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Kamon, N2856J s/n 58-1840
Helicopter was formerly owned by Hawkins & Powers Aviation, H&P, Greybull WY, and sold to Classic Rotors around 2004.
The machine had been in storage in Greybull probably since the late 1970s. In the mid to late ‘90s, per Dan Hawkins’ request, we pushed the thing in the hangar and got after it. Work was sporadic over the years, as time allowed, as it wasn’t a priority with all that was going on. All of us, however, including Big Dan himself couldn’t wait to get it flying.
It was always great when Dan would join us at the bar on occasion during Wednesday “quarter beer” night at the Smokehouse in downtown Greybull, and yet even greater when the subject drifted towards the old Kamon days. I just wish I had a tape recorder, because a couple H&P/Kamon stories had us laughing so hard a few of us had beer coming out our nose.
By the end of summer 2001, we were so so so close to running the engine w/o the blades. Blades had been rejuvenated, engine was good to go, that monkey-motion synchronization shaft that connected both transmissions had been disassembled and inspected. The landing gear had been serviced, droop stops, etc. Unfortunately, it was never meant to be...
I’m not certain, Avery Aviation/Hawkins & Powers operated at least three Kamons, but I think that N2856J was in John Wayne’s Hellfighters in 1969. Dan flew the helicopter during filming in the Casper Wyoming area. I have the wide screen edition that depicts the cockpit scene with Dan, and four other cast members.
Upon completion of the Casper filming, Dan was getting ready to ferry the Kamon back to Greybull. Before he left the location, a fellow pilot who was flying a Jet Ranger (not owned by H&P) camera ship was himself preparing to depart for Lewistown MT. Somehow, some way, a bet was made as to who would to Greybull first: The Kamon or the Jet Ranger. Long story short, I was told that Dan BEAT the 206, which, to this day, I still can’t figure that one out, other than maybe the Jet Ranger pilot got lost enroute... Anyway, Dan hit a torrential rain shower somewhere along the way. Soon after, he could hear whistling sounds. As the blades wound down on the ramp at the South Bighorn County Airport in Greybull, it became evident the rain had raised havoc. The fabric had been shredded from root to tip and I suspect if it had been anybody else, a severe back-side chewing would have been in order....
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