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ALCON;
I am new here. My name is TED WALTHER, I was a boatguy (1989-2001)with NR SBU 24/NR SBU20/SBR 2/SBU 26/SBU 20. I also am a modeler, and I am currently making a 1/35th scale diorama to represent Detachment 6 Song Ong Doc. I am also modeling ST2 6th PLT. I would like to add "The Judge" to one of my models, but what bird (MODEX 3 _ _)was this actually on? SEAWOLF 204??
There are several photos on your site, but i cant see any showing a bird number. I am doing SEAWOLF 312 (plus another) because of my mentor Jim Watson ST2. Reading through your site and SEAWOLF 28, your group changed numbers and birds as they were damaged, so, did "the Judge" ever rotate through Song Ong Doc?
Thanks for you help with this.
R/
TED WALTHER
NR SBU 24/NR SBU 20/SBR 2/SBU 26/ SBU 20
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by "the Judge" , I believe you are using a more modern term for a mini gun ??? no certain helo was assigned to a specific Detachment ----- after 100 hours flight time (less than a month most of the time) the helo would be returned to the squadron for 100 hr check or more involved maintenance. Since this would take several days, a newly completed helo would be detailed to the detachment so they could quicky return the Det to "up" status. So, to continue with your question, it was common for the lead bird to have either a mini or a .50 (Ma Duece) mounted on the right side. Many variations were seen over the years of mounts and the like or dislike of gunners for one or the other. Testing seemed to negate the use of either the 50 or the mini on the left side . Although there is evidence that early in the squadron's life that some aircraft had a 900 series number on the tail, by the time Det 6 was activated there were only 300 series numbers in the inventory on the gunships. 330's being the highest number assigned ---- as a helo was damaged it was taken out of inventory and the number reassigned. You would be correct to have any tail number from 300 up to at least 336 ( I remember no higher number ) painted on the tail of your model.
Mike Dobson (ROH)
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Thanks Mike, for your quick response and advice on the weapons set up.
http://www.seawolf.org/worthington/det4/index.html To clarify, "The Judge" mini gun, I was referring to the photos in this group.
But looking through the photos this was DET 4 at Ben Luc(1971), and possibly SEAWOLF 305.
I am modeling SEAWOLF 302 and SEAWOLF 312.
Thanks again.
R/
TED WALTHER
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Well lookie there, it looks like Det 4 did put a mini on the left side ----- unless there was a negative flip ..... variations were out there for sure ----- the Dets were isolated from each other. Most of us only knew where some of the dets were at the time. Looking back, I think I only knew where 5 of the Dets were at the time. ----------- so as I mentioned, there really was no set version of firepower ----
Mike Dobson (ROH)
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Administrator
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Mike,
Your response farther up jogged something in my brain (frightening!) and I remembered running across something that mentioned
Det side (Tail) numbers being assigned to Dets.
I finally found it again in the 1968 Wolfgram Vol 2 #11 (11 Dec 68) under "Airframes".
"The people in the Dets will soon be getting aircraft out of PE with the new squadron paint scheme which will include the squadron
insignia on the nose and each Dets number on the side. Each Det will retain the same aircraft after PE."
So the article also mentions that the Dets retain the same aircraft (after PE).
This was as of Dec 1968 anyway...
Dan
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See?? Evolution was always happening ! I remember in very early 71 somebody put a hole in a skid (or maybe a wind deflector) and suddenly "safety" (what a word to use around machine guns and rockets when people are trying to shoot you --- SAFETY??) that suddenly the saggomy mounts were "mandated" ------- ya, right -- that was nice till we were on the receiving end, and free gun was definitely Boss again ...... love the screwdriver used as the "pin tool" to fasten the 60 to the saggomy ------- odd how it fell out so often !! hahahahaha (try hauling a saggomy to the other side to put 2 guns in one door )
Mike Dobson (ROH)
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...Hello Ted...Det 6 did not have a door mounted mini at Song Ong Doc...Det 6 mounted one, rear bird, left door, when we moved to Phu Loi.. at SOD we were all "free gunners", with La Puta (50cal) in lead bird, right door..
Sounds like a great model you are doing...BZ sailor...
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Thanks Mike, Dan, Kid, and Mike Worthington(who sent a PM);
All the info you guys have provided to me is very helpful.
Take care,
TED WALTHER
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In 68-69 Det 2 had a .50 in right door of lead bird and wing ship had twin .30's in right door. Left door on both was free 60's. Just thought I would toss that in if you did not already know.
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As of June 1970, Det 4 ,Ben Luc. , had a mini gun lead plane right door and a 50 tail plane right door.. Tony B Det4 '69/'70.
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 on Det-4-1970 the 'Judge' started life  as a right door mounted gun and was still there when I left, I thought that the name suited it very well! 
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