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UH-1H instrument panel + "Jesus Nut"


viking73
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Hello Group,

 

My name is Derek and I have a problem - I bought another instrument panel today.  This is from a UH-1H Huey!  Also included was a Huey "Jesus nut" which I think is really cool!

 

Here's some photos:

 

uKj8P9B.jpg

 

ibxc1Du.jpg

 

6sEiBMF.jpg

 

 

 

Now the radio call placard is intact which is great but I'm a little stumped.  Would this be a 1971 contact Huey?  I don't see any 71-7081 s/n though.  All the 1971 machines start with -20XXX. So what would it be?? 

 

 

 

wuCZ0RD.jpg

 

 

 

Thanks for looking!!

 

-Derek

 

 

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Turns out this is the main panel from UH-1D 66-17081.  Seems it was upgraded to H and then V standards before it was retired.  It also served in Mexico and then with the U.S. State Department.  Need to do some more digging to see if she was a Vietnam vet also...

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Really neat project you have there. I would be surprised if that airframe didn’t see service in Vietnam. 
 

The “0” at the beginning of the call sign is strange. Is that possibly when the USAF was using the “0” prefix to identify older airframes?? Seems unlikely. 

 

Looks like a lot of fun. Keep us updated. 
 

Chris

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11 hours ago, hink441 said:

Really neat project you have there. I would be surprised if that airframe didn’t see service in Vietnam. 
 

The “0” at the beginning of the call sign is strange. Is that possibly when the USAF was using the “0” prefix to identify older airframes?? Seems unlikely. 

 

Looks like a lot of fun. Keep us updated. 
 

Chris

 

Thanks Chris!  It will be another fun one I'm sure :)

 

The "0" before the s/n is the same as the USAF - it means that the airframe is over 10 years old.

 

-Derek

 

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I was going to say it seems modified a little bit compared to a standard Army panel so the Mexico and US State Dept stuff explains thats.   Also could tell it had been updated over the years for NVG stuff with the panel going from gray to black.  My father always hates seeing Hueys after his time with the black paint in the cockpit, he loved his gray interior.

 

Are you going to fill this one out?  Huey instruments seem to be pretty pricey these days.

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9 hours ago, mohawkALSE said:

I was going to say it seems modified a little bit compared to a standard Army panel so the Mexico and US State Dept stuff explains thats.   Also could tell it had been updated over the years for NVG stuff with the panel going from gray to black.  My father always hates seeing Hueys after his time with the black paint in the cockpit, he loved his gray interior.

 

Are you going to fill this one out?  Huey instruments seem to be pretty pricey these days.

 

 

Can you tell what items have been modified from standard US Army configuration?  I'd love to turn in back to stock US Army.  Yes, it has been painted black to go with the NVG use which is sort of a bummer but I was glad to get one with the radio call so I would know what bird it came out of.

 

I am going to try and fill all the holes up.  Haven't priced any instruments yet, I'm hoping to get some from the place I got this panel :)  I'll shoot you an e-mail with me details T.

 

-Derek

 

 

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Must have spent time in the Iowa judging by the radio frequencies on the bottom, DSM is Des Moines, ALO is Waterloo, CID is Cedar Rapids, and SUX is Sioux City. 

Here's the panel of the last Huey I flew in;

72556C02-BBB0-469E-B2A7-1DC2A93419DE.jpeg

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The Rooster

I remember from my time on Hueys back in the day, why they called it the Jesus nut...

If it ever broke in the air, everyone in the aircraft was going to meet Jesus.

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13 hours ago, MattS said:

Must have spent time in the Iowa judging by the radio frequencies on the bottom, DSM is Des Moines, ALO is Waterloo, CID is Cedar Rapids, and SUX is Sioux City. 

Here's the panel of the last Huey I flew in;

72556C02-BBB0-469E-B2A7-1DC2A93419DE.jpeg

Im gonna say that is a recent restoration that gives rides?  They painted the panel back to the Vietnam era gray yet it still has the NVG lights on the glare shield and the goose neck like at the center console.   If that was an original Nam panel it would have the big Go , No-Go decal with arrow at the bottom left on it too in that big blank spot to the right.

 

I'll have to go through the pics I have from my father and some of the other guys he flew with, def have some UH-1 panel pics from 69-70 time frame.

 

Derek got your email, I'll respond back soon, have had alot on my plate last couple days.

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5 hours ago, mohawkALSE said:

Im gonna say that is a recent restoration that gives rides?  They painted the panel back to the Vietnam era gray yet it still has the NVG lights on the glare shield and the goose neck like at the center console.   If that was an original Nam panel it would have the big Go , No-Go decal with arrow at the bottom left on it too in that big blank spot to the right.

