Indeed, helicopters remain a key component for security in the active Minuteman missile fields around Minot. And it could also bring a contingent of armed security forces quickly to any missile site. It could perform search and rescue operations. While a lot-and I mean a lot-of driving was performed to and from the 15 Launch Control Facility sites in the Grand Forks missile field (a geographical area equivalent in size to New Jersey), a helicopter offered critical benefits. The helicopter mission was an important part of a missile field’s operations during the Cold War. A month prior to starting the job I’d been a groundskeeper in Nebraska. I nodded, wondering how that would even be possible. “Oh, and try to get a helicopter,” she added almost offhandedly. All 4 ea Standard Aircraft come with composite main rotor blades, new Van Horn Tail Rotor Blades, and all major components have mid-time life or better remaining.As I settled into my role as the site supervisor for the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site in fall 2017, my site manager provided an orientation and demonstrated the necessities of maintaining our “Little Missile House on the Prairie,” the former Oscar-Zero Missile Alert Facility. The airframe is unique as the Germans eliminated almost all honeycomb panels on the fuselage and replaced them with aluminum panels which helped fixed the delamination problems and made the fuselage sturdier. All the rotable parts (blades, heads, gearboxes, etc.) are OEM Bell Parts. This aircraft is actually built closer to a Commercial 205. The "D" in UH-1D stands for Deutsche/Dornier and is not related to the older model UH-1D.
Just a little history, these UH-1's were built under Bell Helicopter license by Dornier (Germany) for the German Armed Forces. These aircraft can only be used as Public use, Experimental, or Foreign Military and/or Foreign use (outside the U.S.). All 4 Super Delta helicopters come with composite main rotor blades, new Van Horn Tail Rotor Blades, and all major components have mid-time life or better remaining. The aircraft were partially dismantled for shipping from New Zealand to the USA, but have otherwise been preserved in controlled storage as they were at time of service retirement.Īlong with the aircraft, a large inventory of parts, aircraft and engine tooling, test equipment, ground handling equipment, and mission equipment were also acquired from the RNZAF.Įmail: a little history, these UH-1's were built under Bell Helicopter license by Dornier (Germany) for the German Armed Forces. The tailbooms were also modified with strake kits and Helipro Fin Spar Mod. These aircraft have several upgrades incorporated, including the 212 Main Transmission (P/N: 212-040-001-39) and 42-DEG Gearbox (P/N: 212-040-003-23). Parts aircraft at time of RNZAF retirement are: Operational aircraft at time of RNZAF retirement are: aircraft were being utilized as parts aircraft to support the operational aircraft. of the aircraft were in operational condition and 4 ea. At the time of retirement from service, 6 ea. This fleet of 10 each UH-1D/H helicopters were operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) for almost 50-years as part of RNZAF 3 Squadron.