Lucy LaBar, 2, climbed into the cockpit of a restored Vietnam War helicopter and situated her hands on the steering wheel.

“Is everyone ready?” she asked her mom, Sara LaBar, who was standing on the ground where a Bell Helicopter called “Huey” was displayed at the West End Fair on Friday afternoon.

Lucy wanted to start a pretend flight in the helicopter that had accumulated approximately 2,296 combat flight hours in Vietnam and was hit by enemy fire a number of times.

Kids of all ages were encouraged to board the helicopter and be the pilot and/or gunner on Friday and Saturday.

Five years ago, Bill “Moon” Mullen found the dilapidated helicopter in a farmer’s field in North Carolina.

“It was parked behind a barn for 24 years. It has become a home to birds, rodents and rats,” said Mullen, dressed in his Army uniform.

“A lot of the good gauges were taken out and sold.”

Mullen set out to fundraise to purchase the plane and refurbish it.

He established the Have Huey/Will Travel project, based in Pocono Pines.

“We raised about $100,000 from private contributions to buy it, replace parts and make it look like it did in 1967,” Mullen said.

“It was hundreds and hundreds of man-hours that we did.”

Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport Authority Board was one of the financial supporters and provides a home at the airport for Huey when it’s not out on the road at fairs and events.

“The Poconos community really got behind this Huey and supported the project,” he said.

Pik Rite Manufacturing of Lewisburg designed, built and donated the trailer that hauls the Huey.

“We rehabilitated it, but it would have been far too expensive to get it to fly again,” said Ed Mack, a Vietnam veteran whose dual-wheel pickup truck attaches to the trailer.

He goes along with Mullen to fairs and events and explains the Huey’s rich history to curious crowds.

According to a historical document, “This aircraft is a rare survivor of the Vietnam War. She is a national treasure.”

It is believed that no crew member or pilot ever lost their life in this aircraft.

This aircraft (No. 242) began her service life with the U.S. Army in November 1967, upon completion of its manufacturing at the Bell Helicopter plant in Fort Worth, Texas. Her initial design was as a UH-1C model, which was a redesign of the UH-1B model.

The aircraft was initially assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, until March 1968.

From there, it was shipped to Vietnam and saw service with a number of aviation units until October 1968.

Her longest assignment of the Vietnam War was with the 119th Assault Helicopter Company. During these 23 months, she accumulated 1,217 flight hours. Her service with the 119th ended in August 1970.

She flew in Vietnam until February 1973. After that, she flew in Thailand until May 1974. She was then shipped back to the U.S. - where Mullen eventually came upon her and started his work to restore her.

“I find a lot of good stuff in North Carolina,” said Mullen, who served in the Army during a 13-month tour in Vietnam from 1963 to 1964.

He was referring to a Chevrolet truck from the 1940s that he refurbished and had several photos of on his phone.