.
Stace: Well, it takes all types! I'm hoping Dennisimo may dig up some more nostalgic trivia on this matter. In the BAWI post there were a number of names mentioned in the Flight article. Tommy Sopwith was one that I recall my godfather mentioning but I simply can't remember what he did. John Pooley is also there - I knew a
Bob Pooley because Col. Bob would frequently attend his rotary bashes.
Nigel: I couldn't put a finger on the total numbers produced for the 62 but, as you say, it was something of a rarity. In the 80's I was visiting Durban and got to speak to a 62 driver (I think he was with Courtline) and recall him saying how docile she was in the hover and that it was as reliable as clockwork!
The 62 was of course mainly deployed as a SARbird serving with the US Coast Guard under the designation of HH-52 and the name 'Seaguard'. She also served with the coast guards of Japan and Iceland. A number of military customers acquired the 62 sometimes in the smallest of numbers and occasionally just a single unit. This includes the air forces of the Philippines and India. The Royal Thai Police also seem to have employed the type.
Among civil operators she was used in a shuttle capacity by both SFO Helicopter Airlines in the US and Fuji Airlines in Japan. A most interesting helicopter.
Flight deck of the HH52A 'Seaguard' as seen on an example kept at the Aviation Hall of Fame at Teterboro (TEB) airport in New Jersey. (Photo: Tom Turner)
The Sikorsky S-62A was most widely deployed as a SARbird serving the US Coast Guard under the designation of HH-52A Sikorsky Seaguard examples of which are seen here at the USGC Cape May base in an image from 8th September 1978. (Photo: Thomas McManus)
It would appear that a flying example of this craft is kept in Nigel's backyard as it were - S62A wearing the original USGC colours on VH-ORP as seen at Caloundra in March 2005. (Photo: Rhys Dudley)
Sav