Gentlemen, give these your best shot. JB
#1) All of the following helo "names" have been documented to have been painted on in-country Army copters. See which "name" best describes the following helo type: UH-1C, UH-1H, CH-21, CH-47, CH-37, CH-54, OH-13, AH-1G, OH-6A
WAYNE'S WORK HORSE
SUPER EGG
CHUBBY CHEEKS
THE HEDGE HOPPER
THE MAGGOT WAGON
LOAD RUNNER
CYCLOPS
HOP-A-LONG
SNAKE CHARMER
#2) REVISION***No other 1960's American rock band (aside from IRON BUTTERFLY) shares this distinction, or even comes close. Its name bedecked thirteen in-country Army copters, including Medevac/Dustoff ships. This number ranks it at #5 on my TOP TEN copter "name" list.
#3) This unit holds bragging rights to having the most slicks of any in-country Army unit to be painted with original & individual names utilizing the unit's official name or shorten version of it within the wording. Also, all 13 slicks had corresponding nose art that helped define the inscribed name.
#4) The record holder for being the longest copter "name" painted on an in-country Army helo, aside from a maintenance ship, was what? HINT: the name was comprised of nine words.
#5) However, the "most words" champ did not automatically have the most letters found in a copter nose name. What copter nickname would that have been (7 words)? What unit?
#6) BONUS question: An Air America helicopter made history by shooting down a Russian biplane piloted by an NVA crew during the Vietnam War. What weapon did they utilize to accomplish this incredible feat?
#7) Documented "names" of WWII bombers totaled 16,000. In comparison, "names" of in-country Army helicopters totaled to date is 2,200. See if you can spot which "name" goes with what war, and which ones flew in both wars.
CLOUD DANCER
EASY RIDER
CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO
COSA NOSTRA
WRETCHED MILDRED
UGLY DUCKLING
THE TRAVELING EXECUTIONER
MANDRAKE ROOT
MUSHROOM MOLLY
MY BROTHERS KEEPER
#8) What is the greatest number of re-incarnated copter names within a unit for an in-country Army helicopter? This includes maintenance, smokers, dustoff, etc. EXAMPLE: "Iron Butterfly XXX". I'm not looking for the longest time span a name was applied on a copter but the greatest number of generations marked by a Roman numeral. What helo name had the highest visible recorded "count" numbers within a copter unit in Vietnam?
#9) Other than "Iron Butterfly" what was the 2nd most favorite name (out of 123 cataloged) that Dustoff/Medevac crews painted on their copters?
#10) This one is for me: What knowledge do you have regarding original nose art panels that survived the war? Not fake or replicated copies but authentic Army copter avionics access doors that were painted in-country, removed from a UH-1, and then brought home to the USA. It would be an extraordinary story to include in the book. JB