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After the Airwolf TV series concluded, the cosmetically modified Bell 222, serial number 47085, was sold and became an ambulance helicopter in Germany.

Aired from Jan. 22, 1984, until Aug. 7, 1987, Airwolf is an American action military drama television series where an enigmatic loner at the behest of a shadowy government organization steals a supersonic military helicopter from its twisted creator and uses it to fight the bad guys around the world.

The flight-capable Airwolf helicopter was a cosmetically modified Bell 222, serial number 47085, sometimes unofficially called a Bell 222A. During the filming of the series, the helicopter was owned by Jetcopters, Inc. of Van Nuys, California.

Whatever happened to the Airwolf helicopter after the show ended?

‘Destroyed in 1992 due to pilot error during a storm — killing three aboard,’ says Ken Miyamoto, Produced screenwriter, former Sony Pictures script reader/story analyst, and former Sony Studios liaison, on his Quora space The Tao of Screenwriting/Movies/TV.

‘The series Airwolf ran from 1984–1987, telling the story of a renegade pilot that goes on missions with an advanced battle helicopter as part of a deal with an intelligence agency to look for his missing brother.

‘In the show, the helicopter was a supersonic prototype (that even had an “evil” twin) attack helicopter that could be disguised as a civilian aircraft — a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” That’s why it’s called Airwolf.

‘Here’s the Airwolf insignia patch.’

Miyamoto continues;

‘After the series concluded, the cosmetically modified Bell 222, serial number 47085, was sold and became an ambulance helicopter in Germany.

‘On June 6th, 1992, it crashed on the side of a mountain during a thunderstorm, killing all three crew members.

‘The helicopter had just saved a little girl suffering from heavy burns on a mercy mission from Berlin to the Cologne University Burns Unit in Köln. After delivering her to safety, it was headed back to Berlin when it and the crew encountered unexpected weather. The visibility was reduced to nearly 100 feet due to fog amidst an oncoming thunderstorm.

‘Pilot error caused the helicopter and its crew to impact near a rock quarry close to Halbeswig at 100 MPH. The rotor blades clipped the tops of several trees and then crashed on the mountainside.

‘A local farmer heard the explosion and notified emergency services. It took them over an hour to find the crash site.

‘When it was found, the helicopter was broken in half and the engine was destroyed.’

Miyamoto concludes;

‘A replica of Airwolf was created in the early 2000s and from 2007 to 2015 was displayed in a Tennessee museum until it was sold to a collector.

‘The replica is now on top of a $250 million mansion in Bel Air, California.

‘RIP Airwolf — and its onscreen pilot Jan-Michael Vincent (he passed away in 2019).’

Check out The Tao of Screenwriting for more fun Movie/TV discussions, as well as screenwriting and film industry insights.

Photo by Tennessee Museum of Aviation and Unknown

There are many scenarios in which tube artillery can engage attack helicopters.

Sometimes called helicopter gunships because of their heavy armament, modern attack helicopters have two primary roles: first, to provide direct and accurate close air support for ground troops; and second, the anti-tank role to destroy grouped enemy armor. Attack helicopters are also used as protective escorts for transport helicopters, or to supplement lighter helicopters in the armed reconnaissance roles. In combat, an attack helicopter is projected to destroy targets worth around 17 times its own production cost before being destroyed.

But how do helicopters avoid being shot down?

‘Nap of the earth flying, mostly,’ says Jay Snead, an aviation expert on Quora.

‘The great feature of a helicopter is its ability to hover behind cover. if you can’t see it, you can’t hit it. The Apache Longbow mounts a sensor tower above its rotors so that it can observe without exposing itself to view.

‘They can hide behind a ridge or down in the trees to make themselves an unattractive target for a ground-based missile.

‘To defend itself from other aircraft, its ability to hide close to the ground makes it difficult for a high-flying aircraft to get a radar lock on it. When under attack, it can deploy flares to decoy heat-seeking missiles. It can even carry Sidewinder or Stinger missiles to shoot back.’

