Gallery: One hundred years of flying, rescues, ducks and waves
On 21 May, the 84th Search And Rescue (SAR) Center, part of the 15th Wing of the Italian Air Force and based at the A Ramirez military airport in Gioia del Colle, south Italy, celebrated its 100th anniversary with a ceremony that was sober but full of meaning. Dino Marcellino was there to capture the event
One hundred years of flight and rescue is celebrated in the special livery of a Leonardo HH-139B helicopter, revealed to the public at the end of the centenary ceremony.
The nose radome is decorated with the wings of the Rescue Eagle on a blue background. While on the sides, the front sector has a stylized duck’s head (after ‘Daffy Duck’), a distinguishing emblem of the 84th and which also reflects the radio call sign of the helicopters, ‘Duffy’. On the central cabin sector, the sea waves represent the numerous important interventions at sea; the wave is also the radio call sign of the Rescue Center: ‘Onda 84’ (Wave 84).
The underside is characterized by the number 100, in white, which merges with a number 4 in red in order to have the double interpretation of both 100 and 84 when looking at it through a 90° rotation; the duck’s footprints, along the entire belly of the helicopter, symbolize the path of the 84th, from the past to the future.
The HH-139B differs from the ‘A’ variant in that it has a lower undercarriage, an increased maximum takeoff weight, an L3Harris WESCAM MX-15i sensor system, a Trakka searchlight, and a dual Goodrich hoist system.
The history
The 84th Seaplane Group was established in 1924, headquartered in Venice, and equipped with seaplanes from the First World War. Transformed into a Maritime Reconnaissance Group in 1937, the unit was redeployed in the Aegean Sea and equipped with central hull seaplanes.
After the war, the 84th became an Air Rescue Group based in Vigna di Valle, equipped with twin-engine Grumman HU16A amphibious aircraft and reporting to the Air Force SAR Service Command.
From 1959, the Group operated in Ciampino and in 1965 it was recognized as the SAR Group of the 15th Wing.
In 1979 the 84th Group was deployed at the Brindisi air base and equipped with Agusta-Bell AB-204 helicopters and subsequently the Agusta-Sikorsky HH-3F Pelican.
In 1980 the unit became the 84th Combat Search And Rescue Center.
In 2012 the 84th Center moved to its current base at Gioia del Colle airport and received the new AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) HH-139 helicopters.
The 15th Wing
The 84th SAR is one of the five SAR Centers of the 15th Wing located around Italy.
The 15th Wing is tasked with the recovery of crews from crashed military aircraft, and contributes to rescue operations to safeguard civilian lives, and to forest firefighting operations.
The 15th Wing, equipped with HH-139A/B helicopters, works 24 hours a day, every day, throughout Italy.
The HH-139B is pictured in front of the hangers with the staff of the 84th in the shape of the number ‘100’. The aircraft can also be seen flying over Taranto. There is also a live winch training exercise over land and at sea.
As well as the aircraft with new livery, displayed are also a rescue swimmer wearing an immersion suit next to a pilot in a winter waterproof suit under his flight suit. Other kit that the 84th use includes a rescue bag with a Kong rescue board, a Kong evacuation triangle, and a Lifesaving Systems rescue basket that is lightweight, collapsible, unsinkable and can hold two adults.
