Some of our old mounts are still around and in service today–almost 50 years later. If you have photos of any Razorback helicopters that are still around, please share them with us and this site. Here are photos of a few old birds we have located. These choppers have a special place in our hearts and after all that we had been through…heavy combat, getting shot up, or going down in a rice paddy,it’s great knowing that they’re still here with us. These aircraft are owned by by other than Uncle Sam, but deep inside, they’re still “ours”. Enjoy!
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62-4567, UH-1B, semi-modified into C model configuration. SP/4 Kirby Spain & SP/5 Daryl Hong were but two of the crew chiefs who took care of this ship back in the day.
Here she is today painted in Navy Seawolf paint scheme at the prestigious Cavanaugh Flight Museum located at Addison Airport just outside of Dallas, Texas. 567 was transferred to the Seawolfs in 1971 as we were being upgraded to C & M models.
Cavanaugh Flight Museum photograph.
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66-17144, UH-1D converted in Vietnam to a H model. 144 served as a night hawk/ firefly or lightship. All three terms mean the same thing and were used interchangeably depending on preference. They flew at night, low and slow, with all lights on, to entice enemy fire and thus give away their hidden positions. Not exactly a “sitting duck” as they were heavily armed in their own right and had a couple of gunships overhead, blacked out for protection. That’s a six-barreled mini-gun shown in the photo and a Xenon light used to illuminate the ground.
Here she is today, now known as N858M, looking all dolled up and ready to step out for the evening. One of her ex-crew chiefs, SP/5 Tom Figg, would not recognize her now! She has a day job and still works the swamps, but this time for the Lee County Mosquito Control District in Florida. Contact Shelly and she’ll arrange so you can meet the old girl.
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6-15078, a.k.a., “Captain Guts”, started life as a Charlie model and was converted later to a Mike model and flew during the Razorback’s Nha Be period.
Her normal crew: SP/4 Tom Van Lehn, crew chief. 1LT Tom Hannigan, aircraf commander. SP/4 Jerry Hujar, gunner.
Captain Guts is retired from the National Guard now and has removed himself to the sunny climes of Arizona and hangs out with Dave Good.
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64-13948 is another B/C hybrid and saw many a stiff fight and still carries the scars proudly.
948 got her break in Hollywood and hit the big time on the silver screen. You’ll find her doing a semi-nude scene early on in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sci-fi thriller Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Movie Clips.Com photo
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To get away from her adoring fans, she has hid herself away in the wilds near Chetek, WI and is now “a pair” with Ken Eward. Ken is restoring her back to her glory days and could use all the help he can get. A few of us have made the trip to his farm to visit our old flame.
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