float in calm water. CH47'S, UH1 HUEYS & B52 will still have a few flying a hundred years after the first ones rolled off the assembly lines.

[@chrisoffersen]

My father flew Cobras for 20+ years and, throughout my childhood, I thought that was the coolest thing imaginable. He would tell me what he really wanted to fly was the Chinook, though. This was beyond puzzling to a young boy’s mind. “A *cargo* helicopter > an ATTACK helicopter??” Nonsense. Fast forward a number of years when I found myself relying on the Chinook for survival in so many ways in Afghanistan, and I quickly understood what he was talking about. It’s such an impressive machine with so many unique (and sometimes stunning) capabilities, it earned my permanent affection as well.

[@DerpyDaringDitzyDoo]

One thing I think you forgot to mention is how loud they are! Seriously it's unbelievable! But yes we use these all the time to deliver disaster relief, they're pretty invaluable in that regard because there really just isn't anything that can match what these can do with the reliability they provide. An amazing machine for sure!

[@nickverbree]

And the WASH! It's like being in a tornado, it throws rocks the size of golf balls.

[@guyh.4553]

Love this story! The Chinook has such a unique sound, it is such a welcome to us soldiers

[@teaser6089]

I also love how widely adopted it is, it truly is a one of a kind big beast of the choppers

[@skylined5534]

The booming wub-wub-wub noise these incredible machines make as they go overhead... a beautiful sight and sound!

[@stathisbikos6563]

The twin rotor design, even though helps with yaw torque obviously, doesn't automatically delete it. When the aircraft pitches up or down the difference in collective pitch between the front and rear rotors causes them to experience different drag values. This also causes different reaction torques for the the rotors and this also causes yaw torque. What actually removes the need for a tail rotor is the fact that the tandem rotors can control yaw by imputing opposite cyclic commands front to rear and therefore can also counteract the yaw torque caused by differential reaction torque.

[@umami0247]

Was a crew chief in the army in the late 70's early eighties and had to fly in a shithook as we called them it was a endearing term I promise. The only time I got ill flying was in one of these not only do they Porpoise they also yaw while flying however they are the most durable and needed helicopter the military has.

[@Sean2002FU]

I recall my times flying on Chinooks!! One of my finest memories was as a young Marine, first time on the CH -47!! As I boarded the bird it was shaking ( almost violently)! I thought, " What the f'k!!!" I must have paused, because my platoon Sgt yelled in my ear, " its fine, its normal ,sit down!!" As soon as the tires left the ground, it all stopped! and the magic carpet ride began! smooth as a.... (ya know)....Yes it's true!! The CH -47 is faster than the Apache! No question! We had to slow down on a couple of missions ,so the gunships could catch up!! Geoff Wood speaks the truth!!

[@MrBrunoUSA]

I saw my first Chinook last summer when it was doing forest fire duty. it was taking a big sip out of the artificial lake on our property. I wondered what the carrying capacity was in gallons!

[@northwestgaming4049]

My dad was a criew chief for the sea stallion. Every time I visited his work (I tried as often as I could), the Chinooks always had my interest. Good childhood spent on the air station in tustin

[@Fourthirtydriver]

As a Chinook pilot of 20+ years, flying all models from the 'B' to the 'F', I can attest to the accuracy of this report. It is a welcome relief to the usual garbage put out for 'clicks & views' by grossly misinformed non-aviation people. Kudos to Magaprojects. With that in mind, I must point out one error at 13:45 where it is stated that "the maximum carrying capacity was increased 'BY' 20,000 pounds" should read "TO" 20,000 pounds. Although that number is usually stated as an everyday lift capacity, it is just not so. Loads that heavy require specific conditions of fuel weight, altitude and temperature. There are times where a load of 20,000 pounds may be exceeded, but that usually gets into a 'trading fuel for cargo capacity' scenario. No matter though, it is a beast. I've never met a Chinook pilot that didn't love the machine.

[@willadams9001]

If you can’t identify the Chinook from the sound alone, are you even an aviation enthusiast?

[@alexanderwelshwelsh9931]

Hearing that special wooga wooga as a child was something else

[@conorf8091]

I identify as a chinook

[@szkoclaw]

There is an RAF airfield on the western outskirts of London right next to a busy motorway, we get to see them taking off every now and then :)

[@duncancurtis1758]

Surfin Bird

[@michiganengineer8621]

You could say the same thing about the UH-1 Huey. A very distictive "WHOP-WHOP-WHOP"

[@steveg5933]

Fond memories of flying out to USS Tuscaloosa (a Newport Class LST) on a Chinook. Point of order: a Chinook is approximately 12 longer than the LST is wide, therefore they "land" on such a ship by touching down only with the rear landing gear. Cue my first flight. I was an HM3 (E-4) sitting next to my HM1 (E-6) As we got close to the ship, the pilot flared up to his approach angle, just off the ship, the tailgate dropped down giving an amazing view of the south China sea. About 20 feet below us. That's when the HM1 put a death grip on my arm and kept it there. He had to be pried off. After we got on deck he admitted he couldn't swim that well and was not keen on heights... Good times

[@mazzar35]

You should check the Coulson Aviations CH47s they use for rotary wing firefighting, they are currently down here in Australia. They feature a smart internal water tank that can delivery specific loads (IE not dump all at once) and when NSW had bad floods they were easily removed to convert back into standard cargo carriers for relief efforts

[@mdgehringer]

Still one of the fastest helicopters in the world! But soon to be beaten by the Sikorsky-Boeing DEFIANT X! Dad worked as an engineer at Boeing Vertol/Rotorcraft from 1963 to 1996 with many of those years on the CH-47! There's a version of the Chinook with a wing and one with four blades.

