Top: Captain Don Eastman pilots a specially modi- fied CH-3C into position during the first ever heli- copter in-flight refueling connection with a fixed wing aircraft on December 15, 1965. Although no fuel was transfered, the connection lasted for five minutes and occurred within sight of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
Below: Aerial refueling testing of the H-53B, con- ducted over Long Island Sound in June of 1967.
Photos Courtesy of LtCol Don Eastman, USAF (ret).
minutes. Although no fuel was trans- ferred, this was more than enough time than would have been needed to complete an actual fuel transfer. The first successful connection was now accomplished and the stage was set for actual fuel transfer. Ac- tual transfer would occur later during the three-phased helicopter aerial refueling test program conducted by Wright Patter- son Air Force Base between August of 1966 and January of 1967. Now Major Don Eastman was made the test director and flew every test flight in the helicopter. He was once again accompanied by Major Bob Nabors, who flew every flight in the C-130. Phase one used the CH-3C to de- fine the operational flight envelope for helicopter aerial refueling. Phase two tested the suitability for transferring fuel on the ground and in the air. Phase three evaluated operational procedures and qualified ARRS flight crews for opera- tional missions. During the three phases, a total of 600 aerial refueling connections were made, including 90 at night. The test
program resulted in several changes which included a longer refueling hose and a larger drogue. The larger drogue helped keep the nozzle higher and allow the hel- icopter to get in a position which maxi- mized the upwash from the C-130 flaps and therefore required the least power. The ARRS quickly adopted helicopter in- flight refueling and before the war in Viet- nam ended ARRS pilots were routinely us- ing it to rescue downed aviators deep behind enemy lines. Don Eastman would later test the aerial refueling capabilities of the HH-53B before heading to South-
east Asia as an ARRS Jolly Green rescue pilot himself. Eastman flew the H-53 in combat and rescued downed aviators us- ing the aerial refueling techniques he helped develop. Although Harry Dunn, Don Eastman and the rest of the Air Force test group didn’t know it at the time, aerial refueling would forever change the face of helicopter operations and enable special operations and search and rescue missions that at one time would have never been possible. They also played a hand in giv- ing Alexander Taranov another Christmas with his family.
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