In a forum full of modelers, this seems like a thread that is overdue. I know Jon (Cobrahistorian) has lots of info on interesting schemes. I hope this thread might inspire some new markings for Vietnam Helos in the future. I would propose a few rules, however. First, don’t post a pic without the unit info (unless its really cool and you want someone here to ID it). Miscellaneous nose art is cool and all, but without unit info it’s not really useful. Second, refrain from posting artwork that might be considered risque or with obscene language (I think you all know what I mean here). Third, have fun with this thread!
I’ll post the first ones:
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This is UH-1H 68-01554 of the 176th AHC. The pic is from a collection of nose art on the 176th website.
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The last three are UH-1C 66-15089 also of the 176th AHC. This bird was called Rosemarys Baby. As you can see she was a Hog Ship with the XM3 armamant system.
Here’s one for you. (not exactly art but a great looking bird).
“Birth Control Pills”. (note the unusual M60C mounts) This UH-1C (66-15151) served with the 134th AHC from late 1967 until the afternoon of 1st January 1970, when she was scrambled on a mission to cover a Dust-Off pick-up. She met up with the Medevac without problem but when she tried to follow the Dust Off ship out of the area over a mountain in bad weather and heavily loaded with ammo, the pilot of 151 had to do an emergency 180 degree turn back down the mountain. Despite being advised by a pilot on another ship to find another route out. “Birth Control Pills” flew in again at high speed for another attempt at clearing the ridge. This time she hit the side of the mountain. Sadly resulting in the death of the Crew Chief.
If your interested in finding out more, the full story, written by one of the survivors of the crash can be found here…
The “Birth Contol Pills” huey grabbed my attention as it shares a similar name to one of the famous “Guns A Go-Go” birds, ACH-47 “Birth Control” (64-13154). This ship was sadly also lost 2 years earlier to enemy morters after a forced landing in Feb 1968. Though happily the crew of this ship were safely extracted after a dramatic rescue.
I think starting a Nose Art forum was a great idea! I just hope it will catch on as the Unusual Vietnam Hueys did. The first photo depicts unit nose art on a UH-1H of the 195th AHC the Ghost Riders. Unfortunately I don’t have the tail number, all I know is it was taken in 1968. It is very hard to come by any 195th AHC photos, cause they have a password protected web site (former 195th AHC and associated units members only). The 195th was the only Army unit authorised to camouflage their Hueys. they started applying the USAF SEA style camouflage in mid 1968 and abandoned this practice by around 1970 for a very interesting reason-195th was basicly a special operations support unit and flew a lot of covert over-the-fence missions (insertions and extractions of MACV-SOG and other SF teams) and it didn’t take long for the VC to figure out that when they saw those camouflaged Hueys, some bad-ass SF characters are coming their way…so the 195th experienced many more sapper attacks on their Hueys than other units in the region. So to make 195th Hueys stand out less, they stopped applying the distinctive camouflage and went back to standard OD.
Note the SF guy in tiger stripe fatigues in the background
I hope somebody out there has some 195th AHC Hueys images to share, as they make really appealing modelling subjects.
The next image is of a OH-6A (number on the doghouse 17220) of the C troop 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry. Apart from loaches of the C/16th Cav, ‘‘shark mouth’’ art was pretty rare on OH-6As in Vietnam.
And a couple more of the Andy’s 134th AHC UH-1C ‘‘Birth Control Pills’’ images. The 134th used the unusual M60 mounts on all of their Gunships. Also note how they mounted the gunners seats and the standard issue 85-round 40mm ammo box. Yes, Birth Control Pills was at some point fitted with the 19-shot M200s.
Not got any pics, just an idea. Is there any way we can put all these Huey threads into one sub folder of the helicopter section. There have been a few threads which have been “lost” way back in previous pages but which are very interesting. It would be great to have them all in once place and a great resource for us all.
Well, I can’t post em just yet, but lets just say I have SEVERAL UH-1 nose art photos of some really good stuff. Why can’t I post em, you ask? Lets just say it is for the greater good right now and hopefully we’ll start to see models with said nose art on them in the coming months. [8D]
Once those are set, I’ll post em up here, I promise.
the vietnam helicopter museum online has a fantastic selection of nose art. I included the link because some of these are nudes…damn good ones too. Right up there with the best of WWII artist.
This is a Charlie model of the 71st AHC gun platoon, Firebirds. The nose panel however is from one of their slicks, the Rattlers. You can see differences in the shades of paint. The Firebird emblems flank each side.
Great idea. I don’t have any “nose art” but some photos of the fuselage and door art affixed to some of our H-21s and Hueys in the 120th Aviation Company 1964/65 at Ton Son Nhut. As soon as I get them scanned into the 'puter and figure out how to up load them to the forum I post 'em.
Here’s a piece of nose art that I believe is one of the best from the Vietnam War era; ‘‘Strawberry Bit*h’’ adorned the nose of a UH-1D, last three s/n digits 822 of the 121st AHC ‘‘Soc Trang Tigers’’ in about 1968. Note that the quality of this art work is almost photographic!!! The name was later changed to ‘‘Strawberry Babe’’.
