ZK-HSX. The elusive Huey.

Graeme Stratton recently flicked me this photo below of the seldom mentioned Huey ZK-HSX2.

Jim Shewin is piloting the Bell UH-1H Iroquois ZK-HSX2 c/n 10320 - keeping a burn off “controlled” back in 2010.

This Iroquois has been working away in New Zealand since 1999 but appears to have had very little publicity.

So :-

This is a model UH-1H-BF with the Bell construction number of 10320.

As the c/n tells us it was built at Bells' Fort Worth, Texas facility - It received the U.S.Army serial number of 68-15390 and appears to have been 'posted' to Fort Hood, Texas about February of 1969.

As far as I can tell it was in South Vietnam in 1970-1971 with D Troop of the 3rd Squadron of the 4th Cavalry. 

They were known as the Centaurs and carried a small emblem on the lower rear corner of the sliding door. This was a Centaur - a horses body with a human upper body and head.

68-15390 carried the number 390 on its tail fin in white and was named 'Beloved' whilst being flown by James Tonelli (and probably others). 

It was also known to have used the radio callsign of  'Centaur 23'. 

Now I am not sure if this was the aircrafts or the pilots individual call sign.

It was operated mainly as a 'slick' - for the dropping and picking up of troops.

The above pic I believe show 68-15390.

The below pic shows 'Centaur 23'

Are they the one and the same ?

Renegade Woods was out Northwest of Saigon near Cu Chi.

An LRRP is the abbreviation for Long Range Recce Patrol , and LZ is for Landing Zone.

Brief extract from the April 2nd 1970 action report mentioning Centaur 23.

As the chaos on the ground unfolded, Warrant Officer James Tonelli brought his UH-1 into a low-level approach under heavy fire, dropping down 15 feet from the crater. After the Rangers raced to the chopper and piled in, Tonelli managed to get the overloaded helicopter airborne in spite of taking multiple hits from ground fire, 

Obviously both Tonelli and the '390' survived the American War and the helicopter underwent a civil conversion with Richards Heavylift Helo Inc and joined the US civil aircraft register as N375AV on 31-01-1996 for Aerovantage Ltd of Seattle, Washington.

They moved it on to Construction Helicopters Inc (CHI) of Porter Valley, California from 12-03-1997.

Its US registration was cancelled in January of 1999 as exported to NZ.

It became ZK-HSX2 on 02-03-1999 for Peter Bradley of Rotorua.

Two photos of it in its hangar at Murupara on 17-03-2000.

Below - as seen at Murupara on 30-04-2000.

Title then moved to Lakeland Helicopters (1989) Ltd of Rotorua from 19-12-2002.

Bates

Dave Bates capture this shot of ZK-HXS at Murupara with some colour added on 22-01-2004.

Above photo was taken at Wanaka in February 2008. Photographer unknown.

Presumably marked up for a movie !

Heli Resources (2012) Ltd at Rotorua became the listed operator from 18-04-2013.