Iran originally acquired seven Sikorsky RH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters, intending to deploy them for minesweeping purposes with use of Edo Mk.105 hydrofoil anti-magnetic mine vehicles, released through the rear loading ramp and towed through the water astern of the helicopter. Alternatively, they could carry at last 37 fully armed troops on fold-down wall seats, or 24 stretcher casualties and four attendants, or 8,000lbs (3629kg) of cargo. All were painted as shown here, in white on the upper half, and gull gray underneath. Their serials were in the range 9-2701 to 9-2707 (the only known US serials are 65-412 for 9-2701, illustrated here, and 65-413 for 9-2702). During the failed hostage rescue attempt of April 1980, the US armed forces abandoned three intact RH-53Ds in Iran: one of these was destroyed in an air strike by the IRIAF, while the other two were recovered and one of them refurbished and pressed into service as 9-2708. (Artwork by Luca Canossa)