Take a look at the amazing skills of these pilots as they maneuver the Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight in every way possible. The Swedes bought ten Sea Knight (NATO call sign Phrog) helicopters in 1963 and have been mastering their versatility ever since!
The helicopters were used most actively during the Cold War era, equipped for anti-submarine warfare or designated for transport duties. After the first ten Sea Knights had been incorporated into the Swedish Air Force, eight more were purchased in 1973. These were the Kawasaki KV-107, a Japanese licensed version of the Boeing Vertol CH-46.
The Sea Knight’s predecessor was the Piasecki H-21, called the Flying Banana because of its strange appearance. Nevertheless, this helicopter had its fair share of service all over the world but was deemed obsolete in 1963 and replaced with the Sea Knight.
The tandem-rotor medium lift helicopter introduced in the Swedish Army in 1963 proved to be one of the most reliable pieces of hardware in service, and the Swedes proved to be most capable pilots. The airshow depicted in the video is breathtaking! The two pilots who man the helicopter are an unusual sight ― these kinds of exhibits are often reserved for show-off jet fighters, but the Swedes obviously paid their respect to their helicopter crews as well.
The maneuvers conducted in this video prove not only the skill of the pilot duo “behind the wheel”, but also the versatility of this amazing transport helicopter. The last Swedish “Phrogs” were decommissioned in 2012, after 40 years of service!
Their role has been filled up by the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma, but the years of service of the old Sea Knight bear a legacy that will be very hard to beat.