Aircraft & Ships

Military

HH52 sets down on USCG ship in 1964 - US

A Sikorsky HH-52 helicopter sets down on a ship's helo pad

(US Coast Guard, public domain)

Aircraft

Fixed-wing Aircraft

Whenever Jonathan Kaye flew out to the Islands, he arrived aboard a C-141 StarLifter. In the pilot, two C-141s are seen on the tarmac at Hickam AFB as McGarrett arrives to meet him. That screen capture was used again in "Three Dead Cows at Makapuu" (Season 2). Also, in that episode, we see the C-141 landing at Hickam. We see the landing shot again in "FOB Honolulu" (Season 3), then in a shot taken under the wing, we see airmen walking toward the operations building. We see the landing shot again in "Bones of Contention" (Season 7).

When Jonathan Kaye arrived in "Cocoon" (Pilot), which was filmed in December 1967, the StarLifter had been in service for only eighteen months (June 1965). She made her maiden flight on December 17, 1963, which was the 60th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first successful flight. She flew for 43 years until the entire C-141 fleet was retired in 2006. Today, only a handful of StarLifters remain as museum pieces. The rest were destroyed at Davis-Monthan AFB’s aircraft “boneyard.”

In “The Ways of Love” (Season 1), Steve Crowley and Dave Barca stowed away to the Islands aboard an Air Force-operated Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. In “To Hell With Babe Ruth” (Season 2), four Grumman F-9 Cougars flew over the tank farm as Five-0 and the Army sought to arrest Nagata (Mark Lenard). Then, in “Murder – Eyes Only” (Season 8), McGarrett flew to San Diego aboard an Air Force-operated Boeing 707 and returned aboard a Navy-operated Lockheed P-3 Orion.

Rotary-wing Aircraft

The Sikorsky HH-52 helicopter, operated by the Coast Guard, was seen often on Hawaii Five-0. It took up the search for the downed plane carrying McGarrett and Charley Bombay in "McGarrett is Missing." It helped USCGC Cape Corwin locate the abandoned schooner in "Charter for Death." It chased down the Seaflight hydrofoil Kamehameha and enabled Danno to use a percussion charge to stop it in its tracks in "Murder - Eyes Only." Its job was law enforcement/search-and-rescue, and it served well from 1961 until the late-1980s. The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum has a nice page about the HH-52: http://maam.org/hh52.htm.

We saw a Navy-operated Sikorsky HH-60 Seahawk in “Murder – Eyes Only” (Season 8). We also saw Bell 47 helicopters operated by the Marines in “The Ninety-Second War” (Season 4) and “Fools Die Twice” (Season 5). We saw a Bell UH-1 “Huey” helicopter operated by the Marines in “Up the Rebels” (Season 10).

For a comprehensive list of aircraft seen during the first seven seasons of Hawaii Five-0, consult the Internet Movie Plan Database (IMPDb). The IMPDb goes beyond simply stating the make and model to include the variation of the make and model. For example, the helicopter seen in “Full Fathom Five” isn’t just cited as a Bell 47, but a Bell 47G. Furthermore, they cross reference to other episodes in which each aircraft was seen and tell whether the aircraft identification number is actual or made up for the show. Hopefully, one day, they will have information for aircraft seen in Seasons 7-12. (Thanks, Mike Quigley)

Ships

Easily the most frequently seen ship on Hawaii Five-0 was the Coast Guard’s Cape Corwin (95326). So popular was she that Coast Guardsmen who served on her called her Cape McGarrett. She made her first appearance in the pilot, “Cocoon,” and came to the rescue in seven episodes in Seasons 6, 8, 9, and 10. While most of the Cape-class cutters have been retired, Cape Corwin remains in service today with the Micronesian Coast Guard. Now, her name is Constitution. It seems a fitting name for such a strong ship.

The Navy provided 13 ships. Both the USS Whipple (FF-1062) and the USS Ouellet (FF-1077) appeared in two episodes of Hawaii Five-0: "Follow the White Brick Road" (Season 4) and "Murder - Eyes Only" (Season 8).

