This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER The Gyrodyne company built the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) to combat submarines from a distance. I could tell how old a footprint was by how it looked. This chopper is mostly known for having been used to spot enemy artillery. The OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. Light Attack Helicopters 3. In photo #2 you can see the nice graphics. [16], Early on in the OH-6's career, the type demonstrated its performance in a particularly prominent manner via the setting of 23 individual world records for helicopters during 1966 in the categories of speed, endurance and time to climb. Accordingly, this tactic had resulted in substantial losses being incurred on the contract with the U.S. Army; the company had allegedly anticipated that an extended production cycle would eventually make the rotorcraft financially viable. The AH-6 and its troop-carrying sibling, the MH-6, are still heavily used by U.S. special-operations forces, as everything from airborne sniper platforms to transports inserting small teams to expeditionary light attack helicopters. We were combat trackers, says Mills. What was a loach helicopter? - Quora As well, its tough frame made it safer than other helicopters during crashes, as its aluminum skin absorbed the energy and the structure protected the crew. While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0020 feet and 050 knots. 2 M75 40-mm grenade launchers Shortly thereafter, the aircraft were returned to the U.S., where they were dismantled and converted back to a standard configuration; they continued to be operated as such for a time. We thought they were ARVNs [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] until they started running. Fewer than 2,000 of the type were produced though the original went on to spawn a plethora of viable performers including the Hughes 500 "Defender" and the special forces-minded MH-6 "Little Bird". which many are taken will be available from our shop to When the training was completed, C-141 Starlifter airlifters transported both rotorcraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two weeks of mission training. In the Vietnam War, these choppers were used to recover downed aircraft. I was just out of flight school when I went to Vietnam. He flew Loaches for the next 11 months, and today is an accountant in Seattle. The Loach helicopters used to transport personnel were given the designation MH-6, while the armed ones were dubbed the AH-6. Army headquarters developed doctrine by building on what worked in the field, rather than the other way around, and each unit in-country did things slightly differently. Kane was dispatched to the crash site in another Cobra with copilot Jim Casher. The task force, which had been designated as Task Force 158, was soon formed into the 160th Aviation Battalion. The OH-6D was an improved version with more advanced electronics and heavier armament. Aircraft took off, fully flight capable. 2 MK19 40-mm grenade launcher In 1961, twelve companies submitted proposals to meet U.S.Army requirements for a four-seat turbine-powered light observation helicopter (LOH). [17] On 26 March 1966, Jack Schwiebold set the closed circuit distance record in a YOH-6A at Edwards Air Force Base, California, flying without landing for 1,739.96mi (2,800.20km). Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 The Cayuse (white) was used alongside the AH-1 Cobra (red) attack helicopters, forming (pink) hunter killer teams. The helicopter was inducted as the OH-6 "Cayuse" and would eventually take on the in-the-field nickname of "Loach" in reference to its "LOH" origins. Since units were all but permanently assigned to particular areas, they came to know the local geography intimately and could spot anything out of the ordinary. During the course of the competition, the Bell submission, the YOH-4, was eliminated as being underpowered (it was powered by the 250shp (186kW) T63-A-5). The Model 369 had a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that had strong crashworthiness properties and provided excellent external visibility. https://warandlifediscussions.weebly.com/Any veteran who served in any combat zone in any capacity is invited to contact Preston Jones: pjones@jbu.edu / (479) 524-7488 About Us | All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. 1:00 Jan. 6 will mark 50 years since former Newburgh resident Dave Middleton was shot down in Vietnam while piloting a Loach helicopter on a mission to which he wasn't originally assigned.. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. The Bell H-13 Sioux was developed as a light-weight single-engine and single-rotor helicopter. I got shot down on my 22nd birthday, March 27, 1971. In contrast, of the nearly 1,100 Cobras delivered to the Army, 300 were lost. The killer role persists. Boucher quickly discovered that life as a qualified crewman was extremely dangerous. Unlike its troop-carrying ancestors, a Cobra was like a World War II fighter, says Jim Kane, who arrived in Vietnam fresh out of Purdue University. The Army initially ordered 1,438 Hughes Model 369s, designated by the Army as the OH-6A Cayuse helicopters. