Official FAAO Aircraft Restoration Thread

[L-4Pilot]

The Friends of Army Aviation (FAAO) will be posting news, photos and progress related to the restoration and return to flying status of several rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft. FAAO currently is working to return UH-1 serial # 123 and T-41B 67-15000 to flying status. We are also working on the acquisition of a T-42 in very nice condition that will only require avionics updates. The T-42 should be in our hangar on the Ozark Airport by December Our O-1 will be getting new paint and military equipment.

We expect the UH-1 to be flying early Spring of 2017 but the T-41B serial # 000 (first T-41B) will take several years.

For many years FAAO worked as a support group to Atlanta based AAHF which is also a fine organization that operates both rotary wing and fixed wing Army aircraft. This past year FAAO became a 501(C) 3 organization with it's own officers and Board of Directors.

Home location is 71J Blackwell Field, Ozark, Al. in the heart of Army Aviation near Ft. Rucker.

http://www.friendsofarmyaviationozark.org/

Photos to follow

Last edited by L-4Pilot on Tue Nov 15, 2016 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[L-4Pilot]

UH1 Serial # 123

The progress on completing the tail boom is moving swiftly, the internal components have been installed, next will be the 90 and 42 degree gear boxes and drive shafts. This component should be complete by months end. The main fuselage is almost ready to come off the jacks and needed components installed. We have an engine man coming from Oregon who will complete the hot end inspection on two of the three engines we have. We anticipate having two serviceable engines when he is completed. This should be complete by the first week in Dec.

[L-4Pilot]

T-41B 67-15000 the first T-41B delivered to the US Army in 1966.

A week after 000 was acquired and moved to our hanger a severe storm struck the airport and destroyed several other aircraft that had been parked outside at the tech school next to 000, talk about Divine Intervention.

000 has had a rough life and will take a substantial amount of work and money to return to flying status, currently the aircraft is being disassembled, cleaned, parts sorted and inventoried and scope of work being developed. Any and all donations to help save and restore this aircraft to flying status will be much appreciated.

Last edited by L-4Pilot on Tue Nov 15, 2016 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[L-4Pilot]

Our O-1


Aircraft is in excellent mechanical condition but needs paint and military radios, antennas and armament. Plans are to refinish the aircraft in overall lusterless Olive Drab with Vietnam combat markings and insignia. Flat black United States Army stencil on side of aircraft with no star and bar.

[DH82EH]

Interesting projects.

Thanks for posting. I'll look forward to updates.

Andy

[L-4Pilot]

Interesting projects.
Thanks for posting. I'll look forward to updates.
Andy

Thanks Andy, it is a pretty exciting time for us.

This is the subdued OD scheme we will be putting on the O-1 but with different unit markings. This is the last O-1 I did a few years ago.

[Fouga23]

Awesome thread! Looking forward to seeing updates

[L-4Pilot]

I managed to get a 35mm slide adapter for my computer and while it is not the best it provided a little better photo of 67-15000 which we will begin working on in earnest next year. I hope you enjoy this Cessna Factory slide/photo from my collection.

[JohnB]

Good luck with your projects.

Just for clarification, is this group the same one that had flying examples of most 50s-60s Army ac (Caribou, H-13, etc) but sold some?

There was a T-42 at the Wright-Patterson base aero club in the 90s, it had civil paint and interior by then.

[L-4Pilot]

Good luck with your projects.
Just for clarification, is this group the same one that had flying examples of most 50s-60s Army ac (Caribou, H-13, etc) but sold some?

There was a T-42 at the Wright-Patterson base aero club in the 90s, it had civil paint and interior by then.

No John, FAAO is a new 501 (C) 13 with their own board and officers. For the past 15 years or so we served as a support group to the AAHF, Army Aviation Heritage Foundation. We no longer have any ties to that organization. The AAHF out of Atlanta does good work and we are proud of our contribution to their efforts over the years, we just thought it was time to go on our own.

We have our own hangar, tools and personnel which were used to support AAHF over the years. We are well positioned at Ozark in the heart of Army aviation near Ft. Rucker.

[L-4Pilot]

UH-1 71-20123
More progress on the new tail boom.. hanger bearings, 42 & 90 degree boxes and tail rotor drive shafts are in place....

[L-4Pilot]

71-20123

[L-4Pilot]

Some badly needed parts (only a few shown) have been donated for 67-15000, the original panel had been removed at the tech school along with most of the original instruments. This donation of engine instruments and other misc. parts removed from another T-41B that was upgraded will help immensely in getting 000 back in the air. We have a long an arduous task ahead of us but with Friends like Mack who give so generously this historic aircraft will indeed fly again.

[L-4Pilot]

67-15000 is being relocated to Calhoun County Airport, F95 this month and restoration work will begin Feb 1st, 2017. WE have six team members located on F95 that will work on the restoration and we are looking for additional members and donations to help save this historic aircraft and return her to the sky. We welcome new members of all skill levels and appreciate any and all donations.

We will post photos of the relocation by truck and weekly progress updates, and by the time she is completed we will have several of our qualified member pilots checked out in our other T-41B 67-15084 and ready to fly her..

[lucky52]

Do you know if they are going to paint the interior back to grey?