Helicopter pilots using the shot-up aluminum/steel blades of UH-1Ds, with their enormous 24-foot length and 21-inch chord, as an impromptu mess table. Bong Son valley, Vietnam. 1966 or '7
Posted by RoutineTraditional79@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 42 comments
Image taken by Robert Mason, author of Chickenhawk. Can be found on his website, robertcmason.com
has_left_the_gam3@reddit
Hah I have read that book until the covers fell off and couple pages might be missing. Hope he is doing alright these days. Shame he didn't get the Distinguished Flying Cross. Bunch of them boys sure as hell earned em.
SouthTexasBoy64@reddit
Did you read his second book, "Chickenhawk: Back in the World?" It was a great book as well.
Dry-Marketing-6798@reddit
Yep I still have my 80's edition. I read it as a young teen, and ended up joining Army Aviation later in life (UK)
RoutineTraditional79@reddit (OP)
Not even done yet, but I was so intrigued I had to read into the fellow, at which point I stumbled across the website.
So far, it might be a favourite of mine. As a current student pilot, I found the first chapter, about his time at flight school, incredibly interesting. I'll certainly be buying a copy for all of the heli guys in my life.
newportl2@reddit
6 or 7? Sneaky.
freshjimmyj@reddit
I’m way too old to hunt for this in the comments
Andyaintme@reddit
I’ll allow it😂
OppositeStudy2846@reddit
Audio book also available: https://open.spotify.com/show/2qPmKfcGfhJ8SGjAOhsqqz
karateninjazombie@reddit
"This is not available in your region"
What's the title of the book you're linking to please?
OppositeStudy2846@reddit
The same as the op post: Chickenhawk, by Robert Mason.
karateninjazombie@reddit
Thank you. I missed that nugget in the bottom text 🤦
OppositeStudy2846@reddit
No problem. ;)
OppositeStudy2846@reddit
The same as the op post: Chickenhawk, by Robert Mason.
bandiplia@reddit
That's a clever shot—props to your dad for the steady hand!
RoutineTraditional79@reddit (OP)
?
bandiplia@reddit
Aww, thanks cutie! 😘
Reaper-fromabove@reddit
Saw this a lot while flying around central and South America. They’d use helo blades for benches.
karateninjazombie@reddit
It ain't stupid if it works, and if 3 of you sit heavily on one end. You can send chad on the other end flying!
KoalaRashCream@reddit
Zero steel inside a UH-1 blade. All magnesium and aluminum
RoutineTraditional79@reddit (OP)
It seems you're correct, my apologies!
He mentions metal ballast in the tips of the blades, but never mentions the material. I suppose I Mandela-effected myself into thinking he mentioned steel.
Do you know what they might be made of?
KoalaRashCream@reddit
Balancing of UH-1 blades is done by shops and they do use shot but I’m not sure if it’s steel or lead… in any case the blade is made from aluminum honeycomb with magnesium and titanium. Typical helicopter blades
ElbeauxBagginz@reddit
The weights are lead, have balanced em.
-Badger3-@reddit
Is it pretty much like balancing a tire?
ElbeauxBagginz@reddit
A bit more involved. Balancing rotor blades is where I got started back in 08’ for BHT. I have since moved on, but still all blade related. Very small field, but pretty fun.
noblebyrdpenguin@reddit
Blades aren’t completely flat though. Wouldn’t that make plates or cups vulnerable to getting knocked over?
High_AspectRatio@reddit
That's a great point. We should stop making tables out of helicopter blades
FearAndGonzo@reddit
There happens to be a picture of said plates and cups right here...
RoutineTraditional79@reddit (OP)
It seems a fairly shallow slope, and that they propped it up in such a way so as to minimize that. I'm sure a few degrees wouldn't make a tremendous difference.
cjmck123@reddit
I did a rotor change on a uh-1 in school. Those blades are heavy and sturdy, honestly perfect use for unserviceable blades out there.
-LaverdaRGS1000@reddit
Wouldn’t they get hot in the sun to sit on?
HermitageHermit@reddit
Not as hot as if some butter bar called in the wrong coordinates and dropped Napalm on their ass in the field. Probably not comfortable but definitely not the worst place to sit and eat in Vietnam at that time.
SiskiyouSavage@reddit
That escalated quickly.
aeroxan@reddit
This is why they don't normally make picnic tables from helicopter blades. Typically cheaper too.
Straittail_53@reddit
I bet that was hot as fuck to sit on.
snjcouple@reddit
Love that book.
Vintari89@reddit
Whoa, those massive blades look like they could chop through anythingwild engineering!
eChucker889@reddit
He also wrote a sequel in the 90’s- Chickenhawk: Back in the World.
e28Sean@reddit
I was going to say... "I recognize this from Chickenhawk!" Glad u/op gave proper credit.
diggn64@reddit
Hopefully no soup today
BRUNO358@reddit
Waste not, want not.
LateralThinkerer@reddit
Parts is parts - run whatcha brung.
ChainsawSnuggling@reddit
I have a tail rotor blade from a Vietnam era UH-1E. My dad acquired it at some point when he was a Marine.