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. To this day I am closer to those guys I flew with in Vietnam than my own brothers, says Mills. The campaign included the first major use in the war of Soviet-built, shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. The-21C was extensively used by the US Army to transport troops and supplies. Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. [2] Twelve companies opted to participate in the competition, Hughes Tool Company's Aircraft Division being one of them, submitted the Model 369 as its response. In the hunter-killer teams, the Loach would fly low over the jungle, drawing fire and then calling for the Cobra to kill the teams on the ground. In addition, an M60D 7.62mm machine gun could be mounted in the front port (left) or rear starboard (right) door openings. I spent more time with them.. Observation Helicopters 4. [23][22] Such a team would have normally comprised a single OH-6 that would fly relatively slow and at a low altitude while attempting to spot the presence of enemies. The Bell Model 206 is a line of both single and twin-engined helicopters with two primary rotor blades. Cookie Policy [8][9] It was reported that Howard Hughes had directed his company to submit a bid at a price beneath the actual production cost of the helicopter in order to secure this order. Heavy Attack Helicopters 2. During 1967, following price escalations for the OH-6, the U.S. Army reopened the programme to bids for as many as 2,700 additional airframes beyond the 1,300 OH-6s already contracted. s/n 66-07841. Missions began every day at dawn, when crews were briefed on where to fly and what to look for. The helicopter was hit in the Left Side The helicopter was designed around their earlier model 269/300 making use of monocoque steel tube construction techniques, allowing a strong and compact fuselage. An Army article written after Johns seventh crash credited it with surviving 61 hits from enemy fire and seven crashes without losing a single crew member. Nate Shaffer and Bruce Campbell at their assigned positions. The Loach helicopter was pitted against what was then known as the Bell Model 206. Its four-bladed full-articulated main rotor made it particularly agile, and it was suitable for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. Over time, the effectiveness of this pairing was such that enemies would often decide against firing on the relatively vulnerable OH-1 in fear of the response that would be unleased by the AH-1. By the end of the war, the Loachs replacement was imminent. [19][20][21], In December 1967, the first OH-6As arrived in Vietnam. Helicopter took 2 hits from: Terms of Use Its like a street cop going into a bad neighborhood. Can include a combination of the following across two fuselage wingstubs (though some weapons operated from cabin doors): (Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above), Hardpoint Mountings: 2 (if wingstub equipped). [7] The Hiller design, designated OH-5A,[7] had featured a boosted control system, while the Hughes design did not, a difference that accounted for some of the price increase. The mission training consisted of loading onto C-130 Hercules transport aircraft which would then transport them to forward staging areas over routes as long as 1,000 nautical miles (1,900km). Although many were still teenagers, their survival depended on well-honed instincts and razor-sharp reflexes, along with plenty of luck. Here are the 24 helicopters used in Vietnam. Armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch FFAR, it provides armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. The first Loach arrived in Vietnam in 1966, and a total of 1,434 of the primary . These choppers were modified for combat rescue missions and had self-sealing fuel tanks, rescue hoist, and in-flight refueling abilities. The Army dictated that after 300 hours of flight time, each Loach go through a thorough inspection, but in practice such inspections were rare: Few Loaches survived to reach that mark. The Cayuse was organic to division, brigade, and battalion size units. While the already-produced OH-6 Cayuses were being deployed to Vietnam in 1967, production costs were beginning to rise. Multi-Mission Helicopters 6. The small "egg-shaped" design and simplified rotorhead incorporated four rotor blades of constant chord, made of bonded light alloy. Infantrymen would also launch an assault from the ground. Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. During the Vietnam War the OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. He recalls: 360 degrees around you was enemy territory, and the ability to work with American and [South Vietnamese] units on the ground really required aviation to be able to look eye to eye to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Loach-Cobra pairings were sent out more and more frequently, until their main role was to gather general intelligence rather than prepare landing zones. Moses, a 19-year-old draftee, arrived in Vietnam in July 1970 for the first of two year-long tours, and later worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs as a therapist and administrator. