H1HU

I was on board HMS Plymouth the other week to help recover the Wasp helicopter from her hangar. Such a sad sight to see such a vessel in such a poor shape. Shame the current owners couldn't find her a decent home at their big prestigious development in Salford Quays alongside the Imperial War Museum North. Sad to see another piece of our history lost for good, when she is taken to Turkey for scrapping.

Ed Freeman actually died in August 2008. Ed was known to his fellow helicopter pilots as 'Too Tall'. He and Bruce Crandall featured very heavily in the film 'We were Solidiers' based on the Joe Galloway book 'We were soldiers once, and young'. The events of that battle in in Vietnam in 1965 featured in the Devisive Weapons programme on the Huey last saturday (you can watch it on BBC I Player0. The programme was made in 1996 so has got the main players interviewed in it. Ed and Bruce received their MOH's in 2001 after a ruling over a time frame for being recommended for the medal was removed in the 90's. This is the citation for Ed Freeman's MOH Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, distinguished himself by numerous acts of conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary intrepidity on 14 November 1965 while serving with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). As a flight leader and second in command of a 16-helicopter lift unit, he supported a heavily engaged American infantry battalion at Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam. The unit was almost out of ammunition after taking some of the heaviest casualties of the war, fighting off a relentless attack from a highly motivated, heavily armed enemy force. When the infantry commander closed the helicopter landing zone due to intense direct enemy fire, Captain Freeman risked his own life by flying his unarmed helicopter through a gauntlet of enemy fire time after time, delivering critically needed ammunition, water and medical supplies to the besieged battalion. His flights had a direct impact on the battle's outcome by providing the engaged units with timely supplies of ammunition critical to their survival, without which they would almost surely have gone down, with much greater loss of life. After medical evacuation helicopters refused to fly into the area due to intense enemy fire, Captain Freeman flew 14 separate rescue missions, providing life-saving evacuation of an estimated 30 seriously wounded soldiers -- some of whom would not have survived had he not acted. All flights were made into a small emergency landing zone within 100 to 200 meters of the defensive perimeter where heavily committed units were perilously holding off the attacking elements. Captain Freeman's selfless acts of great valor, extraordinary perseverance and intrepidity were far above and beyond the call of duty or mission and set a superb example of leadership and courage for all of his peers. Captain Freeman's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army. H1HU

I don't own them, it's a friend of mine that does, but I crew them. As for the Cobra, that is still on the cards but lots of paperwork to sort out before it comes over here. No good having an expensive bit of kit you can't do anything with!! We're working on it. H1HU

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago for a promo leaflet. First time the Loach has been flown with the doors off and crewed up with door gunner with M60. She is now up and running so will be seen out and about on the air show circuit. If your inLancashire you may already have seens us out and about. H1HU

I don't know if any of these help you in your quest. One certainly will as it has the value of the resistor for the headlight. I thought the illustrations might help if you haven't already seen them. HIHU

The book to which Ferretfixer refers is the 'The Forgotten Dead' by Ken Small. A fascinating book that tells the story of Operation Tiger, the D-Day rehearsals that took place on Slapton Sands, and the determination of one man to recover a DD Sherman tank that sank during Op Tiger and set it up as a memorial to those that died during the training. For many years Ken could be found at the tank selling copies of his book and talking to visitors. Sadly Ken died a few years ago but his book is still available. I was really pleased to find a signed copy of his book in a secondhand book shop in Haworth a few years ago. H1HU

My jeep a 42 Willys has the post war number of 46 YH 04. You might be interested in seeing what you get on a key card if you are fortunate enough for the one for your jeep surviving. On my Key card as you can see are the chassis number, M series number, where and when it was disposed of and the contract number is was supplied under. Basically that's your lot, no other history available. Incidently the two letters in the middle referred to the state of the vehicle and type when transferred over to the new numbering system. YH indicated vehicle transferred over straight away with out the need for remedial work etc. The full list is published in a book about British Military vehicle markings. I will try and find it. H1HU

Stumbled across this. http://www.leylandguardian.co.uk/community/lasting_tribute_to_workers_unveiled_1_3181231 According to one forum there was a large area in the town where tanks were kept prior to scrapping. They were so tightly packed that you couldn't walk between them. H1HU

