Canadian Warplanes 7: Boeing Vertol CH-147 Chinook helicopter

Boeing Vertol CH-147 Chinook

(RCAF Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147F Chinook Helicopter (Serial No. 147303).

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy lifting helicopter developed by American Vertol rotorcraft company and manufactured by Boeing Vertol (later known as Boeing Rotorcraft System).  The CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters.  Its name, Chinook, is from the Native American Chinook people of modern-day Washington state.  A total of 233 CH-47Cs were built.  Canada bought a total of eight CH-47Cs; deliveries of the type began in 1974.  Receiving the Canadian designation "CH-147", these were fitted with a power hoist above the crew door; other changes included a flight engineer station in the rear cabin: operators referred to the configuration as the "Super C".  The Netherlands acquired all seven of the Canadian Forces' surviving CH-147s and upgraded them to CH-47D standard.

On 18 October 1974, a CH-47C, US (Serial No. 74-22058) crashed.  It had been assigned Canadian Forces (Serial No. 147001) but never carried Canadian Forces markings.  It was lost on its delivery flight to Canada following gear failure in main combining gear box, caused by undetected metal infraction in gear blank before machining.  This failure led to drive shaft failure and loss of synchronization.  There were five fatalities.  After a lengthy litigation, it was replaced by (Serial No. 147009).

CH-147C (Serial No. 147002) was destroyed at Rankin Inlet, NWT on 17 August 1982, when it struck a light pole with its rotors while taxiing.  The helicopter overturned onto airport fuel tanks and was destroyed by the subsequent fire.  There were three fatalities.

In 2008, Canada purchased 6 CH-47Ds, designated CH-147D, from the U.S.  Over 39 years old when supplied to Canadian Forces.  Purchased second hand from US Army for $252 million, for use by Canadian Forces Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing at Kandahar, Afghanistan.  They had been in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB in US, arrived on 22 September 2011.  CH-147D (Serial No. 147202) was destroyed by enemy action on 4 August 2010.  It was burned out after a forced landing caused by small arms fire, no casualties.  (Serial No. 147207) was leased from the US Army in Afghanistan in 2010, as a replacement for 147202. The remaining five were sold in 2011 after the end of Canada's mission in Afghanistan.

Boeing Vertol CH-147D Chinook (Serial No. 147201) is on display at the National Air Force Museum of Canada at CFB Trenton, Ontario.

Boeing Vertol CH-147D Chinook (Serial No. 147206) is on display as a gate guardian at 4 CDSB Petawawa, Ontario.

On 10 August 2009, Canada signed a contract for 15 extensively modified and upgraded CH-47Fs for the Canadian Forces, later delivered in 2013–2014 with the Canadian designation CH-147F.  (Serial No. 147301 was the first new built CH-147F.  It carried US civil Reg. No. N256CN, reserved on 13 December 2011 for manufacturer's flight tests.  It made its first flight on 24 June 2012, at Boeing-Vertol facility in Pennsylvania.

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook Helicopter (8), (Serial Nos. 147001-147009), CH-147D (6), (Serial Nos. 147201-147207) & CH-147F (15), (Serial Nos. 147301-147315)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5056509)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook, from No. 450 Squadron, in Northern Quebec, ca 1970s.

No. 450 Squadron crest.

(DND Photo via Chris Charland)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook (Serial No. 147008), served with both Nos. 447 and 450 (Heavy Transport) Helicopter Squadrons.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5050962)

During Exercise MOBILE WARRIOR at Wainwright, Alberta,  a C-model CH-147 Chinook helicopter from 447 Squadron sling loads an M813 5-ton truck, cargo variant, 3 Oct 1977.

(DND Archives Photo)

During Exercise MOBILE WARRIOR, a C-model CH-147 Chinook helicopter from 4470 Squadron sling loads a 2 ½-ton truck, circa 1977.

(Author Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook, DZ Buxton, CFB Edmonton, 1978.

(Author Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook helicopter, CFB Edmonton, ca 1978, (the best jump ship of them all in the author's opinion).  Note the shark mouth taped on the nose by the No. 450 Squadron crew based in Edmonton.  These helicopters were later sold to the Dutch, who took our guys up with them in Afghanistan a few years before we bought another batch.

(Author Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook, Canadian Forces Parachute Team jump.  The author looked up to catch John Glover on the left, Rick Guthrie in the middle, Pat Turpin on the right and Al McGee in the rear on a formation exit from this CH-147C Chinook.  There were no slow pokes on this exit, nice tight formation!

(Author Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook, Canadian Forces Parachute Team jump.  The author looked up to catch John Glover on the left, Rick Guthrie in the middle, Pat Turpin on the right and Al McGee in the rear on a formation exit from this CH-147C Chinook.  There were no slow pokes on this exit, nice tight formation!

(Author Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook, Canadian Forces Parachute Team jump, 1978.

(CAF Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook, c1990.

When Canada retired the CH-147 "C" model Chinooks in 1991 they went back to Boeing and were completely overhauled and upgraded to "D" models then in 1995 they went to the Dutch and after long service with the Dutch, including carrying Canadian military in Afghanistan, they were retired on Dec 22 2021. (CAF photo) The ex CAF Chinooks, while in Dutch service, wore the following names:

D-661 CH-47D M.3661/NL001299 "Red October" (CAF 147003)

D-662 CH-47D M.3662/NL002299 "Lady Liberty" (CAF 147004)

D-663 CH-47D M.3663/NL003299 "Blizzard" (CAF 147005)

D-664 CH-47D M.3664/NL004299 "Sling King" (CAF 147006)

D-665 CH-47D M.3665/NL005299 "Bigfoot" (CAF 147007)

D-666 CH-47D M.3666/NL006299 "The Beast" (CAF 147008)

D-667 CH-47D M.3667/NL007299 "Rodney" '(CAF 147009)

Boeing Vertol CH-147C Chinook Helicopter (8), (Serial Nos. 147001-147009).

(Canadian Forces Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147D Chinooks, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

(Canadian Forces Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147D Chinooks, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

(RCAF Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147F Chinook Helicopter.

(Airwolfhound Photo)

CF Boeing Vertol CH-147F at RIAT 2017.

23 Jul 2017.  Boeing Vertol CH-147F Chinook (Serial No.147304), oneof 15 operated by No. 450 (Tactical Helicopter) Squadron, RCAF, based at CFBPetawawa, Ontario, took part in the 2017 Royal International Air Tattoo, heldat RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, UK.  The CH-147F can fly atspeeds of over 175 mph (282 km/h) with a payload of more than21,000 lb (9,500 kg).

(Alan Wilson Photo)

CF Boeing Vertol CH-147F at RIAT 2017.

(Capt Adan Cazarez Photo, 82nd CAB PAO)

No. 450 Squadron Boeing Vertol CH-147F Chinook, Kingston, Ontario, 2016.

(DND Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147F Chinook helicopter, 450 Squadron, 26 June 2013.

(Corporal François Charest 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, RCAF Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147F Chinook and Bell CH-146 Griffon flying in formation after a medevac training exercise during Operation PRESENCE in Mali, 5 June 2019. The door gunner in the Griffon is manning a Dillon M134, a multi-barreled mini-gun capable of firing in excess of 2,000 rounds of 7.62 ammunition a minute.

(DND Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-147F Chinook (Serial No. 147314) from 450 THS, 4 CDSB Petawawa, Ontario, slinging a 155-mm M777 Howitzer.

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