The Huey Challenge
We will see if "Rotorwash" can come up with the "goods". ![Smile [:)]](/emoticons/icon_smile.gif)
Hope you can help Ray. (I hope the spreadsheet comes through ok, was a bear to paste here).
This is a list of all the US Navy's TH-1Ls built (45). (Bell 204 with the 540 rotorhead). These were used for advanced training at NAS Ellyson Field and NAS Whiting Field in the 70s/and early 80s. Of the survivors most went to AMARC in the early 1980s and many were released to the civilian market, schools, and museums.
The challenge is to "find" a photo of each of these 45 TH-1Ls in either it's original Navy paint or in civilian paint. There is no Ultimate purpose, just to see what the power of the internet can do.
Here is what I have been able to do: I'll tell you from searching, that it isn't an easy task. I've tried.
1. Joe Baugher's Serial Number Website: http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/
a. Joe lists 157806-157850. These are good numbers.
b. Joe has listed 157859-157903 as a second serial of TH-1Ls also. I find no evidence of those ever existing.
2. I personally have flown 41 of the 45. The ones I missed were either assigned elsewhere or written off in earlier accidents.
3. I won't post photos from Airliner.net but I'll link to their site. I've found a few.
4. I've found a few TH-1Ls at NAF China Lake (Targets) and I will link to their site: http://www.chinalakealumni.org/index.htm
5. I've searched the FAA registry and found several registered and deregistered TH-1Ls. Searched the NTSB and found the Civilian USA accidents.
6. Note that all TH-1Ls served in the red and white paint jobs. But not all red and white paint jobs are TH-1L's. HT-18 was the primary squadron flying these aircraft. At times the squadron had over 70 aircraft in it, well over the maximum number of TH-1Ls. After Vietnam wound down, all the surviving Navy UH-1Ls (157851-157858) migrated to Whiting Field. As the Marine Corps traded in their UH-1Es for the UH-1Ns, the "best" of those "E's" migrated to Whiting. Once they got painted in their training garb, it is very hard to differentiate between the models except for the Bureau Number. I can't prove it yet, but I believe that originally the Side Numbers, started with 136 and went to 180. With the additions of the UH-1Ls and the UH-1E I believe that this numbering system got interfered with.
7. The problem with this challenge are the years gone by. It's going to take someone with a shoebox of photos.
8. I've found 14 registered by FAA, 5 appear to have crashed, some numerous times. A series of FAA "AD"s were issued on the aircraft requiring costly fixes so their numbers appear to have dwindled in the civilian world.
9. Rotospot: World rotorcraft registration: A cursory look found 1 in Portugal. http://www.geocities.com/rotorspot/index.htm
10. I'll begin adding the photos that I have. Sorry to say I was more busy flying then, than taking photos. If you can no ore than point me into new directions for a search, I'll be happy.
I will try to keep the Spreadsheet up to date with any info provided.
Thanks for looking and taking part. ![Banged Head [banghead]](/emoticons/icon_smile_banghead.gif)
Regards
Steve