Helitak water bombers

Helitak or water bombers refuelling during the Parkerville / Stoneville fires that happened in Perth burning down 55 homes in January 2014 See Western Australia Bushfire Relief to donate https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/en/Donate/Donation/?appeal=35942 The helicopters are HELITAK 677 / C-FXNI Bell 214B1 - Based at Busselton VH-XRG / FIREBIRD 625 Eurocopter Bo-105LS-A3 (MSN 2037) of Heliwest Jandakot-based (Air Intel) -- Fitted with Wescam MX-15i high definition FLIR turret, laser mapper and microwave transmitter. Used as an aerial command and control helicopter to coordinate firefighting operations. N243AC / 741 Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane (cn 64-022) Erickson Air-Crane, named "Marty" It can release up to 9,500 litres of water or fire retardant in a single drop. The helicopter was built in 1967 as a Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (civil designation S-64A) for the US Army and allocated military serial 67-18420. It was delivered to the US Army in August 1967, serving with the following units: - 273 Aviation Company - 273 Assault Support Helicopter Company "Superhooks" - 478 Heavy Helicopter Company "Hurricanes" - 62 Aviation Company - 85 Division Training - NASA, Langley Field (Loaned in 1973) - 478 Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter) - Pennsylvania National Guard - stored at the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Centre (AMARC), at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona On 8 April 1994 it was sold to Lenair Corp, and registered N22696 on 27 June 1994. On 23 January 1997, it was re-registered as N544CH to Columbia Helicopters International. On 2 December 2002 it was sold to Erickson Air-Crane Inc. and reregistered as N243AC on 10 January 2003.