Nevertheless, attack helicopters can still be shot down by tube artillery. An anonymous former US Army soldier recalls on Quora;

‘We actually ran a fire mission once that simulated a 155mm engagement of a terrain-masked helicopter known to a forward observer to be hovering below a ridgeline at about 2 km. The known position was relayed to FDC where they had to think about a solution. Then the helo was engaged with a low trajectory HE projo and fuze solution timed to function in an airburst just after the ridge position. The resulting rain of steel would have neatly taken down any helicopter in that location.

‘There are many scenarios in which tube artillery can engage helicopters. Wise helo drivers don’t loiter and put themselves into such positions. Tube artillery is amazingly agile in the right hands.

‘In this scenario, an FO detected the helo long before the opposing forces were even aware of the presence of the artillery. The artillery and helo were not in the line of sight. The helo would have needed external assistance to detect the presence and location of the batteries.

‘You might think you’re safe down there. You’re not.’

Photo by U.S. Army, Pinterest

The SB>1 Defiant helicopter demonstrated mission-relevant cargo capacity by lifting a 5,300-pound Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System training load.

As the video in this post shows, the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant helicopter demonstrated mission-relevant cargo capacity by lifting a 5,300-pound Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System training load during a test flight at the Sikorsky Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. With Defiant X, the US Army will deliver troops and cargo in future combat at twice the range of the current fleet.

According to a Lockheed Martin news release, the lifting power demonstrated by SB>1 Defiant in this test equates to an Infantry Squad Vehicle, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, more than 600 gallons of water, or ~240 cases of MREs – resupply vital to Soldier survival in a contested environment.

The SB>1 Defiant test flight program continues to demonstrate the military utility of the Defiant X design and further reduces the risk for the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program.

In May, SB>1 Defiant exceeded 230 knots in level flight.

SB>1 Defiant is the technology demonstrator proving out transformational capabilities for the Defiant X weapons system, the Sikorsky-Boeing team offering for the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition as part of the Future Vertical Lift program. The Sikorsky-Boeing team designed Defiant X to serve the specific needs of all U.S. Army FLRAA missions – offering a holistic approach to speed, range, and maneuverability. The external load capacity of Defiant X significantly increases its potential for humanitarian assistance missions at home or abroad.

With its rigid coaxial rotor system and pusher propeller, Defiant X incorporates Sikorsky X2 Technology to operate at high speeds while maintaining low-speed handling qualities. This critical capability provides Soldiers with increased maneuverability and survivability in high-threat air defense environments, allowing them to penetrate enemy defenses while reducing exposure to enemy fire. Compared to SB>1 Defiant, the Defiant X airframe has enhancements to improve aerodynamics and reduce the thermal signature.

Defiant X flies twice as far and fast as the venerable Black Hawk helicopter it is designed to replace. Currently undergoing testing in a digital combat environment, the aircraft continues to prove itself the most survivable platform for mission requirements.

Photo by Lockheed Martin

The commonality between the UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper aircraft enabled critical component supply chains to remain active during AH-1Z production for the USMC.

Bell has restarted UH-1Y Venom helicopter production for the first international operator. Crestview Aerospace has completed manufacturing the first of eight cabins at the Crestview Florida facility. The aircraft will complete the final assembly at the Bell Amarillo Assembly Center. The helicopters are part of the 2020 US Department of Defense contract awarded to Bell for the production and delivery of eight UH-1Y and four AH-1Z helicopters for the government of the Czech Republic.

“Crestview Aerospace is honored and grateful for the opportunity to team with Bell on the continued production of the UH-1Y cabin for the first international customer,” said Paul Kohlmeier, senior vice president, Strategy and Business Development, Crestview Aerospace, in a Bell news release. “Crestview continues to build in the same high quality and reliability into the international Venom helicopters that underpin the aircraft currently operated by the United States Marine Corps around the world.”

As already reported, Bell delivered the final UH-1Y for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) program of record in April 2018 and has continued to produce and deliver the AH-1Z Viper as part of the H-1 production contract for 349 H-1 aircraft, consisting of 160 UH-1Y and 189 AH-1Z.

