Tactical Armament Turret (TAT)

The Tactical Armament Turret (TAT) 102B, manufactured by Emerson Electric, housing 1 GE 7.62 mm Mini-gun and up to 8,000 rounds. The turret was hydraulically driven, the gun was electrically driven with a gunner selectable rate of 2,000 or 4,000 rounds per minute. It hung on the sponson (left, right or both) in place of the drop tank. Sight was an electro-optical servo sight mounted in the crew door (I have never found a photo of the sight) and the forward cabin window on the left side. Normal load was 4,000 rounds of ammo and was normally loaded on the right sponson. Pilots were not happy about having to choose between fuel and weapons. Most of the time they choose the fuel. Note: Due to the fuel Vs weight issue the TAT was seldom utilized for missions across the river. (Jim Henthorn)

Tagging Moose

We used to tag Moose when I was in Alaska (59-63). We would tag the little ones. In about May when the calves were born, we would go out about 2 in the morning or as soon as it was light. We would carry three people from Fish and Wildlife. One would be a husky young man, a man with an ear tag, and a man with a high powered rifle.

We would fly around until we spotted a cow with a small calf. We then drop down and hover and separate the two. We would land near the calf and discharge the three man crew. We would then take off and hover between the cow and the calf. The young husky guy would catch the calf, the man with the tag would put a tag in the calf's ear, and the man with the big gun would stand by to shoot the cow if we couldn't keep her away.

In the couple hundred we tagged each year, they never had to shoot Mama. But even hovering at about 2 feet, I had snorting cows come within about 5 feet of the nose of the helicopter, and they wouldn't back down until we really pushed them. But we were flying H-21s so there was no tail rotor to worry about. (Don Aamodt~ROTORHEAD Contributor)

H-43 Gun Ship~1st Gun Ship in SEA

The person in the Photo is Amn Galdie (PJ)

June 17 1964 Secret orders TDY 89 days to the Philippines. We never saw the PI. First stop DaNang, AB RVN. Next stop Udorn RTAFB Thailand. We assembled our H-43’s in Air America’s hangar. Air America’s painter painted out our dayglow and yellow Rescue markings and we flew to our new home NKP Thailand.

They augmented our unit with personnel from Japan, Jim Burns from PI, an Electrician, Instrument man, Security Police and First Mobil Communications. A grand total of 35 personnel.

The chief flight engineer for Air America was an ex-Sgt. that I knew from Sewart AFB. I told him we didn’t have anything but M-16’s for weapons. He came back in about 15 minutes with 2 BAR’s and several cases of ammunition. He told me to forget where I got them.

(Note: This one of several stories that fellow ROTORHEAD Chuck Severns wanted to share with the group. Chuck passed away on 22 Feb 2007 and these stories are being posted in his honor).

H-43 Transfer~~SAC to CARRC

1961 TDY to Pease AFB NH. Transfering 2 H-43s from SAC to CARRC. Grounded both aircraft for multiple red X conditions. Both had tower rods installed backwards, and other hazardous conditions. SAC QC personnel wouldn’t talk to me anymore. They had to reply by endorsement to Gen. LeMay why a SSgt from rescue could tear up a SAC QC department staffed with E-8s and E-9s.

Finally bought the aircraft and took off for Wurtsmith AFB MI. Outside of Allentown PA oil started flowing out of the panel under the engine. Told the pilot we had an emergency, he asked how bad it was, looked back and I was in a shower of oil.

Emergency landing on the grounds of Allentown prison. Before the rotors stopped the warden was there with armed guards wanting to know what was going on.

Flew on to Olmsted in the other aircraft. Spent the night in the secret helicopter unit’s hangar pulling the engine out of the good aircraft. I had flown with the Maintenance Officer at Goose Bay, and he said the place was mine.

In the morning loaded the engine into their H-19 and they flew it out to the downed aircraft. They had dispatched a cherry picker from Olmstead. Did a boon dock engine change and went back to Olmstead. We left one helicopter there to get a new engine and flew the good bird to Wurtsmith.

(Note: This one of several stories that fellow ROTORHEAD Chuck Severns wanted to share with the group. Chuck passed away on 22 Feb 2007 and these stories are being posted in his honor).