Description

HMM-263 Thunder Chickens CH-46 (156472) Model

Fly with the Thunder Chickens of HMM-263 in this hand crafted CH-46 Phrog. Each model is carved from wood and hand painted to provide a unique piece that will always be treasured.

• Length – 14 inches
• Made from Mahogany
• US Naval Aviator Owned Business
• The manufacturer does not intend for children 12 years and younger to use the product

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 was activated initially as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (HMR-263) on June 16, 1952 and was outfitted with Sikorsky HRS helicopters. For its first two years of operations the squadron was based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. During these early months the squadron was occupied in proficiency training, which contributed to the growing body of knowledge of rotary wing aircraft and their employment and ultimately became the basis for the doctrine of vertical envelopment then being developed by the Marine Corps.
On July 7, 1954, HMR-263 relocated to Marine Corps Air Facility New River, North Carolina, where it remained home based for the next eleven years. During this time the squadron participated in over fifteen major exercises and deployments including disaster relief in Tampico, Mexico in October 1955 and operations from the submarine USS Sea Lion in March 1956. During December 1956 the squadron was redesignated HMR(L)-263. Six Caribbean deployments and numerous local training exercises ensued. During February 1962, the squadron was reequipped with the HUS-1 (UH-34) helicopter. In October 1962, HMM-263 was deployed to the Caribbean when the United States initiated a large-scale response to the Soviet Union’s deployment of intercontinental ballistic missiles to Cuba. In June 1964, the squadron was a participant in Exercise Steel Pike off the coast of Spain, then the largest amphibious exercise since World War II.