Huey in FNQ

[Arm out the window]

Just enjoyed the sight of a Huey, B model by the looks, wokking past my house (about 25 nm SSW of Cairns), southbound.

It was painted up in an olive drab kind of finish with red cross markings on the side - anyone know whose it is and what they're up to?

Great to see and hear the old beast out and about.

[rioncentu]

Yeah it dropped into Rocky on Saturday. I too was surprised to hear and see it. Been a while since that great sound has echoed around the place.

I wondered if the Army had one on flying museum duties or something until I saw the pilot get out dressed extremely casually

[Brian Abraham]

The Navy took their historic flight B model up to Caloundra for a 9 Squadron do a week or so ago. Perhaps a repaint and lost on the way home to Nowra.

[rioncentu]

The one I saw had "Army" on the tail boom.

maybe there's more than 1 getting around?

[Arm out the window]

I just had a look on the civil register - 2 UH-1B with the RAN Historic Flight, a H model, and a couple of TH-1F with McDermotts, which look not too far different from a B from a distance in the photos - maybe one of theirs painted up for a film job?

[Shinpow]

Sounds like the one from dwyer avaition from Giru.

Gallery | Dwyer Aviation Services

[Trojan1981]

There was a UH-1B or C painted up in vintage US Army colours when I was in Townsville a couple of years ago, could it have been that? I can't believe the Army doesn't have a historic flight...


Edit: This one

Bell UH-1 Huey, on the Display Day - 26/09/2009 - Townsville ADF Airshow 2009 - Gallery - Forum

[blackhand]

It was painted up in an olive drab kind of finish with red cross markings on the side - anyone know whose it is and what they're up to?

Belongs to that bloke from Giru.
Lifting power poles near Mareeba.
SuperB with T53-13

I saw the pilot get out dressed extremely casually

Yes, he is no DON Juan
Cheers
BH

[Arm out the window]

That's the one that flew past this a.m. - looks good.

Must go well with the L13 in it, unlike the B with the L11 which would droop Nr at the drop of a hat ...

Ex-A380, yeah, it feels a bit weird when your ex-types are all in museums, just about!

[ReverseFlight]

I love the Huey. Its attraction was what drew me to aviation in the first place.

Long live the Huey !

[rioncentu]

I don't know my Hueys.

What is the GIANT yellow huey thing that McDermotts have?

[Brian Abraham]

Must go well with the L13 in it, unlike the B with the L11

The C model gunship had the -11 fitted, and just before we left country a couple were fitted with the -13, making them M models. System almost had to introduce ab initio hovering lessons, so used to running take offs had they become. (tongue firmly in cheek) Damn good at hovering autos though. Taxiing involved lifting to the hover, making forward progress and upon running out of left pedal, chop the throttle, land, wind on throttle, get RPM back, repeat till runway made and proceed with the running take off - some times with the gunner and crew chief running alongside until translational was hit, where upon they would jump on board.

What is the GIANT yellow huey thing that McDermotts have

That would be this, their 214B Bell 214 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[blackhand]

@BRIAN
Which model became the world famous "Bushranger"
First one built out of bits by the Sqdrn in the funny place.

That's the one that flew past this a.m. - looks good.

It is in excellent condition, would make your heart ache to give it a go,

[Trojan1981]

B214

Ahh yes the Bell 214 is the dogs bollocks! To borrow a phrase from another member; that helicopter produces a sound that makes virgins cross their legs!

[VH-XXX]

It's unfortunately the kind of chopper you only see out for the big paying jobs. Must cost a bomb to run it.

[Arm out the window]

Damn good at hovering autos though. Taxiing involved lifting to the hover, making forward progress and upon running out of left pedal, chop the throttle, land, wind on throttle, get RPM back, repeat till runway made and proceed with the running take off - some times with the gunner and crew chief running alongside until translational was hit, where upon they would jump on board.

That's superb, Brian! I can just picture it. That running alongside would get the loadies fit! I reckon a few might have missed the jump on board now and then and gone diving to the ground to avoid getting taken out by the sync elevator or the tail rotor ...

I can't remember the max all up for the B, but maybe what you're describing is something like the term "heavy 95", sometimes heard when you loaded the H up to 9500 lb and something still had to go on board!

[eagle 86]

Navy 898 has a C model fuselage refuelling point on opposite side to B model and larger capacity. C model gunships had a 540 rotor head. Interestingly the data plates on the Navy Hueys said they were model 204 whereas RAAF data plates said B model. If someone had been quick when they were withdrawn from service they could have been registered as civilian aircraft.
GAGS E86

[OZBUSDRIVER]

A certain hangar at TYA has a lot of UH-1 parts.

[Trojan1981]

Eagle, the RANHF aircraft is on the civil register, though in restricted cat I believe due to military maintenance practices.

[Brian Abraham]

E86, a common misconception. B's were produced with both the large and small fuel tanks. All Navy aircraft were B's. The B fuselage with the large tank was used as the building block for the C. I've researched this in some detail and tried to get the museum to correct the misinformation they publish.