Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 (edited) ... Every now and then we get stuff in that has extreme historic significance.... Museum pieces..... This is one of those things and I thought it would be worth sharing with my fellow enthusiasts on here..... We recently obtained a complete system to outfit a Uh-1 huey Helicopter with Miniguns in the doors. ALL of this is Vietnam War Surplus... These systems were issued during the war in extremely small numbers... Primarily used by the Air Force Green Hornets on Hueys and Jolly Green Giant Helicopters... It is nothing short of amazing that this stuff survived Vietnam, survived the scrapper, sat for decades in a storage container out west, and is now here..... Likely sold as scrap at some point way back when. These ammo magazines I believe hold 8,000-10,000 Rounds of Ammo. Have not loaded them up yet. Each magazine has a booster motor assembly on it which runs in sync with the guns motor. We tested everything and after a good clean up it all functions properly. Aaron - Mohnton, Pa Edited September 28, 2021 by Aaron in Mohnton Pa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryo Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 So.. you have 10k of rounds lying around somewhere. Take videos! Beautiful collection. How in the world you find these things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted February 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 (edited) @Ryo , my company is at a crossroad where the aviation industry and the gun industry meet. We specifically deal in Huey a helicopter Armament in addition to what we do with machine guns .... we work closely with companies operating entire fleets of Huey Helicopters ... with that being said, sometimes these outfits come up with some really great stuff and have no use for it being they are mostly putting their aircraft to work.... We got a call on this load of stuff and worked out a deal. Crazy how these things happen ..... it’s what makes this fun though... the hunt for this stuff.... Edited February 18, 2021 by Aaron in Mohnton Pa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryo Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 I can see how that could be fun.. I have a deep affection for Hueys after riding one as a kid so I find your job double interesting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettBaker Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 Any sets of PsyOps speakers so a guy can play Wagner properly?;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted February 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 35 minutes ago, BrettBaker said: Any sets of PsyOps speakers so a guy can play Wagner properly?;) Lol.. Those speakers they had on these birds were absolutely massive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 Not just for Helo's Boaters like those setups too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted February 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 (edited) @johnsonlmg41 , That is an awesome photo!.... That mount (the lower portion of it) was fabricated (in the field I'm sure)... A lot of navy PBR guys I know and Seawolf air crew had to fabricate their mounts. They were able to trade or pilfer ammo magazines and other components etc. Most pictures you see of miniguns in the doors on helicopters in Vietnam are custom made mounts like below. I inquired as to why any of these units would have to fabricate mounts... The Answer: Only the Air Force ordered Helicopters with factory installed miniguns in the doors .. The other branches only had miniguns on their gunships (pylon mounted) ... Who knows why.... PBR with this stuff custom mounted in the gun tub Edited February 19, 2021 by Aaron in Mohnton Pa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davester Posted February 19, 2021 Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 Thanks for sharing. Great photos. Were the guns on a Form 4 as transferable? Be interesting to know their paperwork background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted February 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2021 No. These are both dealer sample guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscardeuce Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Wishing I hadn’t sold my Hueys a few years ago.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryo Posted March 29, 2021 Report Share Posted March 29, 2021 Interesting. I just realized I never thought of all the places they would mount the canisters of ammo in a Huey. Always took for granted that there was a storage place for it. One day I will fire one of those.. Out of a Huey would be a bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Uzi Posted March 30, 2021 Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 If I may be so bold-those setups are just drop dead sexy! So how many rounds would be fired from those magazines before the barrels are trash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted March 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2021 (edited) @Got Uzi , from a friend who worked at Dillon Aero for a very long time - Government life cycle for a 6 barrel group was 200k rounds. However, shooting habits will also extend or decrease the service life. A single 3,000 round burst can destroy a set of barrels. On the other hand they had barrels last up to 400k rounds by not doing massive bursts constantly. Edited March 30, 2021 by Aaron in Mohnton Pa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted March 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 On 3/29/2021 at 2:28 PM, oscardeuce said: Wishing I hadn’t sold my Hueys a few years ago.... Lets see some pictures of those Hueys! H models? