Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How do you steal a helicopter? With another helicopter of course!
"On 21 May, the order was given to proceed. An advance party arrived on 31 May at N'Djamena, the capital city of Chad. In the second week of June a single C-5 Galaxy flew directly from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to N'Djamena International Airport, carrying both the MH-47's that were to be used, and over sixty personnel. Only one helicopter would be needed; the second was to be a backup in case of technical problems.
The transport aircraft landed at dusk and the partially-disassembled helicopters were immediately unloaded; ground crew worked through the night reassembling them. The helicopters also had unnecessary items removed to save weight, and were fitted with additional tanks in the cargo area that held an extra 600 US gallons (2,300 L) of fuel.
At midnight on 11 June, the two Chinooks left N'Djamena for the 550-mile (890 km) trip to the Ouadi Doum airfield. Secrecy and speed were important to the operation as some Libyan forces remained in the area. It was also feared that the Libyans might bomb their abandoned helicopters if they became aware of an attempt to recover one. The Libyans carried out many air-attacks on Ouadi Doum in the days following its fall to try to destroy the military equipment they had abandoned there. These had been demanded by the Soviet Union, to prevent clandestine recovery efforts of the kind that later took place.
At Ouadi Doum, an advance team had secured the airfield and prepared the Hind for transport. The helicopter had been almost airworthy, except a bullet had struck one of its engines and flying it was considered too risky. Both Chinooks' additional fuel tanks were removed as the helicopters could not lift both the tanks and the Hind slung underneath. These tanks, together with the Hind's rotor blades, were flown out on a C-130 Hercules.
The Chinooks took off for the return trip to N'Djamena, stopping to refuel at Faya-Largeau, where a US Air Force C-130 had already landed to establish a temporary refuelling station. A second refuelling stop was required at Moussoro, at an airfield garrisoned by a unit of the French Foreign Legion. The French further assisted the operation by flying a number of Mirage F1s to provide air-cover.
The Chinooks landed at N'Djamena just as the area was engulfed by a sand storm. After this passed, the Hind was loaded into a C-5 for transport to the United States. Meanwhile the two MH-47s were disassembled to fly back in a second C-5, returning to Fort Campbell via Ascension Island and Antigua."
More on Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mount_Hope_III
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How do you steal a helicopter? With another helicopter of course!
"On 21 May, the order was given to proceed. An advance party arrived on 31 May at N'Djamena, the capital city of Chad. In the second week of June a single C-5 Galaxy flew directly from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to N'Djamena International Airport, carrying both the MH-47's that were to be used, and over sixty personnel. Only one helicopter would be needed; the second was to be a backup in case of technical problems.
The transport aircraft landed at dusk and the partially-disassembled helicopters were immediately unloaded; ground crew worked through the night reassembling them. The helicopters also had unnecessary items removed to save weight, and were fitted with additional tanks in the cargo area that held an extra 600 US gallons (2,300 L) of fuel.
At midnight on 11 June, the two Chinooks left N'Djamena for the 550-mile (890 km) trip to the Ouadi Doum airfield. Secrecy and speed were important to the operation as some Libyan forces remained in the area. It was also feared that the Libyans might bomb their abandoned helicopters if they became aware of an attempt to recover one. The Libyans carried out many air-attacks on Ouadi Doum in the days following its fall to try to destroy the military equipment they had abandoned there. These had been demanded by the Soviet Union, to prevent clandestine recovery efforts of the kind that later took place.
At Ouadi Doum, an advance team had secured the airfield and prepared the Hind for transport. The helicopter had been almost airworthy, except a bullet had struck one of its engines and flying it was considered too risky. Both Chinooks' additional fuel tanks were removed as the helicopters could not lift both the tanks and the Hind slung underneath. These tanks, together with the Hind's rotor blades, were flown out on a C-130 Hercules.
The Chinooks took off for the return trip to N'Djamena, stopping to refuel at Faya-Largeau, where a US Air Force C-130 had already landed to establish a temporary refuelling station. A second refuelling stop was required at Moussoro, at an airfield garrisoned by a unit of the French Foreign Legion. The French further assisted the operation by flying a number of Mirage F1s to provide air-cover.
The Chinooks landed at N'Djamena just as the area was engulfed by a sand storm. After this passed, the Hind was loaded into a C-5 for transport to the United States. Meanwhile the two MH-47s were disassembled to fly back in a second C-5, returning to Fort Campbell via Ascension Island and Antigua."
More on Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mount_Hope_III
Join membership: youtube.com/channel/UCGHDQtN_vzFYJaq_Fx1eikg/join
Second Channel: youtube.com/channel/UCt93hxFmjppL5nLRAX94UrA
Merch: qxir.creator-spring.com
Patreon: patreon.com/qxir
Twitter: twitter.com/QxirYT
Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091768766293
Instagram: instagram.com/qxiryt
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@qxiryt
Discord: discord.gg/jZzvvwJ
Twitch: twitch.tv/qxiryt
Subreddit: reddit.com/r/Qxir
