USAF 71st ARRS / Dumbo Patch

USAF 71st Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron / "Dumbo" Patch

Extremely rare! Circa 1968

This patch from the 71st ARRS came way back when the squadron was formed in the early 60's and was designed by Walt Disney. The 71st was first activated in November 1952 when Air Rescue Service expanded its existing air rescue squadrons to groups and expanded their flights to separate squadrons. It flew search, rescue and recovery missions out of Elmendorf Air Force Base from 1952–1960 and 1970-1991. It has flown aerial refueling missions for search and rescue operations since 1991.

Also history of 71st ARRS, Elmendorf tends to overlook the rescue helicopters were actually the 5040th Helicopter Squadron (1969-1971). 13 new Sikorsky HH-3E helicopters replaced H-21s flown by the 5050th starting in May 1970. In 1975 the 5040th was deactivated and the H-3s were transferred to the 71st ARRS. It was this action that made the 71st a composite rescue squadron (operated both fixed and rotary wing aircraft). Its 71st. The ski's and snow refer to the snow in Alaska where the unit was formed. Dumbo refers to the Callsign used by Catalina's (WWII) and I think also the HU-16's in Korea that were used for rescue. The 71st uses a variant of this patch as one of their friday patches.

Original Walt Disney design

Lineage:

• Constituted as the 71st Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952 / Activated on 14 November 1952. Discontinued and inactivated on 18 March 1960.
• Redesignated 71st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 25 November 1969 / Activated on 8 March 1970.
• Redesignated 71st Air Rescue Squadron on 1 June 1989 / Inactivated on 1 June 1991.

About the "Dumbo" skis: 

Due to the fact that the marginal zone of the Greenland Ice Cap blocked surface transportation, the obvious way to build and resupply DEW line DYE sites was airlift. The concept had been proved during Project Snowman and other expeditions and later been re-affirmed on a practical basis in the resupply of N-33 and N-34. However, because the planned construction of the two DYE sites on the Greenland Ice Cap would involve airlift of material and equipment which was beyond the capability of the ski-wheel aircraft then in the Air Force inventory, an aircraft with a larger cargo capability and longer range was required. Fortunately, the means were available. During 1957, the Air Force conducted extensive testing of a ski-wheel configured C-130A (55-0021) which could be operated from both conventional runways and snow or ice covered surfaces. The tests proved the Lockheed manufactured aircraft could successfully do what had already been done by other ski-wheeled aircraft. 

Although the C-123J was an improvement over the C-47, it still lacked the necessary range and load capacity required for the Greenland Ice Cap. A larger aircraft was needed. This led to the modification of C-130A, 55-0021, in 1956. The aircraft made its first flight in January 1957 from Dobbins AFB, near the Lockheed-Georgia plant at Marietta, Georgia. (53) It was later tested extensively by a joint Air Force-Lockheed team at Bemidji during Project Slide (snow, land, ice, development).

Ski equipped LC-130D of the 71st ARRS

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