The CH-21 helicopter was originally named the "Workhorse" but is affectionately known as "The Flying Banana". The Army named it the Shawnee. In the early days of the Vietnam War, the Shawnee was used as a troop and cargo helicopter and as an assault aircraft when equipped with two machine guns. It was also used for Medevac, and could carry eight litters at once due to its size. 

It became inefficient in the Vietnam climate and terrain, but did become a baseline upon which Boeing would engineer the CH-47 Chinook. 

This particular model was brought to the Arkansas Air & Military Museum due to the tireless efforts of Max Hall. He acquired the airframe from Fairbanks, Alaska and planned to have it restored by June 1996.

As the project began, it gained momentum thanks to local veterans wanting to join in on the restoration. The extra manpower ensured the project was completed three months before Hall's deadline.

During this community project, Max Hall would meet Army Specialist (E-4) Leonard McCandless, founder of the Ozark Military Museum in Siloam Springs. Through this friendship, Hall would become instrumental in the expansion of the Ozark Military Museum in Northwest Arkansas, a project he continued for the rest of his life.