Those old enough to remember the Apollo program--or who have watched a lot of the historic footage from it--may have noticed that several Apollo splashdown recoveries were performed by a Navy Sea King Helicopter with the number "66" on it. Helicopter 66 participated in the recoveries of Apollo 8, 10, and 11. Then the Navy changed their numbering system and renumbered it "740." Then somebody realized that they were about to lose a great ongoing publicity opportunity, so it was restored to its original livery and numbering for the recoveries of Apollo 12 and 13. By this time they were painting a new victory marking in the shape of a space capsule each time the chopper performed a recovery. It may be the only space capsule recovery "ace" in history!

Helicopter 66 appeared in paintings, model kits, toys, and (of all things) a hit German pop music single. Retired Sea Kings painted to look like it are now featured at three different museums. But the original Helicopter 66 was re-re-designated "740" and flew on until it came to grief off the California coast in 1975. The crew survived. The chopper sank. And is still down there somewhere. Recently there have been reports in the California press that it may have been rediscovered. If so, somebody's probably going to try to salvage pieces of it to sell to collectors. They'll need to watch it--the wreck is still legally Navy property.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_66