Sorting the garage out this morning I found the tin of paint I painted the ML with. It is Dark Camouflage Brown BS 381C. Hope this helps. H1HU

Sorry forgot to ask. On my travels back into Manchester around 1pm (yesterday thursday the 3rd) I saw a Russian tracked APC with small turret on top on a low loader coming off the M60 and heading west on the M62. Then around 2pm a WW2 Jeep with wire cutter on a trailer heading south on the M61. Anyone lay claim to them? H1HU

Your ears did not deceive you. I was in the main arena outside as I had had a word with Phil beforehand to arrange a fly by, but as they were running late, and not having spotted the showground until after they were south of it they continued south. Perhaps another time. H1HU

When I first got my ML I started to make enquiries with the military and got very little info from them. It would seem many went through Childwell and then on to the units allocated with them. From what I can gather very few if any ended up with the Airborne units as they were deemed too heavy and with no drop container/cage they were not taken up, unlike the Flea and Welbike. The more rugged ML was taken on by the Commandos. There seem to be very few pictures of the ML in active service. The Most common picture is of the Commandos stood by a jeep in Normandy with an ML lying on the bonnet with German prisoners in the back of the jeep. In the background are Horsa gliders. I sort of recreated the picture when we went to Normandy for the 65th Anniversary of D-day. There is a second picture but the James is well and truly in the background. It is a picture of an ML being pushed onto a rather precarious looking ramp off the bow of a ship with men disembarking from another ship in the foreground. As your ML was made in early '44 you never know it might have been one of the 300 or so ML's that went over on D-day. On the beaches they were used for communications and rounding up soldiers and pointing them in the right direction. It is from here they apparently got their nickname of the Clockwork Mouse or the Mechanical Sheepdog. I appologise if I am telling you something you already know. H1HU

That will have been Huey 509. She was being repositioned from Wesham in Lancashire down to Redhill, via Coventry Airport to refuel, for the annual inspection. They were running rather behind schedule but it was a good flight. Hopefully work will be carried out reasonably quickly so we can get her back and start to sort things out for the coming season. H1HU

Snow in the Ribble valley. Our family collection of Jeeps. H1HU

I was pointed in the direction of this short film http://cpw.mail.aol.com/32843-111/talktalk-5/en-gb/mail/get-attachment.aspx?uid=1259953913.2853&folder=Inbox&partId=4&saveAs=P-47satWar.WMV well worth a look. H1HU

It certainly has civilian mudguards (though some of James' own pictures show the military ML fitted with the longer mudguards). Non folding civilian footrests are fitted. It looks like a civilian stand aswell. You're right in saying the military bike wasn't fitted with a speedo. It is fitted with a civilian headlamp unit as the light switch on the military lamp sits much lower beneath the apeture that would have housed the ameter. The other instantly noticeable thing is it has a standard petrol cap and not a 'nipple' cap of the military bikes. On the military side of things it has the military handlebars but is missing the lock/unlock lever as does mine. It has the all important tubular tool kit as opposed to the triangular one. I can't see the rear wheel sprocket to see whether it is solid or whether it is slotted. Interesting ly the spark plug and decompressor have been swopped over. Normally looking from above sat on the seat the spark plug is on the left. As far as the engine is concerned military bikes had engine numbers begining with the triple A. Triple 'A' engines were fitted according to records from 03/43 until 1944. However the frame number doesn't fit into the military range of war time production. So is it a military bike civilianised or is it a civilian bike fitted with a large number of military parts? Difficult one to answer but because of it's date of registration it would point more to an early civilian machine which was possibly made using the left over military parts. The very eary civilian models were simply military ML's, that were never delivered due to the contract being canceled, repainted for the civilian market. Enjoy it for what it is. You'll get great pleasure showing it off. My ML always creates great interest wherever it goes. Word of warning though make sure it runs as it is something everyone asks and the sound always brings a smile to their faces, that's if you can see them through the two stroke smoke!! I know it sounds a little contradictory but you knowing its history will help you decide what you think it is. Hope this info helps you a little. H1HU