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,400. [12] Accordingly, during 1968, Hughes submitted a bid to build a further 2,700 airframes. Some crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the OH-6, however, the transition proceeded while scouting doctrine was changed to emphasis operations from greater distances. 2 .50 cal MG pods MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures. Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 This simple design made maintenance easy, while the choppers 26-foot rotor made it much easier to maneuver in tight landing zones. The helicopter Continued Flight. Each time we went out, we got shot at. ", FAI Record ID #11656 Absolute Rotorcraft World Record, Distance over a closed circuit without landing, FAI Record ID #11655 Absolute Rotorcraft World Record, Distance without landing, Obituary: Robert G. Ferry; Air Force veteran was record-setting test pilot, "In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close", "Jane's Aircraft Upgrades, MD Helicopters (Hughes) Model 500 (Military Versions)", "Dominican Republic Air Force Unit History", "Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force OH-6J", "Breda Nardi Hughes NH.500M in Armed Forces of Malta service", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hughes_OH-6_Cayuse&oldid=1133333304, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 07:46. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse - Wikipedia RMF3TG12 - Warren Motts, who started the Motts Military Museum, walks with a small child, past helicopters that where used in the Vietnam War. The Cobra is a single-engine attack helicopter produced by Bell Helicopter as a primary attack helicopter in the Vietnam War for aerial assaults or as air cavalry. (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. Another flight competition was held, this time without a submission from Fairchild Hiller. Kiowas, largely relegated to low-threat cargo and liaison missions in Vietnam, were after the war tasked to spot targets from afar and guide Cobras (and later, Boeing AH-64 Apaches) to good firing spots. Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam - YouTube 0:00 / 5:15 Intro Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam Chopperguy 15.4K subscribers Subscribe 1.1K 53K views 1 year ago We fly with Low Level. The OH-6 was also exported as the Model 500 Defender. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. The Huey descended gingerly into a clearing smaller than its main rotor diameter, the aircrafts rotor blades chopping tree limbs as it descended. Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. Vietnam Veteran and his Helicopter Reunited. Today, the Little Birds in use by special operations are MH-6Ms derived from a similar but more powerful helicopter. Following the lead, we got peppered with rounds. The Loach had a bad vibration, but he made it about half a mile before he had to land. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. For most of the war, there was no formal Army training to prepare scout pilots and observers. Scout pilots were a different breed of cat, says Cobra pilot Jim Kane, who likens his former colleagues to the airborne equivalent of the Tunnel Rats, soldiers who crawled head-first into Viet Cong-built tunnels without any idea what awaited them there. The Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. These helicopters were mostly used for observation, reconnaissance, utility, and for providing combat support. Typically missions were flown during the daylight, starting at dawn; common roles included the clearance of landing zones and general intelligence/observation flights. These would be used to replace its fleet of Bell H-13 Sioux, a compact first generation rotorcraft. The Light Observation Helicopter ( LOH) program was a United States Army program to evaluate, develop and field a light scout helicopter to replace the Army's aging Bell OH-13 Sioux. OH-6A Cayuse / AH-6J Little Bird - Military Aircraft The Aircraft Division of Hughes Tool Company came up with the Model 369, which became one of three finalists, alongside designs from Bell Helicopter Company and Fairchild Hiller. In the event of a crash the tailboom and engine separate from the egg-like cabin, improving the survival chances of the crew and passengers. Two of these designs, those submitted by Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, were selected as finalists by the Army-Navy design competition board. [22] The remaining H-13s were promptly withdrawn in favour of the OH-6s. The four-passenger teardrop shaped "Flying egg" (six-passenger with rear seats folded-down) was a small, light, sturdy, maneuverable helicopter, with very low drag. A little gory but thats how close we were. As the Loach flew