TH-57 Retires to National Naval Aviation Museum

Final flight marks end of Navy training helicopter’s service.

Matt Ryan

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 04:04 PM ET

Verified

Edited By: Zach Vasile

[Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Michelle Tucker]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Navy has officially retired its Bell TH-57 “Sea Ranger” training helicopter after decades of service in rotary-wing instruction.
Introduced in the late 1960s, the TH-57 was extensively used for advanced helicopter training, particularly at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, shaping generations of naval aviators.
The TH-57 is being replaced by the newer TH-73A “Thrasher,” which features updated avionics and a revised training curriculum, as part of a modernization effort.
One of the retired aircraft made its final landing at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, where it will be preserved as part of the museum's collection.

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The U.S. Navy said Tuesday it has retired the Bell TH-57 “Sea Ranger,” with the aircraft making its final landing at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. The event marked the conclusion of the TH-57’s role in naval aviation training after decades of service as a primary platform for rotary-wing instruction. The aircraft will now be preserved as part of the museum’s collection documenting the history of naval flight.

Introduced in the late 1960s, the TH-57 was used extensively for advanced helicopter training, particularly at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Florida. The type supported the early training of student naval aviators before their transition to more complex fleet aircraft. As part of a broader training modernization effort, the Navy is replacing the TH-57 with the TH-73A “Thrasher,” which features updated avionics and is paired with a revised training curriculum.

“As we bid farewell to the TH-57, we honor a legacy that has shaped generations of naval aviators,” Capt. Kenneth M. Kerr, commodore of Training Air Wing 5, said.

The TH-57C joining the museum will complement an existing TH-57A already on display, providing historical context for the aircraft’s long service life.