Quote:
Originally Posted by NoBozo
i was stationed aboard Shenandoah AD-26 (Norfolk) at the time. (Destroyer Tender) We went in to the "Yards" to be converted ....to support DASH. For the destroyers it was called a "FRAM" Job. Almost all destroyers underwent the conversion.
We Deleted our two 5"38 open mount guns Fore and Aft ..for the Helo Deck and Hanger aft. I was stationed aboard Shenandoah from early 1960 through summer 1964. We never saw a DASH helicopter on board.
We did see a DASH Helicopter aboard a destroyer rafted alongside..They were doing flight tests.. Tethered. The DASH helicopter crashed on deck of the destroyer doing the testing.
The DASH helicopter was "sporting" one of the very early Gas Turbine engines then in development.
As an aside: At the same time..Rover/BRM had a Gas Turbine entry in the "24 hours of Le Mans". It finished without incident. The ruling body had no idea how to "Classify" a Turbine Engine....HISTORY.  NB |
Hi NB,
So if I understand you correctly, you were referencing ( Destroyer Tenders ) not having the DASH helicopters until the Mid sixties, and not the USS Hazelwood??
As an aside, there was a Military helicopter that touched down on the USS Hazelwood's flight deck with some High Ranked dignitaries aboard, while the Hazelwood was in port in, ( I think it was in Newport RI,) and the deck crew had tied down one landing wheel when the pilot decided to lift off to reposition the copter on the deck, and it turned over sideways and crashed between the dock and the Hazelwood and I think there were four deaths. A piece of the rotor blade went through the ship and up the hallway and hit the radio room's door where Mel was working at the time.
Several months later the Hazelwood was at the Navy yard in Boston and they had a family day cruise and my sister and I went. We were given a tour of the ship and there were still some of the scars up on deck that had just been painted over. Anyway, we left the Navy yard and cruised out of Boston Harbor and out to sea where we were treated to an awesome steak dinner in the decorated mess hall. I was only about fifteen at the time, but it was a blast and the weather was perfect!
Terry
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