At the time "Follow the White Brick Road" was filmed, the USS Ouellet was brand new and was scheduled to go out on sea trials. When she was called to duty, the USS Whipple took over for filming Five-0. According to a member of the USS Ouellet Association, the sailors aboard the USS Ouellet were none too happy to have their ship's celebrity cut short. Other Navy ships seen in “Follow the White Brick Road” were the USS Charles Berry (DE-1035), the USS Rathburne (FF-1057), and the USS Wahpeton (YTM-757).

In "Murder - Eyes Only," McGarrett was seen boarding the Ouellet, although he went out to sea aboard the USS Knox (FF-1052) before he crossed the highline to the USS Cochrane (DDG-21). The Whipple is seen moored as the Knox leaves the harbor. Also seen in “Murder – Eyes Only” was the USS Berkeley (DDG-15).

Other Navy ships that appeared on Hawaii Five-0 were the USS Cone (DD-866), the USS McMorris (DE-1036), and the USS Blueback (SS-581), which appeared in “Samurai,” and the USS Goldsborough (DDG-20) and the USS Puffer (SSN-652), which appeared in “Deep Cover.”

The USS Whipple (FF-1062) and the USS Ouellet (FF-1077)

are seen moored together on Midway Island (USS Ouellet Association)

Civilian

Aircraft

United DC-8 - 3000 Crooked Miles to Hono

A United Airlines DC-8 is seen flying past Diamond Head and the Gold Coast.

3,000 Crooked Miles to Honolulu (Season 4)

Several Hawaiian Airlines Douglas DC-3s were seen in "A Leopard on the Rocks."

Several Hawaiian Airlines Martin 404s were seen in "A Leopard on the Rocks."

A Hawaiian Airlines Martin 404 was seen in "Six Kilos."

Douglas DC-8s were used by United Airlines in early episodes (1968-1974).

Douglas DC-9s were used by Hawaiian Airlines in inter-island flights after Season 1.

Boeing 737s were used by Aloha Airlines in "The Late John Louisiana."

Boeing 747s were used by United Airlines from 1974 to 1980.

You will find a much more complete list of aircraft, military and civilian, that appeared on Five-0 from the pilot through Season 7 on this website: http://www.impdb.org/index.php?title=Hawaii_Five-O_(1968-1980)#Lockheed_C-141_Starlifter.

This Douglas DC-9 is seen in

"We Hang Our Own" (Season 7).

Ships

The 1950s SS Monterey that appeared on "Killer at Sea"

Used courtesy of historian, www.ssmaritime.com

SS Monterey

In "Killer at Sea" (Season 6), McGarrett, Danno, and Duke pursued crooked business manager Vincent Gordon (Keene Curtis) and crooked entertainer Frank Fallon (William DeVane) aboard a steamship bound for San Francisco - the SS Monterey. The photograph above shows the Monterey in its Pacific Far East Lines livery.

The SS Monterey began life in 1952, as a C-4 mariner. It was built for the US Maritime Commission (the Merchant Marine) by Bethlehem Steel of Quincy, Massachusetts. the new ship was christened the Free State Mariner and went to work serving the military during the last years of the Korean War. You can see a picture of the Free State Mariner at this link: http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=888123)

In 1955, the Free State Mariner was sold to Matson Lines, headquartered in Honolulu, and renamed the SS Monterey in homage to a ship of the same name, which Matson had owned and operated before World War II. The new Monterey's bare bones military configuration was replaced with all the luxurious accommodations required of a passenger ship. Soon, she set sail on Matson's long-established San Francisco - Los Angeles - Honolulu - South Pacific - Australia route.

In 1970, Matson sold the Monterey to the Pacific Far East Line (named more than once in "Killer At Sea"). Pacific Far East used it until 1978, when it was laid up for undisclosed reasons.

In 1988, after being laid up for ten years, the SS Monterey was acquired by Aloha Pacific Cruises, which rebuilt it into a full-time cruise ship. Passenger shipping was a dying trade in those days, and within a year, Aloha Pacific was bankrupt.

