Viet Nam Helicopter Display

[MIFlyer]

If any of y'all get to the Cape Canaveral area, be sure to drop by the museum at the south end of Sykes Creek Parkway on Merritt Island and look at the helicopters they have on display.

 

There is an AH-1 in USMC VT-1 markings and what I assume is a UH-1D in Army markings.

 

A Slick and a Snake - no Loaches on display, but a mile away the local Sherriff's Dept operates VN-Vet OH-58's, one of which they have kept in near-original markings, so we have that covered, too.

 

And yes, for you Heavy Equipment fans that's an M-41 on display as well.

[Charlie Flick]

Neat! What is the name of the Museum?

 

Charlie

[MIFlyer]

Neat! What is the name of the Museum?

 

Charlie

 

It is the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center and Park. More info at http://veteransmemorialcenter.org/park.html

 

It is in a very nice location on the water of Newfound Harbor just south of the Merritt Island Mall. You get there most easily by going east on 528 from I-95 and turning south on Banana River Dr, following it onto Sykes Creek Parkway until the road dead ends at the park. Recent good news is that a planned high rise condo development just to the west of the park fell through and the land was acquired to expand the parking lot. Also, a planned housing and marina development next to the park was cancelled when the firm owning the property went bankrupt and the land was acquired by the county to add to the park as well.

 

By the way, in addition to the choppers and M-41 they have what appears to be a 37MM antitank gun on display outside the main entrance and inside displays of various kinds.

[Charlie Flick]

Thanks for the info. I am going to have to stop in there next time I am in Brevard County. Looks very worthwhile.

 

Regards,

Charlie

[Cobrahistorian]

If I remember correctly, the Cobra is painted in the colors it wore in Vietnam before being returned to Army service. It flew with HML-367 "Scarface" (VT-1 is its Modex number) as a leased AH-1G and was then returned to the Army when -367 received its first AH-1Js. It was then modded to AH-1F standard, which only flew for the Army. There were only 39 AH-1Gs leased to the Marines during Vietnam, so this'd be a pretty rare bird. Somewhere, I have all 39 tail numbers listed, so I'll have to see what I can find...

 

Jon