US Air Force (or US Army) Training Squadron for Sikorsky H-19D Chickasaw

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Dear all,

Am trying to determine the Training Squadron number and location of either the US Army or US Air Force Training Squadron that capacitated foreign Military Aviators to fly the Sikorsky H-19D Chickasaw.

French Air Force, Pakistan Air Force and Brazilian Air Force (amongst others) flew that Helicopter during the 50's-60's.

I would like to know to WHERE those foreign Air Force pilots were sent to train and become instructors on their own countries.

My personal interest is because am writing about one of such Brazilian Aviators who undertook the training on the US and later became instructor on H-19 here.

Most sincerely yours,
Adriano S. Baumgartner

[Leendert]

Adriano,

Depending on the year(s) you're looking for, then the USAF moved its principal helicopter training bases a couple of times during the 50-60s.
See e.g.http://usafhpa.org/schoolhist/histschool.htm

Main station for US Army helicopter training was and is at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
A nice presentation of H-19 training here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIIbql4GLZo

Regards,

Leendert

[RSwank]

UPDATE.....Oops, It looks like Leendert beat me to it. We found some of the same links. I will leave this here for now.

It may depend on exactly when they went though the training, but in the late 1950s, I believe the primary school for helicopter training was at Fort Wolters in Texas and the advanced school was at Fort Rucker in Alabama. Later all training was consolidated at Fort Rucker (where it still is today). H-19 training, which was in the advanced phase, would have been done at Fort Rucker.

There is an article on training history here:
https://www.airspacemag.com/history-...ers-180956245/


There is an old 1956 army training film on how to fly the H-19 and the opening scene shows Fort Rucker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIIbql4GLZo

Fort Wolters: http://www.fortwolters.com/USAPHS.html

[Leendert]

Indeed, I also would like to add that Fort Wolters, TX, was a (or even the) primary US Army helicopter school irom the mid-50s till 1973. Was of great importance due to the Vietnam war.


Regards,
Leendert

[Adriano Baumgartner]

LEENDERT and SWANK,

Do have NO WORDS to express my gratitude! You gave me a North regarding the US Air Force training.

I had found about Fort Rucker (US Army Training), but the Brazilian Air Force Officer which I am writing about received the US Air Force Pilot Badge, so I discarded the US Army option, since their Badges are different (have cross-checked that to be sure). I found pictures of Class 57-1 and 57-9 at Fort Rucker, and no foreign airman is depicted...off course, the middle Classes between them do not have pictures, so I can not discard the option that the Brazilian Airman having being trained there.

However, the information regarding the moving of US Air Force Helicopter Training to Randolph Field, in late 1956 opened a new road for me.

The Brazilian Airman I am looking for details trained in the USA between 1957 (for sure) and February 1958 (for sure). Sadly I do not have any dates regarding the precise Month he went to the States...neither a clue about the total time of Ground and Flight Training up there. My guess is that he passed his course on the second semester of 1957 up to early 1958.

Will try to find more about Randolph Field, maybe some 57 Classes photographs...

THANK YOU very very much for your kind help onto a totally unknown field of knowledge of my part (Helicopters).

Wish you both all the best and will keep you informed if I find the true Class and details about this training.

Adriano S. Baumgartner

[RSwank]

The US Air Force Helicopter Pilots Association has a website here: http://usafhpa.org/

The Air Force Helicopter training school moved several times and the association has a "history" link if you scroll down their main page.

http://usafhpa.org/schoolhist/histschool.htm

It shows the school at Randolph from June, 1956 to July, 1958.

I did not see any link to old class books on their site, but they may have some information that would help you if you contacted them. They do have a historian listed on their contact page.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Swank,

Thank you for the tip. I contacted them (Randolph Field) some days ago. Let's hope they do find something about "my man".

Shall try to ask or add a thread at the US Air Force Helicopter Pilo's Association...maybe some veteran graduated with this Brazilian and do have something to add....

Adriano