Don't you wish inanimate objects could talk? Remember when, as a kid, we used to talk to non humans and gain a lot of experience? Take our Huey Helicopter for example. Several Veterans of the South East Asia Wars stand next to it with just a hand resting on the fuselage, tears in their eyes, remarking, like the transport driver that brought the ship to us, "Old Friend, I knew when I heard your sound coming through the jungle sky, even before I could see you, that you were bringing supplies, reinforcements, or just maybe you were going to take me home."
It would be no surprise if our Huey, standing so majestically on its new concrete pad, instead of a Viet Nam swamp, would reply, "We've been through a lot together to secure the cause of democracy." If only our Huey could talk.
We believe that in 1963 it shipped out from the Iroquois/Bell Manufacturing Plant to South East Asia where it served the U.S. Army as a transport/cargo ship. Who knows how many lives were touched by its mission. After its tour in Nam it was returned to the U.S., where the doors were painted orange, indicating that it became a trainer. It came to us from the U.S. Army Aviation Warfighting Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama.
It has worked hard for the cause and now rests so fitly and dignified at our museum. The truck driver said he was the envy of I-65 bringing it to us and it was certainly impressive with the police escort into town and later the main attraction as we paraded it up the main street of Mentone.
We are so grateful to all who helped with its arrival, from the many phone calls and letters to D.C. and Ft. Rucker to the crane operator at the Fort, who was so apologetic when the crane broke down and shattered a window, to the trucking firm that called us with progress reports every few hours and handled that 2 1/2 ton cargo like it was a fragile Mentone Egg.
Then there are the Popular Rotorcraft Association officers who allowed us to store this magnificent machine at Mentone Airport while we reassembled it, to our crane operator and local men and women who worked so hard to clean the bird, prepare the concrete pad and install the fencing.
And, we appreciate the tons of free advise from the Army Museum, the Air National Guard, the Army Reserve, our own Veteran Mechanics, and the Bell Factory.
So now the big 'copter rests in Mentone where its creation was once just a dream in they eye of a barefoot kid. Larry Bell, you can be very proud of your accomplishment. You and your machine have earned honor and rest. You are home.
Come by, touch, hanger fly, and have a conversation with our Huey. Let it tell you about its experiences.
Copyright © 1997-2006 Lawrence D. Bell Aircraft Museum, Inc.