The CH-46F has been restored and flown to its new home at the National US Armed Forces Museum (NUSAFM).
On Dec. 3, 2024, the freshly repainted CH-46F, now registered as N7682F, flew to its new home at the National U.S. Armed Forces Museum (NUSAFM) at Ellington Field.
The Sea Knight was given the same color scheme it had when it served in HMX-1. Originally manufactured in February 1970 as a CH-46F (BuNo 157682), this helicopter served in the HMX-1 Presidential Helicopter Squadron, earning its nickname “VH-46F.” While later converted to CH-46E standards, the helicopter retained many of its original CH-46F features, setting it apart as a unique piece of aviation heritage.
A side view of the CH-46F in HMX-1 livery. (Image credit: Misael Ocasio)After decades of service with the United States Marine Corps (USMC), the aircraft was retired in 2014 to the “Boneyard”, the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), at Davis-Monthan AFB, in Tucson, the largest aircraft storage and preservation facility in the world.
In 2022, the NUSAFM secured this historic airframe, kicking off a two-year restoration journey. The first step was transporting the helicopter out of AMARG in September 2022 to the nearby Pima Air & Space Museum, where initial work began. Officially registered with the FAA as N7682F on Sept. 12, 2022, the helicopter’s transformation began in earnest.
By August 2024, the NUSAFM’s dedicated crew had fully restored the aircraft to airworthy condition. To honor its distinguished past, the helicopter flew to the Premium Aerospace Center in Oklahoma for a complete repaint in its original HMX-1 livery, a fitting tribute to its service in the Presidential Helicopter Squadron.
On Dec. 3, 2024, the VH-46E flew its final leg to its new home at the NUSAFM hangar at Ellington Field, along with “Mr Ed”, a CH-46E registered N962EF, BuNo 153962, which sports the livery of HMM-264. The images of the aircraft’s stunning restoration and the iconic green-and-white HMX-1 livery, taken by our friends and contributors Misael Ocasio and Gherardo Fontana, generated a lot of interest among aviation enthusiasts.
Interestingly, the Presidential “Phrog” isn’t just a static display piece: besides being a museum showpiece, the NUSAFM is chartered to train and operate this VH-46E and five other CH/HH-46Es Sea Knights for SAR missions when required by the government.
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Combining historical preservation with operational readiness, the VH-46E bridges the past and present, ensuring the legacy of the Sea Knight continues in both training and active service.
CH-46
The Piasecki HRP, naval aviation’s first tandem-rotor helicopter, made its debut during World War II. Known as the “Flying Banana” due to its odd shape, it was fabric-covered and could reach a top speed of 104 mph. Despite its crude design, it laid the foundation for the Marine Corps to explore heliborne assault. Fast forward to 1962, the Marines ordered the HRB (later renamed the CH-46) Sea Knight. With a rear cargo ramp, a speed of 166 mph, and the capacity to carry 4,000 pounds of cargo or 22 troops, it was a significant step forward.
The Sea Knight entered service in 1964, and by March 1966, the first squadrons arrived in Vietnam. HMM-164 flew nearly 2,700 combat sorties within the first 35 days, marking the helicopter’s combat debut. But Vietnam was unforgiving—enemy fire often punctured fuselages, and the harsh environment took its toll. Dust and sand clogged engines, fuel systems, and even caused damage to rotor blades. Over time, upgrades like air filters and nickel-plated rotor edges mitigated these issues. Structural failures initially grounded the fleet, but the improved CH-46D variant turned the Sea Knight into a reliable workhorse. Nicknamed the “Phrog,” it became essential for missions like resupplying remote outposts, medevac operations, and troop insertions. By the war’s end, 106 CH-46s had been lost to enemy fire, but not before performing critical roles like evacuating Marines from the U.S. embassy during the fall of Saigon in 1975.
The “Phrog” remained a staple of Marine operations for decades. Marine Expeditionary Units relied on it to ferry troops from amphibious assault ships to shore. The CH-46E, the final version, played a crucial role in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Global War on Terror. In Iraq, it became a lifeline for evacuating casualties, flying through dust storms and under fire to rescue wounded Marines. Pilots and crews were praised for their bravery, often flying dangerously low to ensure successful evacuations.
The CH-46E N962EF (Image credit: Gherardo Fontana)While the Marine Corps retired its last CH-46Es in 2015, the Navy had also extensively used the Sea Knight. CH-46s in Navy service were vital for vertical replenishment (VERTREP) missions, shuttling supplies between ships. Nicknamed the “46 dance,” these helicopters moved everything from spare parts to food and even soda. Some HH-46s were configured for search and rescue, while others were used for minesweeping. The Navy retired its final Sea Knights in 2004.
Spanning decades of service, from Vietnam to Iraq, the CH-46 proved its worth as a versatile and reliable aircraft, forever cementing its legacy in U.S. military aviation.
CH-46E N962EF, BuNo 153962, “Mr Ed” arriving at Cleburne Regional Airport on Dec. 3, 2024 (Image credit: Gherardo Fontana)
