SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Unusual Vietnam Hueys

214128 views
463 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Unusual Vietnam Hueys
Posted by rotorwash on Monday, April 2, 2007 11:07 PM

Ok guys, I know Skypirate's Vietnam Huey thread has been very popular.  However, it has grown so large that it take 1.5 hrs to read through all the posts (trust me!).  So I thought maybe we could start a new one with just pics of unusual Vietnam Hueys.  What do I mean by unusual, well something like this:

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" />

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" />

I know what this armament system is, but I had to do some digging.  Lets see who figures it out first!  Then, if you have some, post your own unusual Huey and either quiz us or educate us about it.  After all, how many M21 gunships and hogs can you make before things get kinda boring.  Maybe this thread could inspire some of our resident scratchbuilders!  This forum has sure inspired me!

  Ray
 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Modeling anything with "MARINES" on the side.
Posted by AH1Wsnake on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 2:13 AM

That would be the XM47 Mine Dispenser. Nice thread idea, and good to get the scratchbuilding ideas flowing.

How about this one....anyone have the nomenclature for this:

Andy

 

 

"There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and those who have met them in battle. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 7:48 AM

Andy,

  Yep, that's the XM-47.  Looks like it would be interesting to build.  The TACOM web site says, "XM47 Mine Dispensing Subsystem (ARDEC). The XM47 was a Research and Development project for dispensing four XM2 anti-personnel mines from the UH-1B "Huey". Sighting was visual."  Just a note: the huey in the pics is a Charlie model.  I guess they need to revise their description. 

 The one you posted is the "Maxwell System" which consisted of an 18 round XM-3 rocket launcher with an AGM 22B missile on a reinforced outer tier.  The bird belonged to the 2nd aquadron, 20th ARA.

I'll keep things going with this H model rigged for spraying defoliant:

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" />

Who's next?

  Ray

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Baton Rouge, Snake Central
Posted by PatlaborUnit1 on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 10:08 AM

Ray

Sweet pic of the spray bar rig, nice catch!

 

David

Build to please yourself, and don't worry about what others think! TI 4019 Jolly Roger Squadron, 501st Legion
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: phoenix
Posted by grandadjohn on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 10:12 AM
Sorry, I don't have a photo, but another unusual Huey were the "Smoky" ships used to make smokescreens at LZ's. Usually a B or C model that dumped oil into the exhaust and create smoke.
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 12:45 PM

 grandadjohn wrote:
Sorry, I don't have a photo, but another unusual Huey were the "Smoky" ships used to make smokescreens at LZ's. Usually a B or C model that dumped oil into the exhaust and create smoke.

Its not the best, but here is a pic of how the XM52SG system worked:

[img]Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

The TACOM site says:"XM52 Smoke Generating Subsystem. The XM52 was a Research and Development project for generating smoke from a U.H-1D/U.H-1H "Huey". Atomized fog was produced by introducing oil into hot engine exhaust gasses. The system consisted of a 50 gal. self-sealing rubber oil tank, pipes, nozzles, pump, and control unit."

Note that the illustration is a D model and not the short fuselage Hueys mentioned by Grandadjohn.  I would like to see an actual picture of the system.

  Ray
 

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: phoenix
Posted by grandadjohn on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 12:57 PM

Found this one on the web, ship is from the 25thID

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 1:09 PM

Here are some of the components of the smoke generating system:

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

[img]Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

[img]Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" />[/img][/img]

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: phoenix
Posted by grandadjohn on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 6:00 PM
Early Smoke ships used a 55gal drum and pump lashed to the aft cabin wall and floor
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Saturday, April 7, 2007 9:20 AM

How about some unusual color schemes:

American Woman, UH-1C Hog ship, 135th AHC

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" />

[img]Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Beerwagon, UH-1B Hog ship, Notice that there are NO doors on this bird

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

 Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Pabst Blue Ribbon M200 rocket pod 

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Anybody else found any interesting paint schemes to share?