The Bell UH-1Y is a combat-proven utility helicopter slated to support the USMC and Czech Republic missions for the next four decades. The Yankee engages threats, delivers or exfiltrate personnel, and performs under the most punishing operating conditions, making it the ultimate tactical utility helicopter. The Bell UH-1Y was first deployed with the USMC in 2009. The “Yankee” operates in the most extreme environments, from Arctic cold to desert heat.

The Venom and the Viper are based on the Vietnam-era family of Huey helicopters, the UH-1 Iroquois, and the derivative AH-1 Cobra. The modern variants share 85 percent of their parts including a common tail boom, engines, rotor system, drivetrain, avionics architecture, software, and controls. The commonality between the aircraft enabled critical component supply chains to remain active during AH-1Z production for the USMC.

“Time, logistics, and man-hours are all strategic resources,” said Mike Deslatte, vice president, and H-1 program director, Bell. “Commonality helps ensure everything between the Viper and Venom, from manufacturing, maintenance, and upgrades, remains seamless while simultaneously providing lower program and life cycle costs. It’s a real tactical advantage on multiple levels.”

The UH-1Y and AH-1Z aircraft are specifically designed and produced for expeditionary operations. Together, they provide a full spectrum of military operations, unlike any other helicopter duo.

Bell anticipates USMC production through early 2022, followed by continued production for foreign military customers. Bell has two signed Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases in production, Bahrain and the Czech Republic.

Photo by Bell

‘We landed in a soybean field and sank… The field was plowed and the dirt very loose…,’ Chris Ishmael, former US Army CH-47 Chinook flight engineer.

On Jan. 5, 2021, the wheels of a Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinook based at RAF Benson sank into the mud when it made a precautionary landing near Wantage, Oxfordshire.

As the pictures in this post show, on Jan. 11, two cranes lifted the aircraft onto a platform after more than 250ft (76m) of trackway was laid over the “extremely soft ground”.

RAF Benson said the operation was challenging due to the conditions.

The Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron and the Royal Engineers considered a “number of options” before it was decided to lift the aircraft with cranes.

How is it that the Chinook got stuck in the mud?

‘I can answer this question with 100% familiarity because it happened to me while I was a CH-47 flight engineer. Twice,’ says Chris Ishmael, former US Army CH-47 Chinook flight engineer, on Quora.

‘With full fuel and nothing else inside, each tire is still supporting over 5k lbs. The tires are called high-flotation wheels, but will still sink readily into soft, saturated ground.’

About the RAF CH-47 that got stuck in the mud in January, he says:

‘It was interesting to me that they brought cranes out to remove the aircraft. That tells me that they most likely had a drive-train issue, like one of the 5 transmissions had a chip indication that wouldn’t reset on the maintenance panel, to where they couldn’t run the aircraft. If the aircraft could have been fixed on the spot, it would have been a simple matter of digging the wheels out, and then gingerly flying it out by using the forward slope landing and take-off technique that all -47 pilots are taught during the transition course.’

Then Ishmael recalls;

‘The first time that happened to me was way back in the 90s while on a JRTC rotation to Ft. Polk, LA. We landed in a soybean field and sank to about the same depth as that RAF bird did. The field was plowed and the dirt very loose, so we just pulled the pitch carefully, and off we went. The second time was on the parade field at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio during a passenger haul that took place during the typical rainy spring in that part of Texas. We landed with some forward motion but came to such a sudden, unexpected stop that the guy in the cabin door was thrown forward. Think of riding a city bus and the driver slams on the brakes. We left 6 short, but deep, furrows in the sergeant major’s grass, lol.’

Photo by Crown Copyright

A US Army Black Hawk helicopter made an emergency landing at Charles de Gaulle Square, Bucharest, tearing down two public street lights and stopping traffic but making no casualties.

A US Army Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade made an emergency landing at Charles de Gaulle Square, Bucharest, Romania’s capital, on Jul. 15, 2021, tearing down two public street lights and stopping traffic but making no casualties.

The helicopter was part of a group of six that were rehearsing ahead of events to mark Romanian Air Force Day and the end of Romanian military presence in Afghanistan on Jul. 20-21, Reuters says. The Black Hawk suddenly lost altitude and flew low above cars until it landed nearby in a downtown roundabout, which traffic police had cleared.

According to traffic police, the helicopter signaled it was having technical difficulties.