among the trees, the rear-seat pilot in the Snake circling above kept a close eye on the little scout and the front-seat gunner jotted down whatever the Loach observers radioed. You had a couple of flights in the Huey, then you rode front seat in a Cobra, scout pilot Allan Krausz recounts. [28][29], The pilots selected to fly the OH-6A helicopters came from the 229th Attack Helicopter Battalion and were sent to the Mississippi Army National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) at Gulfport, Mississippi, for two weeks of qualification training in the rotorcraft. The Sea Stallion is a variant of the Jolly Green Giant, but its used only for sea transport. Just as I set it down, the tail rotor spun off. Under enemy fire this nimble machine had to fly low to the ground, just above the jungle canopy. The unrefueled range of the AH-6 is 250 nautical miles. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. Has a mouth full of pointy teeth and a pair of eyes. Book A Flight | Despite having been designed for anti-submarine combat, the Gyrodyne QH-50 was mostly used for conducting reconnaissance of enemy vessels in the Vietnam war, instead of actual combat. The type was born from the US Army Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program (which provided its "Loach" nickname) and ultimately proved an excellent helicopter system seeing only limited service in the inventories of several American allies worldwide. Kane and Casher were pulled aboard and returned to Khe Sanh, but the Huey barely made it back; slicing trees had left its blades shredded, and the tail section had almost separated. The shelf life of a scout pilot was probably six months. 2 M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pods In 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. Cobras rolled in and blew the downed aircraft uptaking with it about 15 bad guys standing around it.. The Loach also had its own gunner in the rear and could carry everything from 7.62mm miniguns to 70mm rockets and anti-tank missiles. The aircraft, dubbed 500P (penetrator) by Hughes, began as an ARPA project, codenamed "Mainstreet", in 1968. This story is a selection from the September issue of Air & Space magazine, Donald Porter We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. To hunt for encampments, bunkers, or other signs of the enemy, commanders would deploy a flight of one scouting Loach and one supporting Cobra, called Pink Teams. [18] Subsequently, on 6 April 1966, Robert Ferry set the long distance world record for helicopters by flying from Culver City, California, with over a ton of fuel to Ormond Beach, Florida, covering a total of 1,923.08 nm (2,213.04mi, 3,561.55km) in 15 hours, and near the finish at up to 24,000 feet (7,300m) altitude. The Incident - CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website US Army Loach OH-6 Helicopter Vietnam War Era - YouTube 10 Types of Helicopters in Vietnam (Vietnam Era Helicopters) - Aero Corner The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light helicopter with a single engine and a four-bladed main rotor. The North Vietnamese deployed hundreds of the missiles, and from then on, both hunter and killer tried to stay well hidden. It was mostly used to transport troops and cargo during the Vietnam war. Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. But the Army decided that it would be more prudent to keep the unit in order to be prepared for future contingencies. AH-1G Huey Cobra 'Snake' . Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program, The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. [22], It became common for OH-6s to operate in teams with other rotorcraft, particularly the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. The UH-1B/C was used sparingly during the Vietnam War. Cobras generally attacked with rockets, preferred for long-range accuracy, switching to the less-accurate chin-mounted machine gun and grenade launcher only if they were far enough away from friendly troops or if the rocketsAH-1s could carry as many as 76 rocketsran out. Required fields are marked *. Total flight hours at this point: 00000496 The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. Within that same year, help was on the way. Contact | The OH-6A Cayuse fulfilled this role and became known as the Little Bird. The pilots tasked with operating the choppers were selected from the 229th Attack Helicopter Battalion. They were famous for being shot down or crashing in combat. Loach and Cobra crews lived together, and schedulers generally paired the teams with the partners they requested, though given the high turnover rate, that wasnt always possible. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. The LOH program opened the floor to several companies to come up with their own designs. Mills, who served two tours in Loaches and one in Cobras, was shot down 16 timesall but once in OH-6s. During the Vietnam War, it was mostly deployed for aerial combat and for conducting rescue operations in areas close to US Air bases. In one particular clandestine incident in 1972, known as the Vinh wiretap, a pair of OH-6As were heavily modified and used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) via Air America was used to infiltrate Vietnamese high level communications, providing valuable intelligence. 