In January 1968, the US Navy purchased 40 commercial Bell 206A as the TH-57A Sea Ranger
to use as their primary helicopter trainer. In 1989 they were replaced by the commercial Bell 206B-3
designated as TH-57B for primary training under visual flight rules.
Starting in 1985, additional Bell 206B-3 configured for advanced training under instrument flight rules (IFR)
were bought and designated as the TH-57C.
The TH-57D was a planned upgrade program to convert existing TH-57B and TH-57C
to a single standard digital cockpit.
156968, 157355 / 157394 : TH-57A Sea Ranger ( c/n 5001-5040 ) : 40 Bell 206A from 1968. The famous "Little Red" (first TH-57A, 156968 ) was retired in 1977 after 22,000 flight hours and placed at Pensacola National Naval Aviation Museum
161695 / 161701 : TH-57B Sea Ranger : 7 Bell 206B from 1981, for NGV training.
162013 / 162067 : TH-57C Sea Ranger : 55 Bell 206B from 1982 for advanced instrument flight / IFR training
162666 / 162686 : TH-57C Sea Ranger : 21 Bell 206B
162803 / 162810 : TH-57B Sea Ranger : 8 Bell 206B
162811 / 162823 : TH-57C Sea Ranger ( c/n 3836/3848 ) : 13 Bell 206B
163312 / 163347 : TH-57B Sea Ranger ( c/n 3882/3917 ) : 36 Bell 206B
TH-57 replacement : On January 2020, the US Navy selected the Leonardo AW119Kx/TH-119 as the new TH-73A. Sundown for the 35-year-old TH-57s, which are becoming more difficult to maintain due to obsolescence and lack the appropriate cockpit avionics and aircraft performance capability, will begin in fiscal year 2022 and conclude in fiscal year 2024. TH-73A deliveries are scheduled to begin in calendar year 2020 and continue through calendar year 2024
After 57 years of service and over 3.3 million flight hours, the U.S. Navy phaseout of the TH-57 began in 2023 and was completed on 19 September 2025, when the last active-duty TH-57C (BuNo 162668 / E-106) was flown to the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.
Two aircraft, BuNo 162013 and BuNo 162016, were sent to test squadron HX-21 at NAS Patuxent River.
An official last-flight Sundown Ceremony was held on January 27, 2026, at the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.
156968, 157355 / 157394 : TH-57A Sea Ranger ( c/n 5001-5040 ) : 40 Bell 206A from 1968. The famous "Little Red" (first TH-57A, 156968 ) was retired in 1977 after 22,000 flight hours and placed at Pensacola National Naval Aviation Museum
161695 / 161701 : TH-57B Sea Ranger : 7 Bell 206B from 1981, for NGV training.
162013 / 162067 : TH-57C Sea Ranger : 55 Bell 206B from 1982 for advanced instrument flight / IFR training
162666 / 162686 : TH-57C Sea Ranger : 21 Bell 206B
162803 / 162810 : TH-57B Sea Ranger : 8 Bell 206B
162811 / 162823 : TH-57C Sea Ranger ( c/n 3836/3848 ) : 13 Bell 206B
163312 / 163347 : TH-57B Sea Ranger ( c/n 3882/3917 ) : 36 Bell 206B
TH-57 replacement : On January 2020, the US Navy selected the Leonardo AW119Kx/TH-119 as the new TH-73A. Sundown for the 35-year-old TH-57s, which are becoming more difficult to maintain due to obsolescence and lack the appropriate cockpit avionics and aircraft performance capability, will begin in fiscal year 2022 and conclude in fiscal year 2024. TH-73A deliveries are scheduled to begin in calendar year 2020 and continue through calendar year 2024
After 57 years of service and over 3.3 million flight hours, the U.S. Navy phaseout of the TH-57 began in 2023 and was completed on 19 September 2025, when the last active-duty TH-57C (BuNo 162668 / E-106) was flown to the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.
Two aircraft, BuNo 162013 and BuNo 162016, were sent to test squadron HX-21 at NAS Patuxent River.
An official last-flight Sundown Ceremony was held on January 27, 2026, at the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.
Units |
| Years | Units | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 2007/25 | HT-28 | NAS Whiting Field |
| 1972/24 | HT-18 | NAS Whiting Field |
| 1968/24 | HT-8 | NAS Whiting Field Saufley Field NAS Ellyson Field closed 1973 |