As reported by Stars and Stripes, the site has been secured by police and the aircraft moved to the side of the road. The US is coordinating with the Romanian Air Force and other authorities to remove the helicopter.

“We are working with our Romanian partners to resolve the situation and we will provide more information as it becomes available,” the US embassy said in a statement.

“Due to the expertise of the crew, and the Romanian police officers on the ground, the helicopter landed safely,” USAREUR-AF said.

Military prosecutors were at the site of the landing and investigating the causes.

The defense ministry has canceled the participation of all aircraft in the two planned ceremonies, ministry spokesman Brigadier General Constantin Spinu told Reuters.

“Both ceremonies will be held but without any participation of military aircraft,” Spinu said.

Romania, a NATO member since 2004, hosts NATO command centers and a US ballistic missile station.

The Black Hawk (UH-60) is the US Army’s utility tactical transport helicopter. A single Black Hawk can transport an entire 11-person, fully equipped infantry squad faster than predecessor systems and in most weather conditions. The aircraft’s critical components and systems are armored or redundant, and its airframe is designed to crush progressively on impact, thus protecting crew and passengers.

Photo by Andreea Alexandru/AP via Stars and Stripes

A few times, Lt. Éva ‘Vivi’ Horváth, the female pilot of one of the Mi-24V was able to keep a firm “target lock” on an F-15 in the gunsight, while the pilot of the Eagle was completely unaware of being directly aimed at…

In 1978/79, the US Army and US Air Force conducted a joint experiment called Joint Countering Attack Helicopter (J-CATCH). J-CATCH focused on dissimilar air combat between jet fighters and attack helicopters. As already explained, to the surprise of many involved in the program, the helicopters proved extremely dangerous to the fighters when properly employed, racking up a 5-to-1 kill ratio over the fighters when fighting at close ranges with guns.

Something similar happened 30 years later during Load Diffuser Exercise in 2008.

‘During “Load Diffuser” exercise in June 2008, ten F-15C Eagle fighters from the Louisiana Air National Guard [159th Fighter Wing Bayou Militia] participated in a two-week long exercise in Hungary, together with the Hungarian Air Force,’ says pilot and flight instructor Thomas Kolb on Quora. ‘The Hungarians were flying two Mi-24V Hind helicopters playing the role of bush-flying enemy aircraft that the F-15s were tasked to take out. The Eagles were equipped with AIM-9X Sidewinder training missiles with helmet-mounted sights, while the Hinds had only their onboard guns.

‘The F-15s were pretty successful locating and engaging the Hinds, but soon the helicopter crew learned how to hide in the ground clutter and among the rolling hills where the Eagles simply couldn’t find them. At the same time, they were constantly given tactical info from AWACS so they knew what the Eagles were doing.

‘A few times, Lt. Éva ‘Vivi’ Horváth, the female pilot of one of the Mi-24V was able to keep a firm “target lock” on an F-15 in the gunsight, while the pilot of the Eagle (as later confirmed in the debriefing sessions), was completely unaware of being directly aimed at.’

Kolb continues;

‘Being a peacetime exercise, no shots were fired of course, but if it had been a real situation, the Eagle would most likely have sustained crippling damage from the Hind’s cannons. Presumably not enough to blow it out of the sky, but definitely enough to punch a few holes in its wings and force it out of the engagement.

‘The Hungarian pilots were later joking whether or not the Louisiana Eagle pilot got some heat from his buddies about having been shot down by a helicopter flown by a girl.

‘According to the Hungarian team, several additional hits would have been possible if it hadn’t been for the rules of the practice engagement (hard deck, max speed, etc.). Also, had the Hinds been equipped with IR missiles, they could have taken out the fighter completely (the Hungarian Air Force did not use R-60M missiles on their Mi-24V so it was never an option).’

Kolb concludes;

‘The “hits” were honored (just for fun and to mock the Eagle pilots) by painting “Eagle Down” silhouettes on the helicopter.

‘“We weren’t informed that this is impossible, so we just did it”’

Source: Info taken from this Hungarian article.

Photo by Hungarian Air Force and Aldo Bidini via Wikipedia