The original H-‐3 Sea King was a Navy workhorse for more than 40 years. The last two operational H-‐3's officially retired in early 2006, although an updated Sea King model is still in use by the Navy Reserves as an anti-submarine warfare helicopter.
Because of an amphibious hull Sea King models had the ability to land on water and remain watertight for a short period of time. For this very reason, the Coast Guard used the HH-3F model until it was phased out of service in the 1990s.
| Type | Anti-submarine and Plane Guard Shipboard Helicopter |
|---|---|
| Bureau Number | 149932 |
| NMNA ID | 1993.585.001 |
| Manufacturer | Sikorsky |
| Powerplant | Two 1044-kW (1400-hp) General Electric T58-GE-10 turbo-shafts |
| Maximum speed | 267 km/h (166 mph) |
| Cruising speed | 219 km/h (136 mph) |
| Initial climb rate | 670 m/min (2200 fpm) |
| Range | 1005 km (623 miles) |
| Service ceiling | 4480 m (14,700 ft) |
| Weights | Empty 4428 kg (9742 lb) Loaded 9525 kg (20,995 lb) |
| Accommodations | Two pilots and two systems operators |
| Dimensions | Rotor diameter: 18.90 m (62 ft) Length: 22.15 m (72 ft 8 in) Height: 5.13 (16 ft 10 in) Rotor disc area: 280.47 m2 (3018 sq ft) |
