AlaskaAV
GONE WEST
Mission, TX
Durring WW II, there were many, many aircraft lost in southern Alaska. Since King Salmon was the closest mainland airport to the Chain, lots of activity there.
I only have part of this story but also know there are more than one that can add to it. Please join in or correct me with what you remember. PBY Lake?
At one point, the Alaska Heritage Museum talked to the powers at be that they wanted to try and get a submerged PBY out of a lake near King Salmon and get it to Anchorage for restoration. First of all, I must commend the great restoration members of the museum. Old time airline and GA mechanics that just can't get away from old time aircraft.
Some day, I hope I can get some to share their unbelievable storys of how they kept our birds flying in the bush.
At that time, the Alaska National Guard had a small fleet of Sky Cranes.
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/thewilliamsfire/9_25williams59.JPG
(without the water tank under the lift rotor)
Just in case some are not aware what they are, a huge single lift rotor heavy lifter. It kind of looked like a fly because of the small tail boom and the very large cockpit that looked like a bugs eye.
The National Guard elected to try the mission as a training exercise for heavy lifting just as they do now with very high altitude operations on Mt McKinley. Probably the best in the world for that.
Off they go to King Salmon on a weekend. The ground crew had already prepared the aircraft for a sling lift but since it was under water, they really couldn't do much with the slime and mud inside the bird.
A side comment if you will: the National Guard pilots in those days were normally very seasoned airline pilots who just loved to fly and some of the best needless to say.
OK, hover, attach the sling and power up. Nothing really happened first time but suspect they might have added a "little" more power than normal and finally got the PBY to move. Red line? As I understand it and that does not mean it is correct, they may not have actually lifted it above water level but did drag it to shore before they dropped the sling. Now time for the ground crew to come in with water pumps to hose the inside out. That probably got rid of 10,000 pounds, more or less.
Next exercise sent the same flight crew back in to try again on a weekend. (remember, lots of people called those pilots week end wonders, but where would our Air Force be today without them?) They did get it lifted although a very heavy load and after lots of work, finally got it to Anchorage. Every pilot involved learned a lot on that mission. I know one thing, if I were having a problem in the bush or with a downed aircraft, it more than likely would be the National Guard of Alaska that got to me first other than company equipment.
OK guys, now that I have started it, please add what you remember.
As an added note, the oil companies building the oil pipeline out of Prudhoe Bay were using a Sky Crane to sling in multi 40 foot sections of the 48" pipeline into place. After dropping off a load, the ground crew unhooked the sling so the bird could go back for another load. Rush, rush.
As the sling was released from the load and the signal given, the pilot immediately swung the ship around and back to the loading area. He turned so fast that the sling started whipping enough that it caught the tail rotor. Needless to say what happened after that. Damage caused it to explode inflight. A great operation but trucks were used after that.
I only have part of this story but also know there are more than one that can add to it. Please join in or correct me with what you remember. PBY Lake?
At one point, the Alaska Heritage Museum talked to the powers at be that they wanted to try and get a submerged PBY out of a lake near King Salmon and get it to Anchorage for restoration. First of all, I must commend the great restoration members of the museum. Old time airline and GA mechanics that just can't get away from old time aircraft.
Some day, I hope I can get some to share their unbelievable storys of how they kept our birds flying in the bush.
At that time, the Alaska National Guard had a small fleet of Sky Cranes.
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/thewilliamsfire/9_25williams59.JPG
(without the water tank under the lift rotor)
Just in case some are not aware what they are, a huge single lift rotor heavy lifter. It kind of looked like a fly because of the small tail boom and the very large cockpit that looked like a bugs eye.
The National Guard elected to try the mission as a training exercise for heavy lifting just as they do now with very high altitude operations on Mt McKinley. Probably the best in the world for that.
Off they go to King Salmon on a weekend. The ground crew had already prepared the aircraft for a sling lift but since it was under water, they really couldn't do much with the slime and mud inside the bird.
A side comment if you will: the National Guard pilots in those days were normally very seasoned airline pilots who just loved to fly and some of the best needless to say.
OK, hover, attach the sling and power up. Nothing really happened first time but suspect they might have added a "little" more power than normal and finally got the PBY to move. Red line? As I understand it and that does not mean it is correct, they may not have actually lifted it above water level but did drag it to shore before they dropped the sling. Now time for the ground crew to come in with water pumps to hose the inside out. That probably got rid of 10,000 pounds, more or less.
Next exercise sent the same flight crew back in to try again on a weekend. (remember, lots of people called those pilots week end wonders, but where would our Air Force be today without them?) They did get it lifted although a very heavy load and after lots of work, finally got it to Anchorage. Every pilot involved learned a lot on that mission. I know one thing, if I were having a problem in the bush or with a downed aircraft, it more than likely would be the National Guard of Alaska that got to me first other than company equipment.
OK guys, now that I have started it, please add what you remember.
As an added note, the oil companies building the oil pipeline out of Prudhoe Bay were using a Sky Crane to sling in multi 40 foot sections of the 48" pipeline into place. After dropping off a load, the ground crew unhooked the sling so the bird could go back for another load. Rush, rush.
As the sling was released from the load and the signal given, the pilot immediately swung the ship around and back to the loading area. He turned so fast that the sling started whipping enough that it caught the tail rotor. Needless to say what happened after that. Damage caused it to explode inflight. A great operation but trucks were used after that.