Originally Posted by
Heathrow Harry
Why did they buy the CH-53 in the first place?
Please forgive me but that is a silly question. Anyhow you might as well ask why do we operate the Chinook ? Because we like they needed a heavy lift capability
Anyhow The Bundeswehr - Heeresflieger at the time had a heavy lift requirment and can carry a fair amount of troops across the battlefield in the 60s. Bearing in mind the height of the cold war / NATO commitment etc. Plus their legacy workhorse(s) from 50s (when allowed to arm up) consisted of SIkorsky CH-34G and Piasecki H-21 Shawnee a.k.a Flying Banana.
They evaluated the following
Aerospatiale Super Frelon,
Boeing CH-47A and even the Vertol 107
Sikorsky CH-54A Skycrane (there was one in country)
They sent team over to Stratford to evaluate the CH-53A
all according to my book
P.S Austrian air force bought 2 CH-53A used briefly in the 70s then they ended up in Israel as I believe they were too expensive and large to operate.
cheers