My new uh-1e marine helo.

[jeffhuey1n]

And those weird tail pipes that shot the exhaust up into the rotors. Long story short, I had a project that involved 6 former NG and AR Hueys. 5 were H's and one was a Victor. I didn't know what the funky pipe was for then, now I now know it's for IR suppression or some such thing.

 

[decodeme2]

Thanks Guys!
Got it home and stated sanding on it , should be ready got Olive Drab Gloss this weekend.
Ordered all the stinsels from Rick Larson, and bell Helicopter sent me some photos of new ones when they left the factory in 1965, they are really a great help. Some pics of the new trailer i ordered, trailered well! no problems..Got a lot of attention towing this puppy down the road! Air ride trailer set the ride height at 3", total height was 13' 3"..no problem././
Total weight was 8500 lbs..Set the cruise control at 65 all the way home..
Last picture is the new hanger behind the house to work on it..Will have more pics as i paint it etc..Will keep you updated..
Kevin,.,.

 

[DieselBob]

Really nice looking setup. Good to hear it tows well. I bet that did get some looks going down the road.

 

[MSgt USMC (Ret)]

I highly recommend that you post the Bureau number and pics to USMC/COMBAT HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION.

If this bird flew in Nam, it's possible that the Marines at Popasmoke would remember it. FYI, Popasmoke is the USMC Combat Helicopter Assn. If it flew in combat those guys know about it. Semper Fi.

 

[rideni]

so big question will it be aberdeen this year or do I need to take a trip to see it

 

[decodeme2]

Thanks for the tip about Popasmoke, I traced its history, new delivered 6/1965 to a Helo base in Florida New river Marine Corps Air station. From their lost the history, Until used as a trainer starting in 1976 at Pensacola till 1983 sent to moth balls in MASDC..Picked up by USDA in 2000 to 2005..
Looking for the units it was with from 1965 to 1976..
Im contacting (MCAS) to see if anyone still has the records of the unit it was with..
They only made 200 'E"' models, Im told it likely it was in Vietnam..Told All 'E' models went to Nam. The larger 'H' birds more made, and used as trainers.
Attached are pics of what it looked like in 1965, Dark Olive Drab Gloss!, Other is same but weatherd...Im useing the Dark one as my example to use as a template for myne.
Thanks for the info..
Kevin..
Hopeing the Gun mounts are finished soon..
4 M60c's
1 M60 door gun
1 50 cal Door gun
2- 7 Shot 2.75 rocket pods..

Yes I will be at Aberdeen...
And maybe in GA..too..

 

[MSgt USMC (Ret)]

The bird on the right was from HML-776, I was in HML-771 for a while. I noticed these "Echo" models didn't have wire cutters on the top and bottom of the fuselage like UH-1N's did.

Some find memories in those cruising with the doors open over the desert as the Crew Chief (Sergeant, E-5) was flying it while the Captain was reading a book.

 

[decodeme2]

WOW...so cool!..love these stories!
Thanks!
Kevin..

 

[MSgt USMC (Ret)]

It was common for the enlisted Crew Chiefs to fly the helicopter (off the record). They weren't allowed to take off or land but Im confident that they could in a combat scenario.

 

[yetti96]

My flight instructor told me he had a job installing those wire cutters on helicopters. He never said when or where, but I figured I would add a useless post to bump the awesomeness of this copter and thread.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Top, I was one of those Crew Chiefs only in HMH-772 Det A, also known as HMH-769. They didn't let us fly very often, but I have got a couple hours in a CH-53A. Looks like you entered the same year I did. MCRD SD, Platoon 2088, BHC at Millington in Feb of '82. Rotors and related at Tustin then off to sunny San Fransisco Bay.
USMC 1981-85
USAF 1985 -2007
Semper Fi!

 

[MSgt USMC (Ret)]

Top, I was one of those Crew Chiefs only in HMH-772 Det A, also known as HMH-769. They didn't let us fly very often, but I have got a couple hours in a CH-53A. Looks like you entered the same year I did. MCRD SD, Platoon 2088, BHC at Millington in Feb of '82. Rotors and related at Tustin then off to sunny San Fransisco Bay.
USMC 1981-85
USAF 1985 -2007
Semper Fi!

I was an East Coast Marine for most of my career. I spent some time in HML-771 and in HMM-774 in Norfolk. Was one of the few unfortunate enough to make a KC-130 landing at the Expeditionary Airfield at 29 Palms with a UH-1N inside. Never made it to Tustin before it closed but spent some time at El-Toro.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

My only landing with an N was at Dover in the back of a C-5. Talk about BIG! 29 stumps, nothing there I ever want to go back for. One deployment there...too hot, sand in everything and them **** rats in everything! El Toro was nice. They didn't let us play there very often. Hated seeing us in our greasy flight suits and less than stellar attitude toward anything without a rotor head.

