Flying Banana in my Hangar!!!!

Heath,

Put me down on your "list"! I'll E-mail you later after I clean out my Inbox!

Thanks Heath!

I'll also be interested in Interior shots, both cockpit and cabin.

I'm good friends with Mr. John D. Ely, who on his first Tour, was the Flight Engineer on the only "AH-21" ever built, then on his second Tour, he wound up being the initial FE on ACH-47A #64-13154 and the one who christened her "Birth Control".

Thanks again and have fun exploring the "Banana"!

Frank

Yes, absolutely, count me in!!!
Nothing like pics of the real thing!

For heaven's sake make sure you get a good pile of shots of the engine bay!!

Thanks a ton for being a community-minded citizen!

Cheers!
Tony

Sign me up as well! Always did want to do one of those babies. Never quite saw any real good photos though (black & white and grainy as heck). Thanks for the offer!

Hey Heath,

What can you tell us about the guy(s) who own this thing? It does get around because I've seen it as far north as Santa Barbara.

Wilson Hubbell
Flipper Seven Niner

count me in as well!!!!!!


I've had the model sitting here for a while, and i'm getting the itch to build it!!!!


Thanks in advance!!!

Well, today I took over 100 photos of the "banana", and they are all EXTERIOR shots!!!! Tomm, I will be taking the same amount of interior pics....and Fri, I will be taking the same amount of close-up shots. Does anyone have a good way to transfer a load of pics quickly?? Or do you think I should choose the best ones, and put them up on Ron's website?? Any suggestions will be helpful. I promise to get them to you as quickly and efficiently as possible!! Just give me at least a week, due to full time work during the day, and full time school at night, my sched is full. I did find out, that it will be in my hangar through next week!!!! I will try to get as much history about it as well....I can tell you that it was in a Godzilla movie....but which??? I'm not sure, when I get a chance to BS with the group who owns it, I will. I was all over that thing today, and I'd like to mention that there is an Army marking on the bottom of the bird....and on the TOP!!!!

So, this is where I beg, plead and grovel, not a pretty sight.

Heath,
I'm desperate for cabin, cockpit details. If possible, the underneath(hook etc), too. I have four of these prepped and ready to go.

Regards.
Pops.

P.S: Have you thought about contacting Petr over on Helicopter Walkrounds? I'm sure he would love your pics.

No Pops, if you have any info on how to get a hold of him, let me know!!!

Hello Heath,

I believe that "your" Flying Banana belongs to the Classic Rotors Org.
http://www.rotors.org/h21/21.htm
It was used in the latest Gozilla movie by Roland Emmerich in 1998.

Please add me to your photo list too!

Best regards,
Gunther

WOW!

That is amazing! what a piece of helo history!

Thanks for the link Gunther, you are absolutely correct. Unfortunately, when a bird is brought in to work, sometimes I am busy on another plane, and do not get an opportunity to talk to the owners directly. I appreciate you clearing that up for all of us. BTW, today I took over 100 photos of the interior!!! I got some really excellent shots of the cockpit. I think what will happen, is that tomm I will take another 100 photos of some requested areas to make sure I have what everyone wants. Then I will try to label the pics and so forth, and I am going to send 30 to Ron's website. Then what I will do, is go right down the list to those who responded to this thread, and send about 15 pics of what you requested. I may have to break it down into three e-mails, so keep an eye out for them this weekend.....and if I missed something and you want a more close-up shot of something or another, and you didn't get it at first, let me know, and I will get anything I missed on Tuesday. This is your opportunity guys, so please don't hesitate to speak up if you want a better close-up, or any info!!! Thanks for being patient, and I hope to have all of your pics sent to you by Tuesday!!!!

Hi Heath,

I feel like an excited kid, waiting to open his presents. Thank you for sharing with us.

Petr can be contacted at his site:
http://helicopterwalkarounds.czweb.org
Just open an index, his e-mail is at the top of the page.

I'm not sure if he is still using this one, but you could also try this e-mail:
helifox@centrum.cz

Could you post Ron's url, I don't know his site.

Regards.
Pops.

I'll be happy to pay for CDs and postage if getting them web-posted turns out to be a big hassle. Anyone with me??

Thanks Heath, you're a winner!!
Tony

Post those photos on ARC in the walkaround area.

Excellent idea Tony, I'm with you.

Pops.

Heath, drop my name in your files for emails. I have been looking for more detailed stuff on that helo for a while now.

Ok guys, I'll keep that in mind.....Ron's site is having problems right now, but I'm going to start e-mailing pics this evening starting with Melgyver, and then going down the list. If anyone wants a CD-Rom, I'd be more than happy to make 'em and send 'em out for coverage of postage (don't sweat the cost of CD's, I have a large # of blanks). As of right now, the pics are at a count of about 200. I plan on taking even more on Tues. I have been taking pics of every inch of the bird....believe that!!! I even took pics of the ID plate, delivered 8-28-57 from Vertol. Ok, I'm going to get started e-mailing, let me know what you guys think tomm.