[@Bespelled22]

I got a couple tailgate jumps from a CH-47 with the 504th in Panama in 88? 89? Not sure. It was during operation Sand Flea prior to operation Just Cause. When you jump from a C-130 your parachute opens in about 4 seconds. When you jump from a helicopter it takes about 6 seconds. That extra two seconds is a very long time.

[@joeinmi8671]

Im surprised you didnt mention the new quiet rotor version. Its crazy seeing something that big hover above you very quietly.

[@cepaasch]

I am a diehard Sikorsky guy but that Chinook is something else!!! I have one steadfast rule however, never fly in something that can have a midair collision with itself. I am surprised you didn't mention anything about the originator of the Vertol company, Piasecki, which was bought out/acquired by Boeing.

[@grrjr215]

20 years working on and crewing Chinooks. Love that Simon finally did a video on them. NSDQ

[@stephenhudson6543]

One more time, when I was at Fort Eustis Virginia there was an experimental version of the ch-47 with tiltable wings and special engine upgrades and the four bladed rotors and just to show what technology existed at the time and the wings could tilt to full vertical and back to horizontal and we're swept back

[@dougdearinger5837]

I started out as a Chinook mechanic in 67 and halfway through the year, due to attrition, was asked to be flight eng. We went down three times and two of them were mechanical problems. You didn't mention another predesor to the Chinook which we called the banana. Also the reason Chinooks didn't work out as gun ships was if you mount 5 quad 50s in a Chinook, it will literally shake it so bad, joints will actually start coming apart

[@snorlax6691]

I actually had a somewhat close encounter with one of these bad boys a couple years ago. My house is located under some sort of military flight path, as I hear jets and choppers go by on the daily, and one day I heard the very distinct sound of a Chinook, and it was LOUD! Much louder than the typical choppers I hear going over. I stepped out my front door and looked up to see a massive Chinook hovering only a little way above the treetops almost directly over my house. It was so low, I could make out the face of the man sitting with his legs hanging out of the side door, down to the fact that I could tell he was white and wearing a pair of shades under his helmet. In fact, I’m pretty sure he stared back at me as I stared up at him in his chopper. I watched for a little while, and they flew off, but I’ll never forget that moment.

[@MrOhms13]

Chinooks were my favorite jump platform. The lack of jet/prop wash made for a downright luxurious experience. Comparatively speaking, of course.

[@cnknguyen]

I fly chinooks every single day, most versatile and awesome machine on the planet!

[@Christfollower89]

It's a great Airframe! I've been working on them for 12 yrs now (Airframe). Noticed you were in 1st Cav, so figured you'd find it interesting. We have an FE in our Texas GSAB that has over 7500 flight hours as a crew member

[@quan4271]

Absolutely correct! These comments are hilarious though. One guy said she turns like a grey hound, haha. Yeah , idk where these folks get their opinions from but personal experience is this old girl can boot scoot and boogie. Definitely miss serving with you brother on this freedom producing machine.

[@cnknguyen]

@@quan4271 For sure brother, but fear not..ill probably be recalled sooner than later lol. Hope all is well!

[@quan4271]

@@cnknguyen yeaaaaaa we're all thinking the same but aint nobody really saying it....yet.

[@jalenheggs3422]

I just got picked up to fly them. What am I getting into? Lol

[@detcordxxxi]

Although I have no experience with the Ch47, I did ride around in its smaller sister the Ch46 in the Marines. They are unsafe at best and death traps at worst. We attended "helo-dunk" training where you are taught to escape a sinking helicopter. But the 46's sank so quickly in real life that the crashes into water that did happen usually resulted in the loss of all personnel on board. All the craft we had (in the mid-90's) had bullet hole patches in them from Vietnam. Luckily the Marine Corps retired the 46's in 2015. After a service life of 49 years!

[@usmc24thmeu36]

Yes the ch 46's were dangerous. We left new river on an assault of a LSD but didn't make it. They had to send a LCAC to pick us up.

[@atomicskull6405]

And they replaced them with an even worse deathtrap. What is it with the marines and flying coffins?

[@detcordxxxi]

@@atomicskull6405 No one wants to live forever

[@Penfold101]

The rotors aren’t just synchronised, they’re physically connected through the central driveshaft. You can’t move one without moving the other, and you’ll also move the entire drivetrain through the 5 gearboxes through to the sprag clutches.

