Boeing Vertol 107
An aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator 98 by Keith Clifford/Pegasus Aviation Design
Panel by Major Tom Mitchell
Installation
Just extract all files with the CH113A** extension into your FS98 aircraft folder. Extract all of the gauge files in the CH113 gauges.zip file into your FS98 gauges folder. That's it.
There is a checklist provided. You may have to adjust the size of your background window and the height of the pilot's seat to suit your own preferences.
Enjoy flying the '107!
Acknowledgements
Thanks go to Major Tom Mitchell, Brent Robillard and Cpl Kent Clifford
Tom graciously gave permission to include his excellent CH-113A instrument panel. Tom is an active CH-113A Labrador pilot with 442 Sqn, CFB Comox, British Columbia. Tom was most helpful in the beta testing process as was Brent Robillard. Brent took an active role in range testing the aircraft. Brent is a retired RCAF technician. He has a wealth of aviation experience and some pretty good anecdotes. Brent's son Dale is a SARTech who also flies in the CH-113.
Lastly, Cpl Kent Clifford, my brother, who works at 413 Sqn, 14 Wing, CFB Greenwood, Nova Scotia as a Labrador and C-130 aeroengine tech, was helpful in answering many questions about the Labrador's finer points. To all of you, thanks.
History
The Boeing Vertol Model 107 is known in different guises as the CH-46 Sea Knight in USN/USMC service, the V-107 in civil service, the KV-107 in Japanese, Swedish and Saudi service and as the CH-113 Labrador and CH-113A Voyageur in Canadian service. First flown on the 22nd of April, 1958, the Vertol 107 is a twin rotor transport helicopter powered by two 1400 shp GE T58-GE-10
turboshaft engines. The Model 107 has seen service in Vietnam, Lebanon and Grenada.
The US Army was the initial buyer and bought 3 YHC-1A helicopters in 1959. The Army passed on the YHC-1A and went for the larger Vertol Model 114 which became known later on as the CH-47 Chinook. This didn't stop the US Marine Corps who put the Model 107 in production as the CH-46 Sea Knight. Upwards of 624 CH-46's have been bought by the USN/USMC. They have served in the troop transport, search and rescue and VIP transport roles. Further production began in Japan in 1965 by Kawasaki as the KV-107. Improved version are known as the KV-107-II. Current USN/USMC versions in service are the CH-46E along with HH-46A and HH-46D SAR machines and VH-46F VIP transports.
Canada was an early customer and initially bought six Model 107's for the RCAF in 1962. They were known as the CH-113 Labrador. They were deployed at three units, 121 KU at RCAF Station Comox on Vancouver Island, British Columbia; 102 KU at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario and with 103 KU (Composite Unit) at RCAF Station Greenwood, Nova Scotia. In 1964 the Canadian Army bought 12 CH-113A Voyageurs for use as transport helicopters. They did not have the long range fuel tanks that the RCAF's search and rescue Labradors had. The Voyageurs were first used by the Canadian Joint Air Training Center (CJATC) at Rivers, Manitoba. The Voyageurs then were transfered to 1 Transport Helicopter Platoon which moved to RCAF Station St Hubert, just south of Montreal, Quebec, in 1966.
In 1968, Canada's army, navy and air force were unified into one force called the Canadian Armed Forces. At that time, the three air force composite units were made into squadrons as was the army platoon. This resulted in Labradors serving with 442 Sqn at CFB Comox, 424 Sqn at CFB Trenton and 413 Sqn at CFB Summerside. The Voyageurs came under the control of 450 Sqn based at CFB Montreal. A 450 Sqn detachment was formed at CFB Namao, Alberta. In 1970, 450 Sqn moved to CFB Ottawa, Ontario. In 1975, 450 Sqn replaced it's Voyageurs with the CH-147 Chinook.
The Voyageurs were converted to Labrador standard and added to the SAR fleet. The CH-113A's were fitted with Kawasaki built pylon mounted fuel tanks. These are a little bit larger than the CH-113 Labrador tanks but a casual observer wouldn't notice the difference.
Currently Labradors (CH-113 and CH-113A) serve with 413 Sqn in Greenwood, 424 Sqn at Trenton, 442 Sqn at Comox and at 103 Rescue Unit in Gander, Newfoundland.
Two Labrador's have been lost in Canadian service. A west coast machine struck a mountainside resulting in the death of SAR Tech. 413 Sqn lost aircraft 305 in October 1998. The aircraft was returning to Greenwood when it crashed in Eastern Quebec. All aboard were killed.
Canadian aircraft are due to be replaced in 2000 with a variant of the EH-101. At that time the
aircraft will have spent 38 years safeguarding Canadians. Ironically, most of the crews who fly
the Labrador now weren't born when the aircraft entered service. The same could be said of the Boeing B-52!
LEGAL NOTES
This aircraft is freeware and must remain so. The authors and Pegasus Aviation Design bear no responsibility for your use of the software. It works fine on our machines. Any inquiries should be addressed to Keith Clifford (bogan@interlynx.net).
