The Huey Challenge
This is a list of all the US Navy's TH-1Ls built (45). (Bell 204 with the 540 rotorhead). These were used for advanced training at NAS Ellyson Field and NAS Whiting Field in the 70s/and early 80s. Of the survivors most went to AMARC in the early 1980s and many were released to the civilian market, schools, and museums.
The challenge is to "find" a photo of each of these 45 TH-1Ls in either it's original Navy paint or in civilian paint. There is no Ultimate purpose, just to see what the power of the internet can do.
Here is what I have been able to do: I'll tell you from searching, that it isn't an easy task. I've tried.
1. Joe Baugher's Serial Number Website:
http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/
a. Joe lists 157806-157850. These are good numbers.
b. Joe has listed 157859-157903 as a second serial of TH-1Ls also. I find no evidence of those ever existing.
2. I personally have flown 41 of the 45 Row in yellow). The ones I missed were either assigned elsewhere or written off in earlier accidents.
3. I won't post photos from Airliner.net but I'll link to their site. I've found a few.
4. I've found a few TH-1Ls at NAF China Lake (Targets) and I will link to their site:
http://www.chinalakealumni.org/index.htm
5. I've searched the FAA registry and found several registered and deregistered TH-1Ls. Searched the NTSB and found the Civilian USA accidents.
6. Note that all TH-1Ls served in the red and white paint jobs. But not all red and white paint jobs are TH-1L's. HT-18 was the primary squadron flying these aircraft. At times the squadron had over 70 aircraft in it, well over the maximum number of TH-1Ls. After Vietnam wound down, all the surviving Navy UH-1Ls (157851-157858) migrated to Whiting Field. As the Marine Corps traded in their UH-1Es for the UH-1Ns, the "best" of those "E's" migrated to Whiting. Once they got painted in their training garb, it is very hard to differentiate between the models except for the Bureau Number. I can't prove it yet, but I believe that originally the side numbers, started with 136 and went to 180. With the additions of the UH-1Ls and the UH-1E I believe that this numbering system got interfered with.
7. The problem with this challenge are the years gone by. It's going to take someone with a shoebox of photos.
8. I've found 14 registered by FAA, 5 appear to have crashed, some numerous times. A series of FAA "AD"s were issued on the aircraft requiring costly fixes so their numbers appear to have dwindled in the civilian world.
9. Rotospot: World rotorcraft registration: A cursory look found 1 in Portugal.
http://www.geocities.com/rotorspot/index.htm
10. I'll begin adding the photos that I have. Sorry to say I was more busy flying then, than taking photos.
Here is a photo of my spreadsheet on the TH-1L History. Forum doesnt like spreadsheets. I'll post the links from the sheet shortly.
157847
All of 157847
157839
157812 (this is one I never flew, but found a photo)
157831 CS-HBV Portugal
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e49/c ... CS-HBV.jpg
The only way to solve this is by people who have laid eyes on these birds around the country. I've already found out that Ventura County has deregistered thiers in favor of Bell 205s.
Thanks for looking and for any insight you might have.
Regards
Steve
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