Two years later, the Monterey was chartered and then purchased by Star Lauro (later, Mediterranean Shipping Cruises), which used it successfully in the Mediterranean until 2006.

In 2006, serious boiler problems caused the Monterey to be withdrawn from service, sold for scrap, and sent to Dubai under the name SS Monte. It was beached at Alang in November of that year.

History of the SS Monterey Seen on Five-0

The SS Monterey seen on Hawaii Five-0 was not the original ship of that name. The original was built in the 1930s and operated by Matson Lines as one of its White Fleet, the others being the SS Malolo, SS Mariposa and the SS Lurline. The Monterey was drafted into service during World War II. She served well.

Captain Elis R. Johanson, Master of the SS Monterey, was awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for distinguished service in action with the enemy. On November 6, 1943, a troop ship, the SS Santa Elena, was torpedoed while carrying almost 1700 men. The night was dark, it was raining and windy, and the waves were buffeting. According to Merchant Marine reports,

Captain Johanson located the sinking transport, held his own ship close aboard,

and, by means of his lifeboats, scramble nets, man-ropes and ladders, evacuated

her crew and passengers in an outstanding display of seamanship and efficiency.

The abandonment of the troopship and the rescue of her survivors were carried

out with such dispatch that Captain Johanson's ship was able to clear the scene

of action well before daylight, thereby avoiding further jeopardy from enemy

aircraft or submarine. Operations were carried out without loss of life or injury

attributable to the rescue. (Elis R. Johanson. http://www.usmm.org/heroes.html)

MV Star Arcturus / USS Arcturus / MV Mormachawk

The SS Arcturus seen in Cocoon (Pilot) was the real name of an actual ship She began life in 1938 as a merchant ship known as the MV Mormachawk and served with the Moore-McCormick Lines.

On September 20, 1940, she was acquired by the US Navy and converted for service at the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Navy Yard. She was commissioned as the USS Arcturus (AK-18) on October 26, 1940. On February 1, 1943, she was reclassified as an attack cargo ship (AKA-1). The USS Arcturus served in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters of operations during World War II and won five battle stars for her service.

The US Navy wanted the Arcturus because she was capable of carrying both cargo and the boats on which to deliver the cargo to shore. When she was converted to an attack cargo ship, she took on guns for use in air defense and shore bombardment. As AKA-1, the Arcturus was the first merchant ship to be so outfitted and used.

The USS Arcturus was decommissioned in Portsmouth, Virginia, on April 3, 1946, and transferred to the Maritime Commission on July 2, 1946. The Commission sold her to the Johnson Line of Sweden for merchant service on March 17, 1947. She was registered in Panama under the name MV Star Arcturus and served on Johnson Line's Far East route until 1969, when she was sold for scrapping and moved to Taiwan for disposal.

Falls of Clyde

The Falls of Clyde was built as a fine sailing ship. To illustrate, the dining room was large and featured, bird’s-eye maple and mahogany panels and pilasters, polished brass hardware, a marble sideboard, and an ornate skylight. Cabins for officers and passengers lined the dining room, while the master's stateroom stood behind it (Delgado, James. Falls of Clyde National Historic Landmark Study, 1988).

The Falls of Clyde is owned by the Friends of the Falls of Clyde and was seen in "Shake Hands With the Man on the Moon" and "Small Potatoes."

Read about this wonderful four-masted sailing ship (History of the Falls of Clyde. https://sites.google.com/a/friendsoffallsofclyde.org/test3/our-mission)

Other Ships Seen on Hawaii Five-0

SS President Cleveland American President Lines Seen in aerial shots, "Killer at Sea"

SS President Roosevelt American President Lines Seen in "Full Fathom Five"

MV Aldebaron Unknown Seen in "You Don't See Many Pirates

These Days" (ship name unknown)

Mini-submarine Unknown "How to Steal a Submarine" and

"M Station: Hawaii"

Kamehameha SeaFlite "Murder - Eyes Only"