Chicken Rods & Ammo Bags for Door Gunners
see also Chicken Rods Movie
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We are talking about safety devices for the Door Gunners of the UH-B and C model Huey gunships. The guns hung free on a bonjee cord from the door jam of the Huey to allow total freedom for the Gunner firing the weapon. On the Slicks (UH-1D Models a larger helicopter) the door guns were on a fixed mount.
With the gun hanging free the Gunner could accidently, in the heat of battle, swing the weapon into the cockpit while still firing. It happened. Damage was done and pilots were wounded. The Chicken Rod extended the length of the barrel end of the weapon so that it would hit against the side door jam and not come inside the aircraft.
Dwain Adkins remembers that after the unit had been in country for about 3 months (1966) the gunners on the Gunships (UH-1B and C models) were issued Chicken Rods from Maintenance. It is assumed that Maintenance got them from Supply, and Supply from the 725th Maint Bn. So who ordered them built and issued?
As Dwain remembers they came already attached to a new barrel (traded old for new).
Best we know the first D Troop pilot to get a scrapnel wound from a door gun (without a chicken rod) was CPT Frank Delvy (Gun Platoon Leader 1966; one of his 7 purple hearts). The Crew Chief was a trained and experienced gunner (Shotgun program maybe?). Name?
Video: Dwain Adkins Crewchief 444 (1966-67) explains more in his video "Chicken Rods".
Video: Bob Taylor Crewchief 444 (1967-68) talks about Chicken Rods in his movie "Bros DVD2" at the 1:35 point.
Video: TJ Lange Crewchief 462 (1967-68) talks about Chicken Rods in his movie "Home Video 2" at about the 4 min point. One of the problems is that if you burned out a barrel all the backups did not have the rods installed (Bob Taylor confirmed that).
Video: TJ Lange Crewchief 462 (1967-68) in a second video "Home Video 6" there is more at 9:15 into the video. Here he states that the rods were welded together. Then we assume attached to the barrel with safety wire.
Dave Bossary photo 102 below shows the bolts with wingnuts holding the Chicken Rod on his M60
The empty brass from the Door gunners machine gun flew all over the place and often up into the front cockpit hitting the pilots and controls. When the brass was directed out of the aircraft it sometimes fell and hit the ground troops. A bag to catch the brass was put into action. It got heavy, it was affected by the wind and was a general pain in the ass; but safer.
It has been said that some of the old timer gunners, not using Ammo Bags, might direct the empty shells at the head of a newbee pilot. If the pilot did not have his Nomex flight shirt buttoned up like it was suppose to be, he might experience some very hot brass down his neck.
Ammo Bags were also used on the mounted door guns on the Slick aircraft.