 

[Crank]

Just left 29 Palms back in March. I'll just go ahead and say it still sucks! Took our Ospreys out there, they seemed to love the dry desert air, no Avionics issues like back here in the river. The blades hated the sand tho, would have to rattle can the blades for flights so it wouldn't tear 'em up as bad. Luckily we're giving away all our planes with their torn up blades before we go to Afghanistan in June...

On a skid related not, the past couple times I went to MCAS Yuma for WTI and just now to 29 Palms for Enhanced Mojave Viper, got to check out the new Yankees and Zulu's. Lets just say they're BADASS!!!! Way more power, way more lift capacities, and more killin power!!! I'm still partial to the fat girls tho, Cobras are only fun for the pilots.

 

[Crank]

BTW, If you are interested in new age Marine Aviation, here's some pics from our little adventure in the stumps:
Picasa Web Albums - Mark.Fayloga - Clear, Hold, ...

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Ahh, good to here nothings changed at the stumps. Iwo Yuma (as we called it) and WTI. Loved every FREAKING minute of it! Hanging out the back window of a CH-53A searching for A-4s, F-4, A-7s or whatever else wanted to play, bouncing all over the place, .50s out the windows eliminating unwanted plant life...thems were the days.

Wish the AF had got on board with the Yankees. Sweet birds. I'd give my left....you know what I mean, to crew one of those babies!

Rog on the Cobras. Great when you need firepower can't diss them but what fun is it for the Crew Chief? Oh, they don't have one, they have Plane Captains.

Rattle cans on blades Holy Smokes! Don't do that to one of the old birds. Can you say 1-to-1? Have to rebalance every flight!

Good luck in trashcanistan. Semper Fi!

 

[MSgt USMC (Ret)]

Just left 29 Palms back in March. I'll just go ahead and say it still sucks! Took our Ospreys out there, they seemed to love the dry desert air, no Avionics issues like back here in the river. The blades hated the sand tho, would have to rattle can the blades for flights so it wouldn't tear 'em up as bad. Luckily we're giving away all our planes with their torn up blades before we go to Afghanistan in June...

On a skid related not, the past couple times I went to MCAS Yuma for WTI and just now to 29 Palms for Enhanced Mojave Viper, got to check out the new Yankees and Zulu's. Lets just say they're BADASS!!!! Way more power, way more lift capacities, and more killin power!!! I'm still partial to the fat girls tho, Cobras are only fun for the pilots.

I never had a Wing MOS (0311/0431/0491) but did a total 9 years in Wing units. WTI was a blast until a few of our hungover A4M pilots bombed a Yuma Proving grounds active building. They were so off course from the bombing range it wasn't even close. One 500 pounder (HE) and it was all over. The next day our Commanding General flew in on his personal F18 and clipped there "wings".

 

[jeffhuey1n]

I heard about that one. There's supposed to be 12 hours bottle to throttle, ESPECIALLY at WTI. I'll admit I blasted off a couple times a little under the weather, but my BAC was always as closs to zero as you can get.
I know 0311, but I don't recognize the other two. Mine were 6113 and when I got my Wings, 6167.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Nice pictures....things have definitely changed in 25 years! Differences...365 used to be HMH 365, used to be CH-53As and Ds, No armor for the Marines, just flak vests, helmets were steel and we still wore cammies.

Other than that, same crappy desert.

 

[MSgt USMC (Ret)]

I heard about that one. There's supposed to be 12 hours bottle to throttle, ESPECIALLY at WTI. I'll admit I blasted off a couple times a little under the weather, but my BAC was always as closs to zero as you can get.
I know 0311, but I don't recognize the other two. Mine were 6113 and when I got my Wings, 6167.

Our Pilots would line up at the Liquid Oxygen farm in the morning for a few huffs of pure O2.

0431 is Logistics/Embarkation Specialist, 0491 is Combat Service Support Chief.
Also held 8531 Guard, 8563 Combat Water Survival Instructor and 0369 Infantry Unit Leader.

I did a hop with my OIC (Major) in a UH1N in Yuma one day and we were taxiing out behind a CH-53. As soon as the 53 cleared the city limits it fell out of the sky like a rock. Did a 200' free fall to earth. We hovered until SAR got there. All survived somehow. The only thing recognizable in the quarantine area on Base was the engines and main rotor hub.