Following its arrival at DCAE Cosford (to be renamed RAF Cosford with immediate effect) in December of last year, the aircraft has been in residence at the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre (MBCC) undergoing a series of inspections, safety checks, remedial maintenance, restoration and anti-corrosion work, plus several deep-cleans in preparation for being placed on display.
The groundwork for the move itself began on Monday 11th May when the first of the 'soft' but reinforced doors of the National Cold War Exhibition (NCWE) were removed. It took three days to complete this part of the process and required high-level platform and crane work to remove five heavy metal stanchions.
With the helicopter weighing in at 15,000Kg, it was necessary to lay down a special track on the grass from the road to the NCWE to prevent it from sinking into the mud.
The physical act of getting the aircraft into the hangar was performed using specialist vehicles to negotiate the tight spaces inside. Indeed, only three of the six 32ft blades were fitted during the move, with the blades being rotated to allow them to bypass the various obstructions en-route.
Conservation Centre Manager, Mr Tim Wallis had this to say on the move: “There was little room for error and at times the gap between the tail of the MH-53 and the wing of the Belfast was just one centimetre. The work took time, but it had to be safe and everything was meticulously planned to ensure this. The MBCC team are ‘old hands’ in such tasks and managed all the moves, whilst our Curator Mr Al McLean managed the overall project and everything went just as it should”.
Once the aircraft was in position the long and expensive process of refitting the large door began, and now with all movement complete and the collection once again protected from the elements, the visiting public are now able to enjoy this new addition to the NCWE Collection - the first to be added since its February 2007 Royal Opening.
Gifted by the United States Air Force, the MH-53 was famously delivered into Cosford by a C-17 Globemaster III of 99 Sqn, based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. That aircraft became the largest to have ever landed at the Shropshire airfield during the delivery flight.
The MH-53's have now all been retired from service with the USAF, but the type's main role was in support of Combat Search and Rescue. Additionally it was also employed in the supply of humanitarian aid in both Iraq and Bosnia-Herzegovina.