This OH-6 Has Been Grounded For Two Years! Plus a FLIR/Spotlight Tour
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- čas přidán 5. 05. 2024
- It's been almost two years since I last flew with the Harrison County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit, and their beautiful OH-6 has been grounded for the entire time. They need help finding a fuel cell (Part Number) 369A8102-5 to get it flying again. Plus Greg gives me a tour of the new FLIR/Spotlight system they recently installed on the OH-58.
- Věda a technologie
You had asked early in the video if the OH-6 had seen Vietnam service. Here's what I was able to find 😃:
"7817 assigned to 219th Reconnaissance Airplane Company Headhunters 1967-May 1968.
Assigned to Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment Ruthless Riders May 1968-Jul 1968.
Assigned to B Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment Ruthless Riders Aug 1968-Jun 1969
Combat damage May 9, 1969 South Vietnam by small arms fire and force landed. Later recovered and repaired.
Flying low level through Phan Rang Pass under orders from the flight leader and damaged when hit tree
with chin bubble Jun 26, 1969 in South Vietnam. Assigned to 604th Transportation Company (Aircraft Direct Support)
Jul 1969. Assigned to B Company, 123rd Aviation Battalion, 23rd Infantry Division Warlords May 1971-Dec 1971
Assigned to 245th Aviation Regiment. Registered N301SD to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, Gulfport,
Mississippi, Oct 5, 1993; current"
Wow!
Can you search 66-17817? It may be referred to that in some records.
66-17817 comes back to an aircraft destroyed by an RPG in 1968:
"17817 assigned to B Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment Ruthless Riders May 1968-Jun 1968
Assigned to Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment Ruthless Riders Jul 1968
Assigned to B Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment Ruthless Riders Aug 1968-Dec1968
Shot down Dec 30, 1968 in the area about half way between Bao Loc and Phan Thiet, South Vietnam by an RPG, crashed and destroyed."
I was an Army Huey crew chief 77-80. Fuel cell problems sucked. Hopefully they get that good looking helicopter back in the air.
My first thought was contact HeavyD, my second was Good luck!
I flew as an Aeroscout Observer for 6 years on Loach’s. The best bird out there. We called the OH-58 the ‘5.8 not quite a 6’. The OH-6 definitely performed so much better than the Kiowa. Miss those times,Scouts Out!!
Hartwig Aircraft Fuelcell Repair can also supply you with custom made bladders for old helicopters or new homebuilts in which the original cells are not available.
We can custom-build cells of any size and shape to your specifications
Sent them an email!
@@CWLemoine I hope they can make one for you. Will be much better than old stock from decades ago.
Check with the Spartanburg County (SC) Sheriff's Office. They just transitioned from an OH-6 to the OH-58D. Can't speak to their stock of spare parts but it may be worth a try. Also, you might want to try the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SC SLED).
"Turn down for what?!"
Now that song is in my head again.
Tell them Sheriff bros' to call Cleet. He resuscitated one that was..abandoned in Venezuela..an ex-Nicky Maduro bird, if you will, well, mebbe..and now being refurbed at Thoroughbred Aviation, Lexington, Kentucky
All they need to do is call Thoroughbred. One of their facilities may have one.
Wow, all those color changing lights on a police helicopter... With that, you COULD break up parties, or be the best part of a party!!!!
I was scheduled to fly a week before it was grounded. But weather prevented that flight 😤
The Loach is an old bird. Glad to see she could serve as long as she has.
500 has always been my favourite helicopter I ever flew. Like a Ferrari in the sky. Almost had one take me out when I was doing circuits in the 300 when doing my PPL. That wasn’t so fun lol.
I've been waiting for the Corsair F4u for 5 years. I have been diagnosed with brain lesions and a non-cancerous tumor, hope I live to be able to fly it
Maybe check with Hartwig Fuel Cell Repair out of Minneapolis?
Certainly hope to see this old vet brought back to life... So hope to see a new bladder worked out
Just a thought, you may have already tried this. But, have you reached out to any Army Guard or Res outfits to see if any parts (fuel cell) have been kicked into the corner of some storage depots - or shops? I was always amazed at what we could find at Tobyhanna, PA Army Guard supply dump. I was ANG back then ... but they didn't care.
Find out the NSN and stick it in a global look up. 👍
Veritable Aviation has one listed on their site, says its in stock, updated as of 05-05-2024. It's that part number with an NSN of 1560-00-943-0800. It says its for the OH6 and the cell is made by Agustawestland Inc. They also have others with that part number, some made by MD Helicopters as well. Also saying they are in stock. They list having over 1,600 in their stock and ready to ship.
I’ll try that!
Hey C.W., brought back some memories at the end of the video. I bought my wedding bands in 1992 at that Dillard's. Someone else already mentioned it, but they need to get with Thoroughbred Aviation Services in Lexington, KY.
I like how even the SxS at the hangar has "SHERIFF" written on it! But I guess I'd do that too, if for no other reason than its effectiveness as a theft deterrent. I'm guessing it's not meant to catch bad guys on the apron...
That was so cool, thanks.
AFR ENTERPRISES showing 1
DAVINCI aircraft showing 1 serviceable
VERITRUE COMPINENTS, showing 2 new
Wow. Cool stuff man. Wish I knew somebody to help with that bladder.
Contact Cleetus McFarland, he's currently restoring a SUPER sketchy 500 he bought in Venezuela, I think he's using a place called Thoroughbred aviation in Kentucky, they specialize in Hughes 500sn
Besides that, Cleetus is a warbird fan and owns a racetrack and just bought a grass-strip airport in Florida, east of Sarasota, 67FL. There’s a veteran A-4 pilot and former POW there. You might want to interview him.
