Article

2007-03-06 Africa Horn

ABOARD USS BATAAN (March 5, 2007) Six U.S. service members were safely rescued and evacuated to USS Bataan after their UH-1N Huey helicopter crashed near Manda Bay, Kenya, during a scheduled training exercise with Kenyan armed forces. Two of the crew members from the helicopter were treated for non-life threatening injuries by medical personnel aboard the Bataan.

The aircraft, from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 264 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, was participating in Exercise Edged Mallet, a bilateral military training exercise with the Kenyan military. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
But Somalia's just a rocket throw away, so enemy action cannot yet be ruled out.

Posted by Glenmore 2007-03-06 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11145 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "UH-1N Huey"

Good lord, I know those were great helicopters, but someone give the USMC more money plz.

Posted by Anon4021 2007-03-06 11:32|| 2007-03-06 11:32|| Front Page Top

#2 Exercise Edged Mallet

Okay, I'm having a hard time even imagining what an edged mallet might look like. Isn't a mallet kind of blunt? This is like saying "Operation Sharp Hammer" or something.

Posted by WhitecollarRedneck 2007-03-06 11:58|| 2007-03-06 11:58|| Front Page Top

#3 You never want to look too closely at the bailing wire, duct tape and chewing gum repairs to any of the equipment. It'll make you nervous.

Of course, the USAF gear we stole was in perfect condition until we beat it up after painting it green. Sorry 'bout that Mike. ;)

Bless the crews.

Posted by GORT 2007-03-06 12:05|| 2007-03-06 12:05|| Front Page Top

#4 Deliveries of the current version, the HH/UH-1N, began in 1971. The last, and newest, UH-1N was delivered in January 1979. Both the Navy HH-1N fleet and the Marine Corps UH-1N fleet are scheduled to start being replaced by the UH-1Y in March 2008. The UH-1N could be in the fleet until 2014 when the last UH-1Y is delivered.

UH-1N Iroquois are fielded in Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadrons, or HMLAs, along with the AH-1W Super Cobras. Detachments from the HMLAs are deployed as part of Marine Expeditionary Units to support ship-based amphibious exercises and operations.

Posted by Steve 2007-03-06 13:12|| 2007-03-06 13:12|| Front Page Top

#5 Heh, my ole Dad sez the Army used to leave out ~~garbage~~ stuff beyond the wire figuring the Marines would steal it.

Posted by Shipman 2007-03-06 13:23|| 2007-03-06 13:23|| Front Page Top

#6 The last B-52 was manufactured in 1960. Most of the crew is younger than the aircraft, yet they still do a booming good job. They can't last much longer, though...

I agree, the Marines need a replacement for their Hueys. The Army here in Colorado Springs (and up in Denver, at Buckley ANG Base) still have Hueys.

I never like to fly on aircraft older than I am, but since I'm only slightly younger than dirt, that's not normally a problem.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2007-03-06 13:51|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2007-03-06 13:51|| Front Page Top

#7 Most of the -1Y birds will be 'remanufactured' rather than new. there will be new drive trains and rotor systems as well as new avionics, but the majority of the airframe will be original. the tailboom willbe new however.

Posted by USN, Ret. 2007-03-06 14:25|| 2007-03-06 14:25|| Front Page Top

#8 I never like to fly on aircraft older than I am, but since I'm only slightly younger than dirt, that's not normally a problem.

OP,

Then you wouldn't have wanted to be with me a few Saturdays ago when the Collings Foundation sent a B24G and A B17 up to my local airport and for $425 you could hitch a ride as either upper turret gunner, waist gunner or nose gunner. Most folks who signed up were not skinny enough (notice I didn't use the F word) to crawl back to the tail gun on the 17. All the pilots and crew were in their 60's . Some fo the actual crews from WW2 were there. But I wouldn't want them taking me up any more than I like them driving down I95.

Posted by Jack is Back">Jack is Back 2007-03-06 14:31|| 2007-03-06 14:31|| Front Page Top

#9 Jack iz Back you in the SE? They were in Tallahassee last Thursday/Friday, B-17, B-24 and a Mitchell! Everything but a Superfortress.

Posted by Shipman 2007-03-06 16:53|| 2007-03-06 16:53|| Front Page Top

#10 A remanufactured Huey is a safe bird, since the vast majority of wear-damaged parts and members are replaced in the process. That is why the world helicopter market is depressed on civilian sales : so many UH-1s were retired in the 1990s and then were rebuilt/remanufactured, that the new models are not being put into major production due to the glut of UH-1s. Only major militaries like the US, GB, Japan, and Australia are doing large batch purchases of new model aircraft. Everyone else is buying rebuilt/remanufactured Hueys or the MiL helos from the Eastern Europeans/Russians.

Posted by Shieldwolf 2007-03-06 22:42|| 2007-03-06 22:42|| Front Page Top

#11 Shieldwolf: I never said that a 'reman' was any less safe than new; only wanted to clarify that we were not getting 'new.' I have worked an any numer of aircraft that were either 'remanned' or converted and yes they are just as safe as new since as you pointed out, all the worn bits either get replaced or overhauled.

Jack: Was that B24 called "The Dragon's Tail?" I got do do a walkaround and shot about eleventy seven rolls of film on it a few years back when she was at the EAA in Arlington, WA. A real pretty bird.

Posted by USN, ret. 2007-03-06 23:05|| 2007-03-06 23:05|| Front Page Top

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