Oct. 1—A main attraction at an American Legion open house in Frederick on Saturday was a restored helicopter used during the Vietnam War.
The Huey 823 completed more than 1,300 combat flight hours from 1968 to 1970, according to Michael Caimi of Liberty Warbirds, a nonprofit that restored and operates the helicopter.
The helicopter was used during the war by the 170th Assault Helicopter Company.
The company was known as the "Bikinis" because the helicopter's thin aluminum offered little protection for the crew, Caimi said.
The helicopter has numerous patches covering bullet holes.
Caimi said it took three years — 2015 to 2018 — and more than $600,000 to restore the helicopter. In 2018, the Federal Aviation Administration approved it to fly again.
The helicopter, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, uses about 80 to 100 gallons of fuel an hour and costs about $2,500 an hour to operate, Caimi said.
This was the helicopter's first visit to Frederick, he said. It has been to Leesburg, Virginia, twice — including a stop earlier in the day on Saturday.
The helicopter drew much attention at Saturday's open house at American Legion Francis Scott Key Post 11 on Taney Avenue. Visitors were allowed to climb on board.
One visitor was Melvin Fair Jr. of Frederick, who brought a tribute vehicle of his own.
It's a mash-up of six large trucks that he calls "Wild Thing."
Fair said "Wild Thing" is a tribute to his father, Melvin Fair Sr., who fought in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
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