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 I was at KCR watching when Degroat ran enough rounds to get a barrel set to glow a dull red.....enough to make me retreat behind the herd. There is video posted to utube somewhere. I don't recall how many it was, but it was a LOT. The good old school H+R barrels are stellite lined and wear superbly. Newer barrels, possibly less? I do know those barrels ran all weekend through a pallet of ammo. Those were exciting times at .17 a round portugese linked. Those days seem to be over for now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted March 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 @johnsonlmg41 , I know which video your referring to.... Autoweapons used to have it on their website. It was a massive massive burst. Bright red barrels. Looks like it is gone now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy H Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 I saved this photo from the internet ..... 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy H Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted March 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 @Buddy H - Yes that is the one I was talking about. Vahan made that gigantic pile of brass and links there. There was a good video of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryo Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 7 hours ago, Buddy H said: That's what I call winning. It's one of my deep desires to shoot one of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 Rentals are available at many shoots. I got it mostly out of my system and switched to a 9mm brass hand cranker. It is definitely unique, but IMO running a M2HB is more exciting to me. If your desire gets the best of you I still have one complete best of the best M134 setup available. 2 speed GCU, 4K drum with drive cable, portable power pack, etc. Stuff never available on the commercial market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryo Posted March 31, 2021 Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 4 hours ago, johnsonlmg41 said: Rentals are available at many shoots. I got it mostly out of my system and switched to a 9mm brass hand cranker. It is definitely unique, but IMO running a M2HB is more exciting to me. If your desire gets the best of you I still have one complete best of the best M134 setup available. 2 speed GCU, 4K drum with drive cable, portable power pack, etc. Stuff never available on the commercial market. That sound very cool. Lot more logistics taking that out then your hand cranker or M2HB. Both of those sound fun too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted March 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2021 (edited) @johnsonlmg41 , ....FWIW....the motor and GCU you have (at least from the photos I saw) are AC power components. For use on aircraft..... I have not met anyone yet who successfully converted them to DC power ... I’m sure it can be done though.... some of the same AC components below Edited March 31, 2021 by Aaron in Mohnton Pa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted September 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2021 (edited) its alive …. Had to have custom power supply and custom power cables / gun control unit cables made to match this antiquated technology… But this thing is up and running now. Edited September 27, 2021 by Aaron in Mohnton Pa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT Fish Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 On 3/31/2021 at 8:59 PM, Buddy H said: I still have one of those Portuguese ammo can sets. I bought it off James or vahan to stand on and see over the crowd. I think I paid 8 bucks for the set and my buddy said I got ripped off, lol. That was my first KCR shoot I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron in Mohnton Pa Posted September 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 (edited) I think those crates are British or South African. I have a few here. I love them... makes carrying ammo around easy. There was a article I read a few years back about how that massive load of South African Ammo (Made in 1980s) was allegedly stolen (or improperly obtained from the South African Government) and imported into the United States in the 1990s... pretty interesting read... Edited September 28, 2021 by Aaron in Mohnton Pa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattnh Posted September 28, 2021 Report Share Posted September 28, 2021 10 hours ago, Aaron in Mohnton Pa said: I think those crates are British or South African. I have a few here. I love them... makes carrying ammo around easy. There was a article I read a few years back about how that massive load of South African Ammo (Made in 1980s) was allegedly stolen (or improperly obtained from the South African Government) and imported into the United States in the 1990s... pretty interesting read... Hi Aaron, If you ever find/see that link again post it up - def sounds like an interesting read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted September 29, 2021 Report Share Posted September 29, 2021 The 4 brown cans on the tray are linked Portugese. There were many pallets available at the creek one year. Non-bulk price was around 0.17/rd from what I recall when I bought some. I'm guessing the pallet price (they ran at least a pallet through that gun over the weekend) may have been slightly less. I ran about 12 seconds through a friends gun that weekend and scratched an itch. The ammo deals are long gone, the creek will be gone soon. Kinda feel bad for the younger guys that will never get the chance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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