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Huskie Video Since I Don’t Know When I Might Have Another Shot

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I recently posted some photos of the Kaman HH-43 Huskie doing a display at Olympia.  I mentioned in that post that I also shot some video.  The way in which the Huskie flies is quite different from most helicopters and stills do not portray that.  I figured some video was in order.  We got lucky in that, after it landed, there was some other movement on the field, so they ended up getting airborne again and flying another pattern to land over near the hangars.  I hope the air show music in the background doesn’t get me in trouble with YouTube!

Back to Olympia for the Huskie

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Mid-June is the time for the Olympic Air Show at Olympia and, while it provides a bunch of interesting aircraft to see flying, I am always going to be attracted by the only chance to see a flying Kaman Huskie.  It is such a curious thing to see fly.  The way in which it just gets airborne with no obvious change in appearance or sound is fun, but it also can put on a rapid turn of speed.

I was going to make sure to get images of it while I can, but I also wanted to shoot some video since that helps give an appreciation of the way in which it flies.  That will show up in a separate post soon.  I was quite happy with my choice of days for the show.  Saturday had experienced some nice weather but also some torrential rain.  Sunday was a mix of conditions too but only the barest hint of rain and things were generally good.  Will I be there next year to see it fly again?  Who knows.

Sunny Huskie

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I almost didn’t make it to the Olympic Air Show in Olympia this year.  I had been on the road and picked up a cold that had left me feeling pretty crummy.  The drive down and back was not appealing if I was feeling bad but, when I woke up on the Saturday, I didn’t feel too rough.  I wasn’t going to get up and out early to make it inside for the show but there was the chance of meeting up with the guys to shot in the afternoon and that is what I did.  No need to walk much and the drive wasn’t too energetic so I could go with it.

The main reason for going was the Huskie.  Last year I got my first experience of it flying but the light had been pretty flat and overcast.  This year the forecast was for sun so I didn’t want to miss the chance to shoot it in good conditions.  I’m glad I went.  The display was a nice routine but restrained as you would imagine for something that only flies one weekend a year.  It came close to us on a few occasions so I was able to get some shots.  If they flew a little later in the day, that would be good but I got what I went for.  It may not have been the greatest idea, though, because I felt decidedly crap on the Sunday.  I guess the cold had not run its course after all.

The Only Airworthy Huskie

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This one is about as rare as something gets.  If you are the only airworthy example, the only thing that is going to beat you is the only example at all.  The Kaman Huskie is a neat little helicopter.  It features the Kaman intermeshing rotor design which removes the requirement for a tail rotor and results in a pretty compact configuration.  These used to be in widespread service with the US forces.  Now they are scrapped or in museums.

This one lives in Olympia and it comes out to fly at their annual air show.  Apparently, there are only about 14 hours left on the rotor blades and there are no more blades so the flying is rationed carefully to get a few more years out of her.  Kaman’s rotor blade design includes control surfaces on the blade so these are not a simple item.

Seeing her towed out was a lot of fun and I was delighted when she taxied out and took off for the display.  What a fascinating shape and something genuinely different.  I was so pleased, even if the light was rather sketchy.  A cloudy Huskie is better than no Huskie at all.