I can only smuggle so many pieces of aircraft into the kitchen before SWMBO gets suspicious. I have a Gipsy Major piston on the table at the moment which I have told her is a wine cooler…

Some interesting pictures and history of Whiteheads here….

http://www.whiteheadaircraft.com

With help from the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association we have the full history of the Huey gunship that the chair is from – it flew in Vietnam with several AHC.

As the seat is collapsible and was mounted on the floor of the cabin – I acquired a section of Huey floor from Maine and had a friend ship it across. It arrived today. 

The chair is from a model 204 and the floor panel is from a model 205 but the spacings for the leg are the same and it fits well and securely. It is released by pressing a wire in and pulling the collars on the legs up. 

There has been some discussion as to whether red seats were used in Vietnam – but a search through my reference books shows at least ten that I can see – so probably many more but obviously not as common as green seats. As the seat was acquired in Washington in late 72 from a junk shop it was either brought back from Vietnam or swapped when the aircraft was transferred into the National Guard.

The Wasp chair cushions are off at the upholsterer as the vinyl tape holding them together was not really good enough..