I jut thought that you guys would be interested in knowing that the last operational UH-1 left Georgia today. I know that I like to give the Huey guys a hard time about skids and stuff, but it was a bit sad to see it leave.
It may be gone, but they will not be forgotten
I think there are still four on the ramp at Ft. Indiantown Gap, but they rarely fly. Sad to see the old girl go…
Ah, life is a double sided coin sometimes… Part of me says the Army may rue the day they let the UH-1 go. The practical side of me says that you can only rebuild them so many times, the fleet’s old, time to move on.
Thank you Bell…for services rendered!
I just visited my old gunner from Nam and he is the Maint. NCO in the 812th Med Co (AA) Louisiane National Guard out of Pineville, LA. They still have 4 Hueys but will probaly lose them by the Spring of 2009. He plans to retire with them. Hates the Black Hawks. When you have cut your teeth on a Huey, nothing quite tastes the same. World has gone too technical! Take me back to the “60’s”! I did get to see their brand new UH-72 Lakota’s, they have 4 but are not configured to the Medevac role yet. They also don’t have AC and the pilots hate the “hot box”! The Commanding General perfers to fly in the Black Hawks!
Never thought I’d live to be an old fart!
Must have been the last Army Huey to go. The Marine Huey’s are still stationed at NAS until 2012.
Not the last Army Huey, there are a few still scattered around in the Guard. As for the Marines at NAS, they are likely moving to Robbins AFB before that. We are supposed to move into that hangar before then.
There are a bunch of Hueys still whopping around the skies here at Rucker.
Charlie
There was a MA Guard Huey overhead about a month ago… Beautiful machine on a beautiful summer’s day but I couldn’t help the feeling that it may have been on it’s last flight. I was actually surprised that the UH-1 was still in service up here as I had though that the MA Guard had converted to the UH-60 quite some time ago.
I too will miss the the Huey. As a former 11Bush, I’ve had many flights and been pelted by sand and dirt many times bringing them into an LZ. Thanks for the lifts.
that must be the ones that head into BTR and fly over our hanger every now and then.
Wait, Ray hasnt weighed in on this??? Ray where ya at man???
Your not old Mel, just good!
See you in a couple of weeks!
David
Wisconsin Guard still has them. They fly over my place fairly often. Ah the memories I have in Hueys some good, some bad and some halariously funny.
There are still 7 flying strong here at NTC!
I get to see two of these bad boys fly almot every day. Nothing perks my ears up quite like them when I hear em coming.
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/080514-F-5957S-539.jpg
I’m over near Ft Meade, Maryland. I see Hueys fly over about twice a month. I’ve taken a lot of rides in Hueys. I used to sit with my legs dangling over the sides. Put some Credence Clearwater Revival on and I’d feel like I’m in a Vietnam War movie.
-Jesse
Gotta few Huey hops but most of the time it was a Sh*thook hauling us around… There’s still a few Hueys left around here, but one day that familiar rotor-thump of the inbound Huey will be no more…
Not sure why I never replied to this thread initially. They Huey is the most significant rotorcraft in the history of Army aviatiion in my humble opinion. She brought my dad back from many missions in Vietnam and I, for one, will never be satisfied with the ugly little UH-72. I’m not an aviator though so what do I know.
I have fond memories or seeing and hearing Hueys fly over my house in Birmingham. My dad would hear em from miles away and say “here comes a Huey” I really miss those days. I had the honor of meeting the last student pilot at Rucker being trained to fly the Flat Iron Hueys. They will supposedly be replaced by UH-72’s by the end of the year. I still hope that it doesn’t happen that soon. I just don’t want to see the old girl go. She means a lot to me and I have never even flown in one (YET)!
Ray
don’t know if it be true but…
i have heard over the yrs that blackhawk had some mysterious crashes here and there and the old hueys were more reliable (read safer)
Ray, hope you get a chance to fly in a Huey someday, I still miss the flying(even after all these years) and wouldn’t trade it for anything
Well, in a way the Corps will be flying them past 2016:
http://defense-update.com/products/u/uh-1y.html
I’m sure it won’t have that familar “whoomp, whoomp, whoomp” sound.
-Jesse
Edit: I can faintly hear the old Huey in this video:
Not to bad mouth the Huey but I have heard (not verified) that the UH-1 killed more people in its development than any other Army aircraft. That is somewhat of a testament of the technology that it used at the time though.
We got past the crash hawk, lawn dart era years ago. Now we just have to chase hydraulic leaks.
BTW, we finally got #8 back from loan today. Went to 25th ID then to Nevada Guard. Crashed once and a major blade strike (sudden stoppage). She will now likely be known as Miss Piggy. QC is looking foreward to the historicals[%-)]