In Early 67 we had a flare go off on the alert pad and burned a hole down the size of a wash tub through the bottom of the cargo compartment. I think the number was 077?, (CRS) but anyway, when I was at Hunter field in '68, I was assigned the very same aircraft to instruct in. I remebered the melted skin, "I" beams and controls and never full trusted the aircraft. I found out later as an engineer at Bell that they probably saved the tailboom and some cowling and maybe a few other things including the data plate and built a new chopper around those parts.
But Flares were dangerous.
Bob T