(Updated at 9:34 a.m. Aug. 9, 2022. Based on information from Andy Mills of Kawak Aviation, we edited this article to show that the bucket holds 2,600 gallons, not 2,000 gallons as stated by the TV station.)
Kawak Aviation has developed a bucket to enable a large firefighting helicopter to transport and drop 2,600 gallons of water. The company based in Bend, Oregon says their Cascade bucket is the largest bucket built in North America.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Steve and Gerald.
Chinook helicopter dropping water while fighting a structure fire in Vietnam in 1970. 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company.
Mike Brown, the Unit Historian for the 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company sent us some historical photos of Chinooks with water buckets fighting a massive structure fire in Vietnam. Taken January 20, 1971, the photos were in a 213th ASHC Alumni Association Photo Album maintained by Don Skipper. The file names for a few of the photos mention Saigon.
Chinook helicopter dropping water while fighting a structure fire in Vietnam in 1970. 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company. Chinook helicopter dipping water bucket while fighting a structure fire in Vietnam in 1970. 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company. Chinook helicopter dipping water bucket while fighting a structure fire in Vietnam in 1970. 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company. Chinook helicopter fighting a structure fire in Vietnam in 1970. 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company. Chinook helicopter dropping water while fighting a structure fire in Vietnam in 1970. 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company. Chinook helicopter dipping water bucket while fighting a structure fire in Vietnam in 1970. 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company.
In February 1968, then 33-year old Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Carr—who served in the 213th Assault support helicopter company in Phu Loi (about 15 miles north of Saigon, Vietnam)—was approached by a Fire Brigade Commander to provide helicopter wildfire support in nearby Cho Lon.
Thinking on their feet, Glenn said his unit confiscated a grain bin that was 8′ diameter by 12′ tall and carried 800-900 gallons of water. The bin was then rigged with a valve using helicopter hydraulics. They slung it down the Saigon River and made several successful water drops to help extinguish the fires. On a side note, Glenn did not fly the mission but helped build the bucket.
L to R) Wingbar Aviation trainer JP Johnston, who is also a Vietnam Veteran, with Glenn Carr at Bambi Bucket’s SEI Industries booth, HAI Heli-Expo, March 2019, Atlanta. SEI photo.
The Commander said the bin worked well but washed the neighboring huts away. Glenn called on an engineer who built their quarters who suggested a 16″ square air conditioner grill they welded onto the bottom. The result was a water diffuser that allowed the bucket to effectively slow the spread of fires without washing away huts.
Today, retired 84-year old Glenn is aware that Bambi Bucket began its successful commercial production in the early 1980s, but he’s wondering if his team’s effort could have produced the first ad hoc water bucket in the country of Vietnam? Only time will tell—but his efforts was certainly a great example of field engineering.