Those of you who follow the Huey threads know this is my dad’s ship, Gladiator 36 from sometime between October of 68 and October of 69. It is a 190th AHC UH-1B M21 gunship. if anyone ever sees another pic of a Gladiator ship, PLEASE pass it on (You listening Marko?). I have searched every referrence and website I can think of for more pics with no luck. The 190th was only in existance from '67-'70 and that probably accounts for the lack of photos.
I asked for guns, man! (just kidding) Great shot! I know of no other units other than the 190th that were Spartans. Initially, I thought the numbers on the nose were just 684, since many units painted the last three serial numbers on the nose of their ships. Closer inspection reveals that it is 6845. I checked the Gold Book files and come up with UH-1D 66-16845. This helo was destroyed while in service with the 190th. See the summary below. It is unusually well detailed for a Gold Book entry. Good work!
Thanks,
Ray
Helicopter UH-1D 66-16845Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D tail number 66-16845
The Army purchased this helicopter 0967
Total flight hours at this point: 00001705
Date: 06/20/69
Accident case number: 690620251 Total loss or fatality Accident
Unit: 190 AHC
The station for this helicopter was Bien Hoa in South Vietnam
Number killed in accident = 0 . . Injured = 4 . . Passengers = 0
costing 244345
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Army Aviation Safety Center database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory
Crew Members:
AC W1 MCKEOWN WJ
P W1 DANSECS FC
CE E5 WARD LJ
G E4 HUFF FS
Accident Summary:
THE AIRCRAFT AND CREW WERE ASSIGNED A DCS MISSION 03F OUT OF XXUAN LOC WORKING FOR THE ARVN 18TH INFANTRY DIVISION. THE CREW PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT AT 1615 HOURS ON 20 JUNE 1969 AND FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES. THEY DEPARTED ON THEIR MISSION AT 0715 HOURS, AND PROCEEDED TO XUAN LOC. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN 5 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MISHAP AND THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. 204 INTO THE WIND ALONG THE LONG AXIS WITH ELEVEN DEAD VIETNAMESE ABOARD. EACH ARVN WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 90 POUNDS. THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE TREES BY 50-100 FEET WHEN THE CREW HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED AS IF IT CAME FROM THE ROTOR HEAD OR ENGINE AND THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT COMMANDER IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AUTOROTATION, FLARED TO SLOW THE AIRSPEED AND SET THE HELICOPTER DOWN IN THE TREES. THERE WAS NO CLEAR AREA TO LAND IN, AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME OR ALTITUDE TO RETURN TO THE LZ WHICH WAS ABOUT 200 METERS TO THEIR REAR. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE DESCENT HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY OF THE CAUTION LIGHTS COME ON NOR DID HE SEE WHAT THE GAS PRODUCER READ. HE TURNED THE FUEL OFF PRIOR TO HITTING THE TREES AND THE CREWCHIEF STATED THAT HE DID HEAR THE ENGINE STOP WHEN THEY LANDED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN VERTICALLY (SEE PHOTOS 3-1 AND 3-2) CUTTING TREES AS IT FELL (SEE PHOTO 3-3) BRINGING BRANCHES AND LIMBS DOWN ON TOP OF THE AIRCRAFT (SEE PHOTOS 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, AND 3-7) WHICH CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE (SEE PHOTOS 3-8, 3-9, 3-10 AND 3-11) AND CUT THE SYNCHONIZED ELEVATORS OFF THE TAIL BOOM (SEE PHOTO 3-12). THEY HIT THE GROUND LEVEL (SEE PHOTOS 3-6 AND 3-7) WITH CONSIDERABLE FORCE CAUSING THE SKIDS TO COLLAPSE AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE TO SNAP (SEE PHOTOS 3-2 AND 3-6).\
The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16845
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 0967.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.
DATE FLT HRS UIC UNIT AREA POST COUNTRY
6709 8 8 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM
6710 0 8 9221 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM
6711 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6712 0 8 9221 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6801 0 8 W0MCAA RED RIVER AD 4TH ARMY RED RIVER AD AMC
6802 73 81 3311 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6803 121 202 3311 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6804 124 326 3311 BELL HCPTR BAILMENT FT WORTH AVCOM
6805 82 408 3311 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6806 104 512 3311 355 AVN CO 4TH ARMY FORT SILL 4TH ARMY
6807 111 623 3311 OPM SEA NITEOPS 1ST ARMY FORT BELVOIR AMC
6808 99 722 3311 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC
6809 147 869 3311 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC
6810 116 985 3311 HHD 44 ENG GP THAILAND PACIFIC
6811 105 1090 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6812 102 1192 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6901 103 1295 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6902 101 1396 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6903 92 1488 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6904 106 1594 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
6905 111 1705 WDUWAA 190 ASLT HEL CO VIETNAM RVN
It was just a stroke of luck. I was pretty sure it was the 190th crest and as it wasnt the same nose art as your dads 190th “Gladiator” gunship, it must have been a 190th “Spartan” slick.
Found it earlier while trawling through the 191st “boomerangs” & “Bounty Hunters” photos. The guy in the picture was from the 191st and must have just posed for the shot. Anyway heres the link to the site, loads of great 191st pics (no more 190th though [:(] ive checked).
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