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87-00072, Boeing D model kit number M3191, was a CH-47D helicopter. The U.S Army acceptance date was 30 November 1987. As of 24 November 1999, 87-00072 had accumulated 1,266.9 D model hours and 5,066.4 total aircraft hours. 87-00072 was a conversion from the original A model Chinook 64-13165. On 11 December 1986, 87-00072 was inducted into the D model program, converted, and initially assigned to the 205th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Geronimos", 4th Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), United States Army Europe (USAREUR), Finthen Army Airfield, Finthen, near Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) (West Germany). In November 1988, the 205th ASHC was re-designated B Company - "Geronimos", 6th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, and became a subordinate unit of the 12th Aviation Brigade, 5th Corps, USAREUR, when the 4th TRANSCOM was deactivated. B Company was deactivated in September 1992. When the 12th Aviation Brigade stood down shortly thereafter, it was relocated to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and re-designated 159th Combat Aviation Group (CAG). The 159th CAG was subordinate to the 18th Aviation Brigade. As of 21 March 2001, the 18th Aviation Brigade was located at Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, and was subordinate to the 18th Airborne Corps. The 18th Airborne Corps was subordinate to Forces Command (FORSCOM), which was a major command (MACOM) of 2nd Army. The 159th CAG was relocated to Fort Campbell, Kentucky in 1997. At some point, and as of 24 November 1999, 87-00072 was assigned to F Company, 159th Aviation Regiment, Giebelstadt, Federal Republic of Germany. On 3 August 2000, 87-00072 was involved in an accident. During cruise flight at 95 Knots and 1200 feet above ground level (AGL), while on a training flight near Heidelberg in the Federal Republic of Germany, the copilots jettisonable door fell off. The aircraft was flown to a nearby Army Airfield as a precaution and the flight was terminated with a normal approach. Post flight inspection revealed no additional damage to aircraft. After an aerial and ground search, the door was not recovered. At some point, after the global war on terrorism was declared, circa 2001, the unit was redesignated B Company, 5th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. 87-00072 was deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 07-09 from July 2007 to September 2008. As of 1 December 2008, this aircraft was 43.0 years old. As of 23 November 2008, the last known location of 87-00072 was Giebelstadt, Germany, assigned to B Company, 5th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. Aircraft status: Flyable. |