You might have some common interests there. Might be a place to get your stock car racing kicks …in a more casual environment, perhaps. 👍
Hey I know that airport, I work inside the AOA as airfield ground maintenance I’ve seen that helicopter in the 900 hanger and wondered what was going on with it, always cool seeing the place you work and live on CZcams
nothin worse then see a beautiful bird grounded
Floats and Fuel Cells inc. of Memphis, TN does great work. Not sure it they've done an OH-6, but probably have done an MD-500. Might be Major alteration/repair time......
I called them. They could only repair it if it hadn’t been cracked. They can’t help unfortunately.
Periodic maint/slep...Missed it! To bad, the OH-6 is one bad girl. Take care of her and she will take care of you!, remember...you haul your fam. Dont piss her off! She has babies on-board.
You might want to also check with New Hanover, Columbus, and Brunswick Counties in NC. All have OH-58s in service and might be available to help, or at least vector you somewhere
Check out FUEL SAFE in Redmond Oregon. They do aviation and custom fuel bladders. You will need to give them the old tank for its dimensions and fittings.
Maybe reach out to Mike Patey, he might have some ideas?
Shame it's just sitting there.
For military surplus parts it’s usually better to use he NSN for better results. You also may want to call MD helicopters, there may be a “newer” PN equivalent they may have in stock
My FB rotor network has been engaged. I hope it leads to something.
I hope you guys can transition to another platform soon, FB being such an evil and criminal company...
Think I found my next band name, Epic Rotor Network.
Have them contact Brown Helicopter in Pensacola, FL. It is possible that they have a cell tucked away somewhere.
Go fly with Cleetus McFarland and Diesel Dave!
That would be awesome!
@@CWLemoine i asked one of the admins in Cleetus's facebook group about this video and im pretty sure you have a good chance of getting through there! Worth a shot at least. My comments seem to dissappear so i dont know whats going on with that.
The group has 170k members and a lot of them are helicopter guys i have seen so somebody oughta know someone!
Thank you!
@@CWLemoine Im sure you have already reached out to Thoroughbred Aviation?
Have you guys checked with thoroughbred aviation to see if they can track down that part for you guys?
As popular as the flying egg was back in the day, you'd think a fuel cell or fitting could easily be cannibalized off of a similar aircraft sitting in an aircraft graveyard somewhere. Davis Monthan or some place similar.🤔
Check Floats and Fuel cells, they should be able to build a new tank from the components.
They have the technology, now we just need tomcats
Have you checked the Defense Reutilization and Management Office DRMO?
If you could find the NSN of the bladder and get a friendly Air Force stores person to do a “global look up” of said NSN, it might throw up an option.
It maybe 1560-00-943-0800 (1560009430800). That part number comes back to that with a fuel cell for the OH6, and made by Agustawestland Inc.
Check with Thoroughbred Aviation
Next up, Mover flying a DCS helicopter in a real helicopter ( OH-58 can't be too far now, eh? ) - how powerful is that tablet? :p
Thanks for the tour! was wondering what was going on, you did a whole series of vids with them & then it all just went cold. That OH-6 has seen some things...
Missed opportunity to yell "Enhance", while testing the zoom.
I see they have a Trakka in da Choppa!
Contact Thoroughbred Aviation ❓
My former employer recently replaced 2 MD500Es with AB125s. One of the 500s has 9000hrs, the other 16000. The engines, oddly, are higher time. I got to fly in them occasionally, they were great helicopters - especially when new. Both are up on an auction page, we'll see what they bring.
I am not a pilot. Shall I assume the reason the fuel "tank" is a bladder is to allow it to expand and contract with altitude and temperature without leaking?
It’s self sealing for damage in combat.
@@CWLemoine Makes sense. Although, that feature seems to have failed if it's now leaking.
@@BlackEpyon They're self-healing in the sense that it will not rapidly pour out and lead to low fuel, but they still slowly weep where it was punctured.
I don't know, man. I've flown in them a handful of times - and it was phenomenal. But now that I've seen one up close and paid attention? Um - no more copters for me. (Looks like you could make a better one out of Legos and condoms😉😂.)
Mike Patey, bet he can build you one.
Teamviewer client on the helicopter's computer. Oh, god 😀 Hopefully this thing is so old there is no fly-by-wire or CAN-bus like stuff.
…amazing what you can do on a limitless budget…
Who has a limitless budget?
Lol. If they had a limitless budget they wouldn't be asking for our help.
i would literally just throw a drag car fuel cell in the back seat an be done with it lol
In all seriousness try and get in touch with Dave Sparks if anyone can find one it’s him or he will know someone I’m sure
Thoroughbred Aviation
What about thoroughbred aviation?
Boneyard in Tucson?
MD helicopters won't help?
usta work on downlink when microwave
now its all bonded cellular
Get some JBWeld, it’ll be fine…….
Get rid of of it and get a 500D or E
Too much going on, on the sticks. Left side select (stick to screen). Botton up/down/select.
I HATE touchscreen interfaces on cars, planes, helicopters, etc.
MD helicopter is a mess. They probably are headed toward a buy out by a Prime Defense Contractor.
Not the current company. Things have changed in the last couple years since they were bought out and new admin came in. Completely different company than what it was.
Get some billionaire to donate
Disliked that helicopter in gta 5 online. Annoying when enemies fly it to chase you
Maybe @HeavyDSparks can help?
@Cleetus2 McFarland
This was going to be my suggestion. 1000% he's got someone that will know.
Just made a comment regarding the Facebook group with 170k members. He is very active in that group and likely to see the post!
can't wait to see him finish his 500 resto-mod
@@oliverlarsen6768 Yeah, I'm not on facebook. Shared it to to the reddit group tho.
@@dave.of.the.forrest Conseula!!