[@caleb7631]

What do you think mechanically synchronized means? 5:55

[@imkirbo3094]

That's what he said.

[@Penfold101]

@@caleb7631 They could be mechanically synchronised without being physically connected like they are.

[@kb34958]

Even my Corgi model does that!

[@davehertle]

The two engine transmission reduce the engine rpm, turn it 90 degrees and send the power into the combining box. The combining box takes the two engine inputs, reduces the rpm further then sends it forward and aft to the two rotor-head transmissions. there the rpms are further reduced, turned 90 degrees again and sent up into the rotor heads. The 3 blades on each rotor head intermesh during their rotation making those last three transmissions critical, meaning without them the blades would intermesh. Think timing belt failure on some ICE engine designs allowing the valves to hit the pistons - end of the day for all.

[@HRHtheDude]

I have seen multiple footage of a similar double rotor machine, I think from the Korean War. It had a bend in the middle instead of a straight fuselage, I always assumed this was the precursor to the Chinook.

[@chrislong3938]

I used to see these babies hauling M114 howitzers all the time. In fact, I saw one get dropped from about 300 feet because it became unstable during transport! The after story was that a lieutenant failed to count the number of turns in one of its straps compared to the other two and as a result, it caused too much drag and caused the gun to start swinging wildly! The Chinook started following the oscillations and couldn't calm it all down. The loadmaster just dropped the gun into Camp Roberts mud! We were stunned to watch the whole thing unfold! The 'Butter-bar' responsible was assigned a desk job... or so we heard... I think his naked was Patreus! ;-) Just kidding! We got to see the aftermath of the gun being towed back to Ft. Ord later. It was a mess! Most of the mud was washed away but the barrel was truly bent and would never be used again!! I was kinda shocked by that because they are really thick and the ground, at least on the surface was very soft! We'd had heavy rains for about a week before and I figure the deeper ground would have been softened up as well! I was apparently wrong!

[@Tank50us]

One story I always love when it comes to the Chinook is the one of a NG Pilot who was called on to fly a MedEvac mission in Afghanistan. The troops who called it were in steep terrain, and there was no flat space available to land the helicopter to load the wounded men on. So this mad-lad pilot, who in Civilian Life works as Life Flight pilot, found a roof where the ground guys could bring the wounded men too, and set the tail of his helicopter down on it. He held it there rock steady as the wounded troops were loaded in, and safely evacuated. Listening to the pilot, for him it was just a normal days work, as apparently his unit did it all the damn time (the kind of landing).

[@andersjjensen]

Yup, I've heard a similar story about the Danish Jæger force (the very tippy top of the elite forces) were planning a scouting mission to find Taliban hideouts in the mountains and they were in bit of a pickle because they wanted to be dropped off close to where they expected to find some (so they didn't have to walk for days) but at the same time they didn't want to let anyone know there had been a dropoff. After some back and forth with the US army who was providing the "taxi service" they got to talk to the pilot directly who just completely blank-eyed suggested to drop them off on a 6 foot wide ridge he had seen in the area... and proceeded to just hover in the air with only the loading ramp touching the ridge. 30 seconds from touching until everyone was unloaded and the Chinook was gone. In pitch blackness. At some 6500-7000ft altitude. Between plenty of mountain tops and wonky wind tunnels.... dude must have had balls of steel.

[@MichChief]

I would have hoped Simon would have discussed the Pinnacle landings often performed by the CH-47. Maybe not unique to just the Chinook, but this maneuver is a testament to it's special design and the extraordinary skill of its pilots (and it is just really cool to see!). And as we are talking twin rotor helicopters, could I persuade Simon to do a video on the HH-43 Huskie. It had side by side, intermeshing twin rotors. A quite unusual little helicopter.

[@richardsawyer5428]

Bravo November, the only British Chinook to see service in the Falklands War is being retired and will go on display at the RAF Museum, Cosford. I do love the Wukka.

[@willstikken5619]

When the US Army 'upgraded' their Chinooks form D to F models that process involved scrapping the D model airframes, some of which started life as A or B models, and using new airframes for the F. This should extend the potential lives of these aircraft well in to the future.

[@bigdaddy7119]

The pic at 4:43 was taken at Ft Benning in June ‘98 during sling load training with 2/502 Infantry. I’m the guy in the foreground on the left on one knee. 😁

[@kenprier7413]

No doubt the 47 has been a work horse for a long time. But at it's introduction it was classified as a "medium" lift aircraft, whereas the CH-54A & B were "Heavy" lift. The 54, Tarhe, is still in use today and with a few modifications could easily outlift and helicopter in the free world.

[@Redmenace96]

Imagine being flown through a river valley in Viet Nam in 1966, and the same young man being flown up into the hills of Afghanistan in 2011. In the same ship! What a design, and what a weapon of war. Amazing machine. We get mad at Boeing for their flops, but keep in mind their successes!

[@adriaanboogaard8571]

Great video. Most likely my favorite Helicopter. I also am Very fond of the Sky Crain.😁