Marine Col. Doug Hurley piloted the Endeavour space shuttle, flew a Chinook helicopter to the Dickies 500, and then drove out of the back in a Chevy Camaro Pace Car. It was the most interesting thing to happen all day.

Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR
Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR
Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR
Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR







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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxVZl7Zc2GY

 

pretty cool

 

That's neat but.............

Why would a Marine pilot fly an Army helicopter to a Nascar race?

 

does it matter? its still cool. ive noticed military guys always seem to have some sort of beef against other section of military. anyone know why that is?

 

The point being that this aircraft type is not used by the USMC, so even if Col Hurley is trained to fly helicopters, he is prbably not rated in this one.


My guess is that the Col. was a passenger in this Chinook, (did not fly it) and the helicopter itself was the nearest/easiest heavy lift available for the PR stunt.

 

Eh, just simple frat stuff. Similar to Camaro and Firebird owners going at it. There is generally no real animosity towards each other, they're all fighting for the same cause but it's mainly just for pride's sake.

Admittedly some people take the rivalries a bit more personally than others(bar fights and the occasional people who judge people's worth on what branch they are in), but at it's core, it's just pride.

 

Can you fit a Camaro in any of the Marine's helicopters?

 

Maybe a CH-53?

 

I dont' think it would fit. The -53 would be the only possible candidate, and it would be a tight fit if it fit at all.

 

Wow, that's pretty cool!

 

You're correct, it doesn't matter. I wasn't trying to illicit any sort of "beef" towards another branch of the military. I was merely posing the question. I come from a military helicopter maintenance back ground, and in my experience, it is rare for a member of one branch to be rated on a type model from another branch. In the instance that it does occur, it's usually the exact same (or similar) type model. For example, it is common for Air Force MH-60G pilots to do a tour in Navy squadrons flying SH-60's. They are essentially the same airframe, with minor differences. A Marine aviator flying an Army MH (or CH) -47 would be highly unusual, astronaut or no.

Not likely, however it would be nothing for an MH-53 to longline a Camaro. I'm not too familiar with MV-22's, they might fit in there.

 

The coolest car around has its own badass ride. That is just awesome!

 

There are a few videos of this and it looks like Col. Hurley was in the Camaro pace car the whole time so I'd bet he didn't fly the Chinook.

Still a very cool thing to have seen. It belended in the Camaro, the Marine Col./astronaut and the Army Chinook from Ft. Hood all not long after veterans day. Well done IMO.

 

The Marines do fly this helicopter. They fly the MH-47E version. I know this because I was one of the avionics designers of that model. The 47E has an aerial refueling probe off the starboard side front. I left Boeing about 17 years ago so this model looks a little newer. Not sure the designator. I should ask my buddies that still work there.

The pilot did not drive the car if that was filmed in real time as I doubt he could have gotten out of the cockpit that quickly. It is a little tight to move that quickly in those birds.

Did you know that helicopters don't fly? They are so ugly the earth repels them! Sorry, a little helicopter humor