Kaman HH-43B Huskie (8397)

This was used for base crash rescue for all flying commands. A Huskie crew could get airborne inone minute, taking 30 seconds to get airborne and 30 seconds to pick up the fire suppression pod. The twin intermeshing, counter-rotating rotors made the aircraft stable in flight and the downwash actually helped suppress fires. A later version, the HHH-43F, was used for a time in Vietnam to rescue downed airmen until it was replaced by the larger, faster HH-3. This Huskie at Castle Aircraft Museum served at Elgin AFB, Florida and Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.