Sikorsky MH-53M Pave Low IV 68-8284The Royal Air Force <strong>Museum</strong>’s newest exhibit has arrived from the USA.Kindly donated and transported to the UK by the United States Air Force (USAF),it is now destined to take its place in the National Cold War Exhibition in Cosford.Built as a Sikorsky S-65/HH-53C-SI, serials batch 68-8283/8286,one of 44 built, entering servicefrom August 1968. Constructor’sNumber 65-131. Medium-liftCombat Search and Rescuehelicopter; USAF version of USNavy Marine Corp’s CH-53A/D SeaStallion helicopter.The HH-53C ‘Super Jolly GreenGiant’ (officially known as theStallion) was long-range CombatSearch and Rescue helicopterthat was also used for covertoperations during the Vietnam War.May 71-Jan 72 Active in SouthEast Asia; Call Sign JG 55. Madetwo known aircrew recoveries, on 5September 1971 and 19 December1971.28 Jun 79 Photographed at <strong>RAF</strong>Woodbridge when serving with 67ARRS, USAF.Oct 80 As an HH-53C, three weekdetachment (along with HH-53C69-5785) operating from RoyalAircraft Establishment airfield atWest Freugh, SW Scotland. Taskedwith sling loading Alconbury-basedUSAF RF-4C Phantom and UpperHeyford-based USAF F-111Ewreckage from Cairnsmore of Fleetand Craignaw in SouthernScotland. Pilot was Captain FrankA Gray USAF. The 1TRS/10 TRWRF-4C, 68-0566, had crashed onCairnsmore on 28 March 1979, andthe F-111E, 68-<strong>08</strong>03 from the 20TFW had crashed on Craignaw on19 December 1979.One of nine MH-53Hs and 32 HH-53s later converted to ‘MH-53JPave Low III Enhanced’ low-level,long-range Special Operationsstandard with uprated engines,more armour, forward-lookinginfrared, global positioning system,Doppler navigation systems,terrain-following and terrainavoidanceradar, on-boardcomputer and integrated avionicsfor ‘low-level, long-range,undetected penetration into deniedareas, day or night, in adverseweather, for infiltration, exfiltrationand resupply of special operationsforces’ to quote the USAF officialwebsite.There were 41 MH-53Js in all, allmodified from existing airframesbetween 1986 and 1990; they allretained Combat Search AndRescue (CSAR) capability inaddition to Special Operationsduties, and were the largesthelicopter in the USAF inventory.Pave refers to the all-weathersensor system, Precision AvionicsVectoring Equipment.Later modified from J model toMH-53M Pave Low IV standardwith Interactive Defensive AvionicsSystem/Multi-Mission AdvancedTactical Terminal, enhancing itsdefensive capabilities.20 Jun 89 Photographed atAalborg airfield, Denmark in PaveLow IV configuration.Latterly assigned to 20th SpecialOperations Squadron (20 SOS – the‘Green Hornets’), part of 1stSpecial Operations Group, AirForce Special OperationsCommand at Hurlburt Field,Florida, USA.This unit converted to the HH-53 atHurlburt Field in 1980, equippingwith the MH-53H Pave Low in 1986and the MH-53J from 1988 andMH-53M in 1999.The unit was involved in OperationDesert Shield from August 1990and later operations in Bosnia andHerzegovina and Operation DesertThunder in 1998.30 Sep <strong>08</strong> Type finally retired fromUSAF Inventory.28 Oct <strong>08</strong> Following gifting by theUnited States Air Force via theNational <strong>Museum</strong> of the UnitedStates Air Force, delivered byUSAF C.17 s/n 44133 to <strong>RAF</strong> BrizeNorton, Oxfordshire, arriving fromBaghdad, Iraq at 12.45pm.<strong>08</strong>/09 Move to <strong>RAF</strong> <strong>Museum</strong>,Cosford for display in NationalCold War Exhibition building.Andrew Simpson4
C-17 taxiing into <strong>RAF</strong> Brize NortonMain fuselage after unloadingRotor head assembly
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