AH1G Cobra Sill Flying

AH1G Cobra Sill Flying

INFORMATION REQUESTED AND FOUND -

The following request was posted on the Ban'shee website and in the Ban'shee Gazette newsletter.

COBRA photos are needed. Can you help?

Date : Tue, 12 Mar 2002 21:27:44 -0500

The Army Aviation Heritage Foundation (AAHF) is negotiating to buy an original AH-1G that served with B Troop in Vietnam circa 1968-70.

The tail number is: 67-15737

The AAHF is looking for pictures of AH-1G's that served with B Troop during that period so that they can restore it to it's original color, markings, and configuration.

Can you spread the word among your members that AAHF needs pictures?

AAHF is going to move very quickly in restoring the aircraft if they succed in getting it, so they'll need the photos ASAP.

For more information, contact:

Mike Brady Mike Brady, Chairman, Army Aviation Heritage Foundation
mbrady6721@aol.com

Bob Karig
A/2/17 Alumni Association

Look at what we found:

(As reported in the local newspaper)

Tilden Employee's Cobra Restored

(Editor's note: Steve Liubakka, a plant repairman at Tilden, spent a tour of duty in Vietnam from March 1969 to March 1970. Assigned to B Troop of the 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Liubakka served as crew chief on a Cobra helicopter piloted by Lt. Jay White. Imagine his surprise when that helicopter showed up in a recent edition of his divisions newsletter. Here is his story as first written for the newsletter of the Marquette County Chapter of the Vietnam Veteran's of America.)

I had just got home from work one day in May and was reading the 101st newsletter, The Ban'shee Gazette, when I came to page three, a seven line paragraph that said: Information requested. Cobra photos are needed. Can you help?

The Army Aviation Heritage foundation was looking for pictures of the Cobra with the serial #6715737 on the tail boom section. Doing the asking and then leaving his E-mail address was Major General Mike Brady, CEO of the foundation.

So with a smile, I asked my daughter Kara to E-mail Mike Brady saying that we have pictures of #737, and that her dad was the crew chief on this ship in Vietnam in 1969-1970. (I could have E-mailed Mike, but I type with an accent.)

Back to the Story:

After a couple of E-mails and scanned pictures that wouldn't open, I called Mike to let him know we would be sending him original pictures. He wanted pictures of serial numbers and any other markings as it was in Vietnam, especially the picture of the pilot and crew chief's name painted on the left side of the aircraft.

Making a long story short, Mike told me that #737 was shot down four times - I only know about two. I didn't know the next crew chief after me.

In June we got a packet from Mike Brady. Kara came running from the mailbox with it straight to Kelly saying "Guess what?" The return address said Mike and Carol Brady - They both laughed. What a bunch!

After a few minutes I got to open the package and it explained about the foundation and how they are restoring Army Aircraft to bring to air shows.

Mike wrote in part in the letter:

"I just received back today the enlargements of the pictures you sent me of #737 while you served in Vietnam. I must say the enlargements turned out very nice. They give the detail we need to duplicate the aircraft's appearance and markings it bore on it while you served as its crew chief. Your name will appear an the left side as the crew chief and Lt. White as the pilot. the same way shown in the picture."

"I truly thank you for your generosity, kindness and assistance. I can only imagine what a special feeling it must give you to know that your aircraft is the only remaining G model Cobra left flying in the world. We intend to keep it that way as a flying memorial to all of you that served with the Cobra in Vietnam."

Many of our organization's members also flew and served with the Cobra in Vietnam so it is an extremely special aircraft to us also. I encourage you to come to Atlanta some day to see #737 again. I am sure we can arrange a flight in her for you again."

I don't believe I will go to Atlanta, but I will go to Oshkosh in 2003, to see #737, the only G model Cobra that can fly, with the name Crew Chief Steve on it for the world to see-that's the exciting part. To me this incident put the word "important" back into #737.

-- Crew Chief Steve Liubakka