Warbird Helicopters?

[Rajay]

I'm aware of numerous Huey restorations that operate loosely as Vietnam tributes and I also once read about a guy who had flown old Piasecki H-21's in the Army and later got a hold of one and restored it on his own. What about other roatary-wing types being restored or operated as Warbirds? Seems like a long overlooked potential segment of the Warbird market.

The recent post about the Shearwater Aviation Museum near Halifax (IIRC) included photos of an old S-55 / H-19 and a HUP-1. Those models as well as the later S-58 / H-34's were iconic early military helicopters - and somewhat more interesting than basic old "M*A*S*H" Bell 47's. Other types like the twin R-2800-powered S-56 / H-37 series and of course the twin turbine S-61 / H-3 series were similarly important to military aviation. I think that it'd be as cool as anything else to see restored examples flying at an airshow.

The question is - is anyone working to bring back, restore, and fly any of these ex-military helicopters?

When I lived in South Daytona, the back fence of one of Harry Doan's former helicopter airways shops was just down at the end of the street. There were dozens of old airframes in there, unfortunately slowly resorting to their original state as bauxite in the ground.

[warbird2]

There is a museum in Washington that has a bunch of Cobras, Hueys and a Husky that fly.

[oscardeuce]

As to the term loosely, the UH-1H we flew as Viet Nam tributes were actual combat vets. In fact one was shot down as firebase "Eagle's Nest", recovered and returned to service.

I recently had to sell them.


A nice book about out "loosely" veteran Huey:

An Eagle's Eye View: The Combat History of Army Helicopter Tail # 67-17658 by Terry Willman

[JohnB]

The Army Aviation Association operated a bunch of Vietnam-era helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Some were sold, so I don't know their current status.

There was one HUP flying in California, it was lost in a fatal crash a year or two ago.
Vintage Rotors out of the San Diego area has the world's only airworthy H-21.
No H-37/S-56s fly...and there a are precious few H-19/S-55s left.
Of the old big helicopters, only H-34s/S-58s still fly in any numbers, many have been converted to turbines.
There is a HH-43 Huskie flying for a museum in Western Washington...a few years back several were doing heli-logging, but their numbers werre thinned by crashes...including a fatal one 2 years ago near where I live. One is under rebuild just west of Sandpoint, Idaho.

A guy in the UK has a UH-1H and OH-6 in Vietnam era markings, he takes them to airshows. Good for him!

Last edited by JohnB on Wed May 25, 2011 11:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

[bdk]

Classic Rotors (http://www.classicrotors.com/) has the H-21 in Ramona, CA. It was a veteran of a very bad B-movie caled "Mega Force" and ended up in Chino. Mark DiCiero got it ferriable and has been flying it ever since.

There was a restored Huey at the Chino air show a year or two ago.

[wingsandrotorspilot]

The Huey seen at Chino belongs to Wings and Rotors Air Museum, French Valley Airport, Temecula, California. She is an actual Vietnam veteran helo. Also at Wings and rotors is a UH-34D USMC Vietnam Combat vet under restoration to fly.

The group on Long Island has flown their restored UH-34D Seahorse at many air shows over the last several years:

http://www.34restoration.org/index.html

I saw it fly at Thunder Over Michigan back in 2006 or 2007 and I saw it at Cherry Point, NC around 2007 or 2008.

I know many years ago the group that restored the H-21 in California had plans to restore a CH-37, but I don't think that idea went anywhere. Not sure there is even a possible candidate airframe anywhere, but the CH-37 Mojave is the vintage helicopter I would most like to see fly again.

[Craig59]

There is an operator in Oregon who has about six flyable S-55's which he uses for cherry drying. Sid Nanson is headed out there on holiday toward the end of June. Supposedly, the gentleman operates one in USMC, HRS livery. Now, I want to see that!!! I'm sure Sid will bless us with many photographs.

[Obergrafeter]

Any Pedros fly?

[JDK]

It was neat to see the Banana fly at Chino.

Meanwhile, elsewhere - There used to be a number of Saro Skeeters airworthy in the UK, but I think they've been grounded now, due to rotor paperwork issues. Likewise a number of Westland Scouts and Wasps, a few of which I believe are still airworthy.

The Army Historic Aircraft Flight used to fly their Skeeter, but still operate the rest (Auster, Beaver, Chippie (all fixed-wing) Scout, Sioux, and Allouette II, although the last isn't flying this year.)

http://www.army.mod.uk/aviation/20926.aspx

The Royal Australian Navy Historic Flight operate a UH-1B, which was the only rotorwing on the recent RAAF Pilgrimage.

[airnutz]

Any Pedros fly?

Yup, Olympia Flight Museum IIRC, but she's only got about 50 hours(or less?) time left on her rotors. Jack Cook can tell you more.

[mrp]

Here are a few of shots of the H-21 at Chino this year.









mrp

[bdk]

The Huey seen at Chino belongs to Wings and Rotors Air Museum, French Valley Airport, Temecula, California. She is an actual Vietnam veteran helo. Also at Wings and rotors is a UH-34D USMC Vietnam Combat vet under restoration to fly.

You guys put on a fantastic display at Chino. Nice to see historic choppers about. Even the slowest of us can follow them!

[airnutz]

Classic Rotors (http://www.classicrotors.com/) has the H-21 in Ramona, CA. It was a veteran of a very bad B-movie caled "Mega Force" and ended up in Chino. Mark DiCiero got it ferriable and has been flying it ever since.

Yes, the Classic Rotors bird is a CH-21B. There is at least one other flying Shawnee, a CH-21C Shawnee in Springdale, Arkansas. Maintained by the daughter(?) of Max Hall who passed on about 11 years ago. N116MH, 56-2116 was featured for the 2010 reunion of the 120th Aviation Company, "The Deans", with rides available. The page announcing last years reunion.
http://www.angelfire.com/az3/razorback9 ... union.html

We had a sweet H-34 Choctaw in the neighborhood about 10 years ago but unfortunately her rotors contacted a hanger while taxying and she succumbed to a catastrophic ground resonance event...her parts went North for another H-34 project...I think in Virginia(?).

Edit for error

Last edited by airnutz on Wed May 25, 2011 10:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[K5DH]

I captured these two beauties at the 2006 Cowtown Warbird Roundup. They're registered to YL-37 Group, Inc., Tulsa, OK. I was told that N855BA has a Vietnam combat history, but please consider that to be hearsay until someone in the know confirms it.

S-58 N7936C:


UH-34D N855BA: