More photos from Oshkosh

A few more photos from AirVenture (Oshkosh 2011).

First one is the award that Seawolf 324 won.

The Judges' Choice - Helicopter award.

Next is a photo of the crew of three that prepared, cleaned, flew and crewed the helicopter for two weeks.

Left to right, Ray Reinders (Marine Vietnam Vet, weapons expert, manufacturer, and good co-pilot).

Larry Clark, (Army Vietnam Vet, pilot), and Scott Curtis (Army - post Vietnam Huey crew chief) OAS lead mechanic and Seawolf 324 mechanical expert.

Another great air-to-air photo of Seawolf 324 shot by the EAA photographers.

Photos from Bill Gius

Bill Gius, EAA Warbirds Co-Chairman, sent some of his photos of Seawolf 324 taken during the AirVenture show in Oshkosh, WI.  We parked the Huey on his lawn for a BBQ dinner party one evening.  Some great photos taken late in the afternoon, and at sunset.

Seawolf 324 back home.

Here is a photo of Seawolf 324, a UH-1B, back in the hangar at Show Low airport (KSOW) with all the other UH-1H Restricted Category "Super Huey" fleet.  Guns and rocket pods were removed and packed inside for the flight back from Oshkosh.

Some more photos from Oshkosh.

Air-To-Air photos shot by EAA from a Cessna 210 over water.  More to come later from EAA.

Instrument panel photo on the flight home.

Show center, on the 500 ft. line from the crowd during the afternoon Warbird show.  M-16 barrel in photo.  Gun hanging on back of pilot armored seat.  Rocket sight is down, in front of pilot.  Flex sight for mini-gun is stowed up on left side.

Lift off from the Warbird display area.  Leaving to go fly in the afternoon air show.  The OH-6 was the only other warbird helicopter at Oshkosh this year.

Left to right,  John Boucher (owner of Seawolf), Larry Clark (pilot), Charlie Johnson (Seawolf), Mike Connelly (Seawolf), Gary Kratz (Seawolf) and Scott Curtis (Seawolf crew chief).

Oshkosh Report

Flying in the big afternoon Warbirds airshow.

 Bill "Charlie" Johnson and Mike Connley are all smiles after a low level gun run in the marsh grass along a lake near Oshkosh.

 Charlie Johnson signs the nose door of 324 with Mike Connley looking on.

Mike Connley speaks to the crowd around Seawolf 324.  This is typical of the crowds around the helicopter everyday, all day, when it was on display.  People were forced to move back behind the lines when the airshow started each afternoon so we could start up and fly from our parking spot.

Seawolf 324 at night.

This photo was shot at 10:00 pm in total darkness.  The camera lens was open for several minutes while the photographer walked around the helicopter with a flashlight "painting" the various parts with light.  A strobe light was set off inside the cabin.  Very special !!!

Oshkosh - AirVenture Update

Cleaning up the helicopter for the judges.

Ray on top cleaning the rotor head.

One of the air-to-air photos shot by EAA.

The Seawolf helicopter has been a big hit here at the show.  A large crowd is always around the aircraft everyday.  Many Vietnam vets, telling war stories, talking to each other and taking photos.  Several Seawolf vets have signed the inside of the nose door.  Charlie Johnson and Mike Connley will fly in the airshow as door gunners tomorrow.

We were judged yesterday by the Warbirds group who were very excited about this aircraft.  The judges left and brought back their boss to see the helicopter.  Then an hour later another group of judges arrived and told us they were instructed to come see Seawolf.  Awards will be announced Saturday night.

We have flown one air-to-air photo shoot, with another planned for Friday.  A big article is being written for Sport Aviation magazine.  We were on the cover of the show daily paper Tuesday with a nice article in the Monday paper about the helicopter and the "Brown Water" Navy.

Watch for another photo to be posted today.

Oshkosh EAA AirVenture 2001

We're here . . .

All cleaned up and on display at Oshkosh!

Madison, WI today...Oshkosh tomorrow

We have made the trip from Arizona to Madison, WI with no problems from the Seawolf 324 gunship.  We carried the rocket pods and guns inside to reduce drag and improve gas mileage.  Today we installed the guns and rockets and got the aircraft ready for the final 60 miles to Oshkosh tomorrow morning.

It was very hot and humid this afternoon.  Here are a couple of photos . . . more to come!  

Departure Day to Oshkosh AirVenture 2011

Leaving today for the 1100 nautical mile flight to Oshkosh.  Route of flight will take us to Taos and Raton, NM, Lamar, CO, McCook, Hastings and Freemont, NE then to Madison, WI where we will re-install the rocket pods and mini-gun.  The external weapons are being carried inside the cabin to reduce the drag.

Hope you will stop by and see the helicopter at AirVenture 2011.

Ready to leave for Oshkosh

Maintenance test flights are completed and the aircraft is running great and smooth.  Installing the armament items inside and exterior.  In the photo here you can see the empty rocket pods installed.  We have dummy rockets plus the door gun mounts, the dummy M60 and .50 cal guns, and a mini gun for the left side.

Hope to see you at EAA Air Venture 2011 (July 25 to 31).

Seawolf 324 will fly again....and go to Oshkosh AirVenture 2011

UPDATE

Seawolf 324 has been in storage since last July here in Show Low, AZ inside the Overseas Aircraft Support hangar.  The transmission was removed and overhauled.  Yes, they found several things wrong inside that caused us to abort our trip to Oshkosh last year.

This year we are putting it back together and doing routine maintenance and inspections.  We plan to fly it around the local area for about 10 hours to make sure everything is good to go.  Then we will put the Huey on a trailer and haul it to Wisconsin.  Jet A fuel is almost $6.00 a gallon average, with some airports as high as $8.80 a gallon.  Also flying the helicopter cross country puts hours on the components, especially the rotor blades which are becomming very hard to find.

We need a set of rocket pods and a mini gun, plus some other armament items.  If you know where we can buy any helicopter gunship items, please let us know.

At Oshkosh EAA AirVenture 2011 the show will devote one full day to the Centennial of Naval Aviation with many Navy warbirds, including Seawolf 324, flying and on public display.  This year the show is July 25 to July 31.

Below are some photos taken today showing the current status of Seawolf 324.