Friends, I can NOT send you e-mails with the pics through this forum, you will have to e-mail me your address in order to get the pics. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. So far I have sent about 24 pics to Salbando, Midnightprowler, and Littlemoe. I will send pics to you as soon as I get your e-mails!!!

Frank, I sent you some pics.....salbando, your e-mail address you have listed in the forums is not allowing me to send pics to you.....let me know if you can figure that out!!!

GREAT PICTURES!!!! You da Man!!!

Thank you very much for providing these
fabulous walk-around's of the H-21!!

Frank

Mel, I got your message....just let me know when you're ready to take a peak!!! For everyone else, I'll be sending the pics as the e-mail addresses come in. A lot of suggestions have been made as to making and distributing some CD Roms with ALL of the pics. I think this is a fantastic idea, and really needs to be done!!! However, I have no idea what the shipping and such would be. I live in San Diego, CA....and I have no idea how to ship overseas.....so it may not be worth the trouble for you if you live overseas, as I can probably just e-mail a little at a time to you. For everyone in North America (USA, Mexico, Canada), I think what I'll do is compile a list of who wants it, get your address, then mail the CD to you. When you get the CD, check the postage paid on the package and then send me that amount. It will be on your honor. I think that is the most fair way to do that. The bird is in the hangar all next week also, so I'm going to continue taking pics as long as it is in the hangar. I want to have over 500 pics on that CD....I want to give you guys the end all of Banana photo references to add to your library!!! The pics will be burned onto a CD-R, not a CD-RW. I hope that is all right. So, I think that the timeline will be at least 2 weeks before someone gets a CD. I still have to categorize, and name the pics as such.....plus adding a few hundred more to the pile. Does that sound all right with everyone?! Let me know what you guys think, want, need.....etcetera!!!

Heath,

That is awful generous of your time and expense to go the CD route. "Atta-boy"!

Good Morning Heath!

I just got the photos that you sent me. They look terrific! You did a great job, thank you very much!

All right!!!! I'm ready to give everyone an update!!!! So far, I have 273 photos!!!!! WOW!!! Tonight I started to categorize them all, and broke them down into 9 different folders. I do still need to label them all, but I will have to get to that this weekend. Tomm. I am going to open up the engine compartment, and take another 100 just of that section. I also still need to get some good photos of the rotors.....I'll get to that on Thursday. BTW the blades are off of the bird. So far there are 50 pics of the cockpit itself.....today I opened the Pilot's window, and stood on a ladder outside of the window, and shot some great pics looking in.....I'm going to do the same for the co-pilot's side as well. I need EVERYONE who wants a CD to e-mail me their address ASAP!!! As I plan on starting to burn them this weekend, and will send them out to people in order of getting their address.

I thought of an idea, and just wanted to throw it out there for ya to chew on. I like to collect A/C memorabilia, and I have a lot of patches of squadrons I've served with, stickers, etc. I have a CH-53E windscreen, and various controls...etc. But I thought it would be kind of neat to add some things to my collection that are from your guys' world(s). I thought that what we could do is, if you would rather send me a squadron patch, A/C related sticker, or pin, or pamphlet, even rank insignia.....anything that can be related to A/C...nothing too much, just something to add to my little bundle. Then maybe that could work instead of paying me for shipping. So you would have a choice, if you have something you'd be willing to barter, send it.....and if not send me the Shipping and Handling. What do you think?? And NO Mel, I WILL NOT accept those wonderful tail rotor blades!!!!

So far, I only have Pops, Sal's and Gunther's address for shipping the CD......I need your address in order to send it to you, so keep that in mind. I will be shipping out the first three this week.

Heath,
Looks like you got my address OK. Can't wait to see the pics. I've got a Squadron hat and patch all ready to go for ya.

Hallo Heath,

I would like to send you a helicopter CD with photos and videos in trade for your CD. My wife Sabine produces helicopter CDs. (Don't worry, we will not use your H-21 photos for publicatons without your permission!)

You have the choice between "Hueys", "Sycamores" or "Team Christoph 51" (A German HEMS team with a BK 117). Please have a look at:

http://www.dracomedia.de/medien

Pops, Sal, and Gunther.....your CD's have been shipped today.....it may take 7-4 days, so keep that in mind. I have changed my mind about the shipping. DO NOT SEND ME ANY CHECKS FOR SHIPPING!!! The postage is really cheap...around $3.00 to ship to Gunther and Pops, and a little over a dollar to ship to Sal!!! It would be pretty ludicrous to be running around cashing checks for a dollar or so. So, if you just send me the patches and stuff, it would be very appreciated!!! Gunther give me a couple of days to decide on the CD......they are all tempting, and I'm still trying to make up my mind!!!! LOL Again....I will NOT cash any checks for shipping you send me!!! I appreciate everyone letting me take part of this experience!! For everyone else.....All you have to do is send me your address, and you get a disc.....can't get any easier than that!!