Take Me Home Huey Lands in St. Louis to Honor Vietnam Veterans

By Mark Nankivil

A special traveling exhibit, Take Me Home Huey, has landed in downtown St. Louis near Soldiers' Memorial to begin a week-long stay in the Gateway City.  It did not actually fly in - it came on a flat bed truck - but it nonetheless made a conspicuous appearance.  What looks to be a complete Bell UH-1H Iroquois (s/n 67-17174), better known as the Vietnam-era helicopter workhorse nicknamed "Huey," is actually a unique piece of art.

 

Officially dubbed a mixed-media sculpture by its creator, Steve Maloney, it is in fact the aircraft mentioned above that was shot down in combat during the Vietnam War with the loss of two crew members while on a medical evacuation mission.  The aircraft was acquired from an Arizona scrap yard by Light Horse Legacy, a non-profit organization that restores helicopters for the combined purposes of educating the public about aviation and assisting veterans of all armed conflicts with recovery from the effects of PTSD.  Take Me Home Huey has been on tour since April, 2015, as a partnership between artist Steve Maloney and Light Horse Legacy, to raise awareness of the need for improved understanding and treatment of PTSD experienced by our veterans. 

The helicopter featured in Take Me Home Huey is painted to illustrate themes of the Vietnam War-era, starting of course with the "Huey" as the iconic symbol of the conflict.  Arranged on the helicopter roof are stuffed duffle bags and psychological operations speakers, while the rest of the fuselage and tail are covered with a wrap containing pop culture images and slogans in graffiti-art style that pervaded the 1960s-70s.  The intricate design must be seen up close to be appreciated, and the public is invited to visit the exhibit while it remains in downtown St. Louis through Sunday, October 9.  Here are some more views of Take Me Home Huey after it arrived yesterday:
      

Greenville Airport Hosts Grumman Avenger World War II Torpedo Bomber at Weekend Event

By Carmelo Turdo

The Greenville Pilots Association, based at Greenville, IL Municipal Airport, hosted their 50th Anniversary Fly-In/Cruise-In Sunday.  This community event has attracted unique aircraft, auto clubs and even farm equipment for display over the years for the enjoyment of the local residents of Greenville and surrounding areas.  The most unpredictable element of any aviation event, the weather, offered clouds and drizzle most the time across the Midwest and kept some of the expected aircraft from reaching the airport in time.  The star attraction, a Grumman Avenger World War II-era torpedo bomber, did arrive safely Saturday with pilot Brad Deckert and event coordinator Sherry Schaefer on board.  The Aero Experience was there for the Avenger's arrival, enjoying several fly-bys over the runway before the large, single-engine warbird trundled onto the apron and folded its wings for easier hangar storage later in the day. 

 

Brad Deckert, owner of an electrical contracting business in Eureka, IL, keeps his Avenger at Illinois Valley Airport in Peru, IL in part because located there is a hangar with a door tall enough to clear the aircraft's height.  The aircraft was delivered by the General Motors Eastern Aircraft Division to the U.S. Navy in March of 1945, and served with Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 234 aboard an escort aircraft carrier during the Okinawa campaign.  The aircraft served in various units until the mid 1950s, when it was acquired by civilian operators for fire fighting and spraying duties. Deckert acquired the aircraft in 2008, and has since done extensive restoration to make the aircraft not only airworthy, but well on it's way to being the most complete example of its type.  He feels that it merits top three honors so far.

 

It is a sobering thought that a one-time first-line combat aircraft, a torpedo bomber with three crew members that was once maintained and flown by operational military units, was on display for anyone who visited Greenville Municipal Airport Sunday.  Keeping these aircraft flying, let alone looking pristine, is a challenge.  "We figure about 25 hours of maintenance for each hour of flight," Deckert said.  "There is a core group of five and expands out to others that help to about a hundred."  He also said that he has a large cache of spare parts, but often his team makes the ones that are difficult to find elsewhere.  More on the Avenger can be seen from The Aero Experience coverage of the TBM Gathering at Illinois Valley Airport in Peru, IL.

 

The Aero Experience thanks the Greenville Pilots Association and Brad Deckert for their hospitality and for their efforts in preparing this community event.  Here are a few more views of Brad Deckert's Avenger.

 

Greenville, IL Airport Prepares for Fiftieth Anniversary Community Event

By Carmelo Turdo

The Greenville Pilots Association has prepared a great Midwest Aviation event for Sunday - the Fiftieth Anniversary Fly-In/Cruise-In at Greenville, IL Municipal Airport.  The annual event, also known as the Greenville Airstravaganza, provides an opportunity for the community to experience aviation up close.  The airport will host home-based and visiting aircraft on static display, including a World War II-era Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber flown in from Peru, IL by owner Brad Deckert.  Visitors may purchase rides in a variety of aircraft from the Piper Cub, Cessna 150/172 and Robinson helicopter to a 1941 Waco, T-6 Texan and the Avenger.  Prize drawings and food will also be available.  Here are some scenes from today's preparations.