Ray 

 

  • Member since
    February 2007
Posted by skypirate1 on Sunday, April 8, 2007 3:39 PM

Ray

Nice idea for a thread, Good place to concentrate some of the more creative and less common huey pictures. Not that many about though, but any i find i will post in here. I got this one, cant remember where but its different, thought you might appreciate it with your dad being a door gunner. "Death by flower power" lol

note the lovely sky blue ammo can and support pole parts lol

Andy

While the rest of the crew may be in the same predicament, it's almost always the pilot's job to arrive at the crash site first.
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Sunday, April 8, 2007 4:50 PM

Skypirate,

  Thanks for the pic.  Perhaps the most unusual thing about it, however, is the fact that it is a D/H model with a doorgunner position using a M60A model istead of the usual M60D with the butterfly grips (I assume that's why the M23 mount is empty).  Here is another D model that I found which also seems to have had the "free" 60 in the door.  Keep the pics coming!  Ray

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" />

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /> 

  • Member since
    February 2007
Posted by skypirate1 on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 5:17 PM

Im planning on building a Nighthawk huey at some point,with all the options for scratch building and weapons options it should be fun, i came across this picture and was hoping you guys would know what that box is behind the pilots seat. It didnt say if the picture was of a nighthawk but i was wondering if its a generator for a nighthawk spotlight or something?

Thanks

Andy

While the rest of the crew may be in the same predicament, it's almost always the pilot's job to arrive at the crash site first.
  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Houston, Texas
Posted by empeter on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 5:35 PM

It's a rack for communications equipment, but I do not know the nomenclature. The part on top with the louvers could be a power supply, or the section where the antennas are attached. Below that it looks like a pair of RT-524's (the transmitter/receiver component of a number of FM systems, it has its own internal speaker.)

This is probably a Command and Control aircraft, or it could be some sort of radio retrans equipment.

  • Member since
    February 2007
Posted by skypirate1 on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 5:40 PM

Aahh right, thanks for the info empeter Thumbs Up [tup]

Andy 

While the rest of the crew may be in the same predicament, it's almost always the pilot's job to arrive at the crash site first.
  • Member since
    June 2003
Posted by supercobra on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:44 PM

Try this - what is the white thing and the four things next to it:

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Modeling anything with "MARINES" on the side.
Posted by AH1Wsnake on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:09 PM
 supercobra wrote:

Try this - what is the white thing and the four things next to it:

Something that makes four booms :)

 

 

"There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and those who have met them in battle. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."
  • Member since
    April 2007
Posted by Bounce19712 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 10:37 PM
they're pony kegs
  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Houston, Texas
Posted by empeter on Thursday, April 12, 2007 12:43 AM
The white thing is some sort of ejector rack.
  • Member since
    April 2007
Posted by Bounce19712 on Thursday, April 12, 2007 10:23 PM

ok..I give up..what are they?

 

"liberated" air force ordinance and pylon?

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Lafayette, LA
Posted by Melgyver on Friday, April 13, 2007 4:52 PM
They look like standard 250 lb HE bombs without the fins and fuse in the nose.  I pretty sure that's what the yellow ring signify.  High Explosive!

Clear Left!

Mel

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Plumas Lake, Ca
Posted by NASA 736 on Sunday, April 15, 2007 11:42 AM

A note on Beer Wagon, it is a "Falcon" gunship from the 3rd plt of my old out fit the 335th AHC "Cowboys" at Dong Tam. We shared the field with the "Emus" a joint Austrailian/American helicopter company. Their guns were the "Tipans" named after the snake. The Falcons took their emblem from the "Atlanta Falcons" football team, with the addition of red paint on the Falcon claw to simulate blood.

The white tirangle with the pentagon inside indicates the battallion, in this case the 214th out of Vinh Long. The pentagon was different colors for different companies. The 335th for example carried a blue pentagon.  Also of note, the drive shaft cover atop the tail boom, the 42 degree box cover and the verticle fin covers were painted black on our company aircraft. And the stinger cover (a flexable fiberglass piece which faired the end of the tail boom to the verticle fin) was usually painted to a platoon color. During my tour, yellow was first plt, white was 2nd plt, and the guns were black.

