FLT CREW OF S58 HELI PENETRATE TFR NEAR CHARLOTTE; NC; ARE INTERCEPTED BY FIGHTER ACFT.

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AT APPROX XA45; A CREW OF TWO; PLUS MYSELF; DEPARTED WDR IN A SIKORSKY S58T HELI ENRTE TO RICHMOND INTL WITH A FUEL STOP PLANNED IN RUQ. AT APPROX XB50; I HEARD A BROKEN RADIO XMISSION OVER GUARD FREQ 121.5; THAT AN ACFT WAS FLYING IN RESTR AIRSPACE. AT THE TIME; WE WERE FLYING ABOUT 15 NM NW OF CHARLOTTE INTL AT 1500 FT MSL. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED MY L SEAT CREW MEMBER TO CHK THE CHART FOR ANY RESTR AREAS; SINCE I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. NEITHER OF US COULD FIND ANY. THE SECOND XMISSION ON GUARD WAS BROKEN; GARBLED AND STEPPED ON; BUT I DID PICK UP AT '1500 FT NE HDG.' AT THIS POINT; I THOUGHT THEY MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT US; SO I TRIED TO CONTACT CHARLOTTE APCH; BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT. AFTER A FEW MORE SECONDS; I WAS SURE WHEN 2 MIL FIGHTERS PASSED BY IN A VERY INTIMIDATING FASHION. AFTER SEVERAL PASSES; I FINALLY HEARD A XMISSION OVER 121.5 TO TURN TO 360 DEG HDG OR I WOULD BE FIRED UPON. I TURNED TO 360 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. AFTER 20 MI AND 2 OR 3 MORE PASSES; THE FIGHTERS BACKED OFF AND I FOUND A NEW FUEL DEST OF LEXINGTON; NC; WHERE A GOV OFFICIAL WAS VISITING. WE REFUELED AND CONTINUED ON TO RICHMOND; WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I DID CHK TFR'S ON MY RTE OF FLT ON SUNDAY MORNING; THE DAY BEFORE; BUT I FAILED TO CHK AGAIN THE MORNING I DEPARTED. WE OPERATE STRIPPED DOWN HELI'S AS FAR AS AVIONICS AND NAV EQUIP FOR WT PURPOSES. UNIDENTED STATIONS STATING VOR RADIALS AND DISTANCES DO NOT HELP ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE THOSE RESOURCES. WE REMOVED THE #2 VHF COM TO RETURN IT TO THE RADIO SHOP FOR REPAIR. I DO NOT BELIEVE MIL PLTS KNOW THAT MOST CIVILIAN RADIOS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME CAPABILITIES AS THEIR OWN FOR EXAMPLE; MONITORING GUARD FREQS AUTOMATICALLY.