I was a member of Night Vision Flight Detachment from 1980 to 1986 and maintained 66-17825 during this period . The main rotor blade in this picture are not the original ones. The original blades were similar to the UH-60 blades with the sweep on the tips. Additionally, there was a Bennie that mounted to the top of the main rotor hub. These items were stored in one of the 2 parts trailer in back of our hanger. There was also the exhaust cowling showmen on the other photos.
The blades were longer than the standard OH-6 that we used because of their price. The Bennie on the main rotor remained off because of being a headache for daily maintenance or doing per-flight checks. I do know that the bird was sent out on operations that called for them to be installed. To this day I cannot answer what the operation was or where it went during these trips. Unlike our other OH-6 this ones engine was different and was flown at usually 60% power.
I found some old paper work dated May 1977 where the aircraft was sent to Hughes for some work to be done on it.
I remember one flight returning from Aberdeen, where we were running classified Night vision tests. The service ceiling was low when a small private fixed wing came through the clouds about 500 feet in front of us. Thank God that Dave had excellent reflexes and banked hard left and down. The person in the private plane had entered the restricted helicopter low level routes around D.C.
Unfortunately, we just move and I cannot find my pictures of it. If I can find them I will up load them.
I had a lot of hours in this great helicopter and even more stories about it.
Sincerely,
Bob A.