To add to the confusion factor, sometime about 1969 the Army issued an MWO (Modification Work Order) to install "C model" tail booms and sync elevators on all "B models". In the case of the guns paint and or other beautification was done as time permitted because the guns flew a much heavier schedule than those of us in slicks. Many gunships flew a while with with just zinc chromated tail booms.

regards,

Chuck 

 

Able Audacious Army Aviation Above All!
  • Member since
    June 2003
Posted by supercobra on Sunday, April 15, 2007 7:48 PM
 Bounce19712 wrote:

ok..I give up..what are they?

 

"liberated" air force ordinance and pylon?

 

 

I'm having fun so I won't give it away just yet.  Here is a hint though:  I believe that the entire system was only carried on Marine UH-1Es but the warhead was also carried on Marine Cobras (what do Marine Cobras carry that other Cobras don't (aside from bombs, sidewinders, sidearms, and Hellfires).  The system name is still on Marine Cobra NARCAD (armament select) panels - that was a clue for Andy.

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Modeling anything with "MARINES" on the side.
Posted by AH1Wsnake on Sunday, April 15, 2007 9:22 PM

Hmmmm, now that you mention it, they look like LAU-10 five-inch rocket warheads, which look to be modified with bands around their circumfrence allowing the mounting lugs for dropping.

More recently, I am wishing I still had a flightline to walk out to and check a stores panel....... sigh. Civilian life sucks.

--Andy

 

 

"There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and those who have met them in battle. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."
  • Member since
    June 2003
Posted by supercobra on Sunday, April 15, 2007 9:42 PM
Bingo - 5" Zuni rocket blast frag warheads.  The setup was called a Helicopter Trap Weapon (HTW) and was used to clear obstactles from LZs.  The warhead had a parachute on the back so that it would fall vertically and used a proximatey fuse to detonate it a few meters above the LZ.
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Sunday, April 15, 2007 10:26 PM

"To add to the confusion factor, sometime about 1969 the Army issued an MWO (Modification Work Order) to install "C model" tail booms and sync elevators on all "B models". In the case of the guns paint and or other beautification was done as time permitted because the guns flew a much heavier schedule than those of us in slicks. Many gunships flew a while with with just zinc chromated tail booms."

  Chuck,

    I know that there were B models that had the tail booms replaced with C model booms after a failure, but there were still plenty of B's flying around without the upgraded tailbooms at the war's end.  You don't happen to have a copy of the MWO do you?  I will make a point to look for it if I get to go to Ft. Rucker this summer.  Also, do you have any pics of gunships with only zinc chromated tail booms.  I would definitely like to see that!  By the way, no matter what modifications were made to them, B models can be distinguished from C's by the fuel filler cap which is on the right on B's and on the left on C's.  Of course, there are many other differences between the two, but that's the only one I don't thunk could be changed.

    Ray
 

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Plumas Lake, Ca
Posted by NASA 736 on Monday, April 16, 2007 11:44 PM

I'll root around through my pictures and see if I have one.  The MWO was not a mandatory catagory MWO as I recall. The entry in my "B's" historical records at NASA Ames did not contain much info and may have applied to certian aircraft by either "time," or by "serial number." Probably by "serial number" as tail booms were normally a "condition" item. 

I know what you mean about some not being moded, when I was at Ft. Riley there were a couple there that were not moded (circa spring 1972). (I guess the entrals of the goat were not favorable for them.. ;)

Regards,

Chuck

Able Audacious Army Aviation Above All!
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Auburn, Alabama
Posted by rotorwash on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 12:28 AM

Looking forward to the pics, Chuck.  Continuing with the unusual Huey configurations.  Who can ID this system? 

       Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" />
 

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: phoenix
Posted by grandadjohn on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 8:38 AM
I don't know the name or number of the system, but it is used to drop flares for illumination purposes.
  • Member since
    April 2007
Posted by Bounce19712 on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 1:47 PM

yeah, my guess was flares from seeing a few different configs...but the flares look the same..heheh...I've been browsing a bunch of Unit sites....I just saw one last night where some type of flare tripped inside the huey...they kicked it out and eventually put the fire out with extinguisher...I'll try to find it again...

 

EDIT...must be different flares...yes??..here it is:

http://25thaviation.org/diamondhead/id438.htm

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.