CH-47 Chinook

Image: U.S. Army photo (Public Domain)

CH-47 Chinook

Designation: CH-47F

Boeing Vertol Cold War helicopter 1962-present

Why it matters

The CH-47 Chinook is the heavy lifter of the U.S. Army. When you need to move artillery pieces, vehicles, or dozens of troops into remote locations, you call a Chinook. The tandem rotor design eliminates the need for a tail rotor, directing all power to lift. It's been doing the job since Vietnam and it's still the best at what it does. The Chinook has outlasted everything designed to replace it.

Specifications

Max Speed 196 mph
Range 450 miles
Service Ceiling 20,000 ft
Engine 2x Honeywell T55-GA-714A turboshafts
Power/Thrust 4,733 shp each
Length 98 ft 10 in (rotors turning)
Crew 3
Production 1,200+ built
First Flight 1961-09-21
Service Dates 1962-present

Armament

  • • Up to 3x M240 machine guns

Notable Features

  • Tandem rotor design
  • Rear cargo ramp
  • Triple-hook external load system
  • All-weather capability

Patina notes

Working Chinooks show their service in ways only crew chiefs truly appreciate. Cargo floors get scarred from thousands of loads. Ramp hinges develop their own personalities. The smell of JP-8 fuel and hydraulic fluid becomes permanently embedded in the airframe. These aren't showpiece aircraft — they're workhorses that earn every scratch and dent.

Preservation reality

Unlike single-seat fighters, the Chinook is still in active production. Preservation efforts focus on earlier variants, particularly Vietnam-era CH-47As and Bs. A few are in museums, but the real preservation story is the airframe itself — modern CH-47Fs contain structural elements from helicopters built decades ago, continuously upgraded and refurbished. It's a Ship of Theseus situation.

Where to see one

  • • National Museum of the US Army
  • • U.S. Army Aviation Museum
  • • Pima Air & Space Museum
  • • Any Army airfield

Preservation organizations

  • • Army Aviation Heritage Foundation
  • • Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum

Sources