This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Re: Private Blackhawks

Thu Dec 28, 2017 10:55 am

I know Brian from the Olympic Flight Museum has his own Blackhawk, because someone flew it at their airshow last year (maybe the year before?).
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I watched the movie, "War Machine" the other day on Netflix and noted the Blackhawk they used had no markings. Was that a civilian one or was it owned by a foreign government and painted over (as I think those scenes were filmed in Quatar)?
Last edited by p51 on Fri Dec 29, 2017 6:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Private Blackhawks

Thu Dec 28, 2017 10:58 am

Jerry O'Neill wrote:My question is:
If it a Black Hawk was ordered by, and delivered directly to, a civilian entity, was it ever a "warbird", or does the linage of it's design make it a "warbird"? An example would be the Fire Hawks used in California. Ordered special for fire duties right from the factory. Are they "warbirds"?
Jerry


I vote no. I do like the rather simple "....survived military service..." warbird definition used on this site. A direct delivery of a civilian spec. aircraft would not be a warbird by this definition. So we may have particular airframes that are, and some that are not technically warbirds, but I wouldn't come to blows with anyone calling them that.

Re: Private Blackhawks

Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:42 pm

Yes, however there technically haven't been any "civilian spec" Blackhawks ever delivered. The S-70 series is all government (public-use) aircraft almost all serving with Federal or similar level police or para-military organizations. The only exception to this has been the Fire Hawks which were delivered directly to CalFire, but they still went to a government agency.

To me, "civilian spec" means that they were available to the public and that isn't the case here.

Re: Private Blackhawks

Thu Dec 28, 2017 11:37 pm

They were marketing them at the 2016 NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) Convention in Orlando. They had one on display. There was another civilian S-70 flying between the Convention Center and Orlando Executive Airport

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Re: Private Blackhawks

Fri Dec 29, 2017 4:58 pm

Not Sikorsky marketing them and not new build aircraft. Those helicopters are civilian conversions of ex-US Army UH-60s.

See-

https://www.verticalmag.com/press-relea ... hawkcomme/
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