 

It was, the group is based in Indiana. I was in Army aviation during the "black panel NVG" era, I know of what you speak. 

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36 minutes ago, MattS said:

 

It was, the group is based in Indiana. I was in Army aviation during the "black panel NVG" era, I know of what you speak. 

Its funny seeing it gray with the NVG lighting.   Id like to check that place out sometime, take my father for a ride.  Tried to get one a couple years ago from the AAHF Huey that was up in Port Clinton, OH but they only had 1 seat open and he wanted me to go with him.  He didn't need a ride alone on a Huey since he flew them, wanted it to be special with me along too.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 year later...

Hi Group -

 

This thread is a bit old now but I wanted to show you my progress on the Huey panel I posted last year.  

 

Huey instruments can be pricy, that's for sure.  Also, the small brackets that attach the eyebrow light are almost impossible to find - as are the little blue lights themselves!  Luckily for me, another collector was kind enough to send me a CAD file of the brackets and my machine shop owner friend was able to make some for me! 

 

I was also able to pick up a wet compass bracket, for some reason I cut it off in the picture of my panel.

 

Here are some close ups with the brackets installed.

 

 

IMG_4358-CROP.jpg

IMG_3851-CROP.jpg

IMG_4360-CROP.jpg

IMG_4362-CROP.jpg

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Here's an overall shot.  I do have another vertical speed indicator, it's just not installed in this photo.

 

I am waiting to get the larger brackets from my machine shop friend, hopefully he'll have them for me soon!

 

 

 

 

IMG_4364-CROP.jpg

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And finally, these are the little blue lights that are hard to find.  If you have any for sale, please PM me!!

 

I'm also after 3 of these oil pressure gauges if anyone has any for sale :)

 

Thanks for looking.
 

-Derek

IMG_3885-CROP.jpg

IMG_3890-CROP.jpg

IMG_E4169.JPG

IMG_E4170.JPG

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  • 3 months later...

Hi Group - 

 

My Huey panel is nearing completion.  I have all the instruments and have found all the warning lights and blue NVG covers for them.  I'm getting the last bits cleaned up and they will be installed soon.  I even managed to score a glare shield for it!

 

Once everything is complete, I will post here again.

 

*RIP mohawkALSE (Tom)...*

 

-Derek

 

 

 

 

IMG_4916-CROPPED.jpg

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As I remember the TORQUE on the large JESUS NUT was like 580 FT LBS and not easy to do
on top of the Helicopter with a very long LARGE torque wrench , I would have to nearly hang
of the edge to get out far enough to leverage 580 Ft lbs of torque :)

There is also a smaller side Nut that fits into a few of those edge groves and finally
safety wired, and like the name if it comes off you meet JESUS

You can land without a tail rotor or even a loss of power but without
the main rotor you are ******

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snake36bravo

That's impressive. UH-1H 66-17081 flew for the US State Department during drug operations in Columbia. 

 

0-17081 (MSN 9275) converted to UH-1H.

To Mexico 1996/7 under Excess Defense Articles Program but grounded Mar 1998.

To US State Department (International Narcotics and Law Enforcement) as N349SD Feb 8, 2008.

Registran N349SD cancelled Nov 8, 2013

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7 hours ago, snake36bravo said:

That's impressive. UH-1H 66-17081 flew for the US State Department during drug operations in Columbia. 

 

0-17081 (MSN 9275) converted to UH-1H.

To Mexico 1996/7 under Excess Defense Articles Program but grounded Mar 1998.

To US State Department (International Narcotics and Law Enforcement) as N349SD Feb 8, 2008.

Registran N349SD cancelled Nov 8, 2013

 

Thanks snake, glad you like it!  It's been a real labor of love as they say. 

 

No info/evidence on 66-17081 being a Vietnam Veteran?

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UH-1D 66-17081 flew in Vietnam with the 116th Assault Helicopter Company from July 1968 to March 1969. Aircraft was assigned stateside prior to be shipped overseas.

 

IH

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Group -

 

Well I am calling this one done (sort of) for now.  All the instruments and lights are in place.  I'm going to install the glare shield at some point, I am still collecting the proper hardware to attach it.  It needs a good cleaning anyway before I secure it to the panel.  I also need to figure out some sort of stand I think...

 

Here is how it looks now:

 

  

IMG_5321-CROP.jpg

 

 

 

Here is the glare shield just sitting loose:

 

IMG_5325-CROP.jpg

 

 

 

And a close-up, all the light are in place as you can see:

IMG_5326-CROP.jpg

 

 

Thanks for looking, this was a fun build!!

 

-Derek

 

 

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