I thought you might be interested in some research my son has been doing about a Canadian airman of WW2. Bradley bought some WW2 Irvin flying trousers. When they arrived there was a note that they had been used by a caretaker at a girls school in Yorkshire after the war. He rode his motorbike in them. Written on one of the suspenders was the name MS Humphrey. Immediately Brad started to search to see if he could find anything out about Humphrey, but frustratingly his searches proved fruitless. He continued to persist over a two year period and in dribs and drabs he began to find little snippets of information but none of it could be definately tied together. There were lots of 'coincidences' which all seemed to good to be true. About four months ago all of a sudden information started to appear that proved the info he had got was correct. Sgt Morley Sydney Humphrey, a Canadian, was a rear gunner in a Whitley bomber of 102 Squadron. Unfortunately the Whitley he was in was shot down on the 1st of September 1941 on its return from a bombing raid over Essen. He and the rest of the crew are buried in a civilian cemetary in the town of Schaffen, north and east of Brussels. He was billeted at Skellfield House near by to Topcliffe airfield. Skellfield House was a girls school which was evacuated to make way for the airmen. One of those girls, the head girl, is my aunt, Bradley's great aunt. He also tracked down Ed Cooke of 102 squadron who flew on the same raids as Sgt Morley Sydney Humphrey. We met up with him in Seattle a few weeks ago and learnt alot more about the squadron and what it did. Ed Cooke went on to train as a pilot later in the war but unfortunately didn't know Humphrey personally. Just recently we had to go to Brussels on family matters and whilst there we headed for Schaffen where Humphrey is buried. Bradley had with him the flying trousers. We spent some time in Schaffen as we walk up to the field which is thought to be the crash site of the Whitley on that fatefull night in September 1941. We also met a local guy who Bradley had been in contact with via a Belgian website. He hopes to excavate the site next year which will be the 70th anniversary of the death of Humphrey and the rest of the crew of the Whitley. I mentioned before about the coincidences, the strangest occuring before we had any information about Humphrey. Very strangely shortly after Bradley bought the trousers he was asked by a local amateur film club if he would like to take part in making a short film about a WW2 bomber being shot down. They asked him as they knew he had all the right equipment and uniforms. The short film was called 'Night raid on Essen'.

Funny I've been studying the site as we fly in to Stanley Park this Friday with the Huey for the Youth Mega week. The aerial photo on Google clearly shows the layout but little or no evidence of outlying buildings or layout of the rest of the site. I can't find our copy of the Lancashire airfields of WW2 to work out where everything else was. H1HU

When I bought my boxes of bits (ML) it came with a colour swatch and the description was Dark Camo Brown. I went to Car and Commercial in Blackburn and it was listed on their colour charts so they mixed it there and then for me. However this link might be usefull http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk/bs381c.html H1HU

A really enjoyable flight from Carlisle to Preston a couple of weeks ago getting the feel of flying this wonderfull helicopter from the right hand seat for the first time. I look a little serious in one of the pictures, but there is rather alot to think about!! H1HU

OK three pages from the ML parts manual. Non folding footrests with the rubber boots for post WW2 ML's. The shaped tool box as opposed to the cylindrical one. And the foot rest should have the 'T' feet as opposed to the 'L' shaped feet. Hope these help in your quest. Plus a phot of mine at at VE Day do this year. H1HU

If my memory serves me correctly there was talk somewhere on the forum about an airman's grave in St Mary's graveyard in Mellor. One of the members on here visited to the grave. Just wondering if you lid a wreath at the village memorial earlier this year? I ask as it has the village wondering. Have you the answer to this mystery? H1HU (resident of Mellor)

This link was sent to me by a former crew chief from the 129th AHC and the Ghostriders. Amazing statistics reveal that Vietnam Vets are dying at the rate of 390 per day and that by 2015, there may be none left alive. http://www.youtube.com/user/BeforeTheyGo

.....my wife always says that she should have realised what she was letting herself in for when I took her on a tour of the D Day beaches on our honeymoon. H1HU

As promised here is the blue Dragon Wagon at Eccleston nr Chorley in the early/mid 90's H1HU