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) The Bell OH-58 Kiowa was an entire line of military helicopters with a single engine and a single rotor. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (nicknamed "Loach", after the requirement acronym LOHLight Observation Helicopter) is a single-engine light helicopter with a four-bladed main rotor used for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. 24 Helicopters Used in Vietnam (And Their Purpose) But the Hueys proved too slow to do the job properly, and the need to replace both scouts and protectors was immediately evident. [24][25] As to indicate the position of concealed enemy ground forces, the observer in the OH-6 would mark the spot using a smoke grenade, assisting other units in effectively firing upon them. We were about ready to call in tactical air support to blow up the wrecked ship when another Cobra took a lot of fire. During the Vietnam War Era, different types of helicopters were crucial for providing support for ground forces, scouting locations, and deploying or retrieving soldiers. Loach crews were equipped with small arms and returned fire as they fled. [4] The prototypes were delivered to the U.S. Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where they competed against the other ten prototype aircraft produced by Bell and Fairchild-Hiller. Though Cobra pilots were trained Stateside, most Loach pilots didnt take control of OH-6s until arriving in Vietnam. During 1964, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a memorandum directing that all U.S. Army fixed-wing aircraft be transferred to the U.S. Air Force, while the U.S. Army transitioned to solely operating rotor-wing aircraft. [2] This shaping, combined with the provision of internal bulkheads, has been attributed as giving the rotorcraft its uncommonly strong crashworthiness properties. The Loach could be terrifying since it was often used with the AH-1 Cobra in hunter-killer missions, where the Loach would go out and find the enemy positions and the Cobra would go in for the kill with rocket, grenade, and minigun fire. The following two-week mission was to Yuma for night operation training. A "Loach" (Helicopter) Scout in IV Corps, South Vietnam, 1968-1969 It was powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen. Her research focused on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history with a focus on childhood diseases. So I engaged the enemy, but didnt make it out of that one. Due to its designation LOH (Light Observation Helicopter), pilots and crew nicknamed this helicopter LOACH. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. Hughes Tool Company, Aircraft Division - USA, (View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers), Dominican Republic; Denmark; Japan; Spain; Taiwan; United States, (OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable), Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout, X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator), (Showcased structural values pertain to the base Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (Loach) production variant), RANGES (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hi-Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: >19030, (Showcased performance specifications pertain to the. The Mil Mi-4 was a Soviet transport chopper used both for civilian and military purposes. The Cayuse . Unit: 173 ABN The United States deployed all types of helicopter, ranging from massive troop transport choppers, to smaller multipurpose and attack helicopters, and even helicopter drones. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. It was mostly used as a transport chopper, but it could also deliver supplies to troops. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder! Fortunate son intensifies : r/memes - reddit Most of our engagements [we] were 25 to 50 feet [away] when we opened up on [the Viet Cong], Mills continues. They would then call in scouts on the ground or infantrymen to hunt for the enemy in the brush while attack helicopters protected everyone. Unit: DIR SUP / TRAN Find Us on Facebook, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC). loach | My Vietnam Experience Disclaimer Photographs Vietnam War helicopter pilots bring stories and aircraft to Kansas These hunter-killer missions, among the most hazardous of the Vietnam War, tested the resolve of the OH-6 pilots and the aerial observers sitting beside them. Worthy, the OH-6 Loach and two other air scout helicopter pilots, all decorated, were in Topeka on Saturday night for an event at Forbes Field Airport designed to increase interest and. MD-500MD/Scout and TOW Defender: Improved military version of the model 500 with 5 main rotor blades, 375-shp Allison 250-C20B turboshaft engine, and T-tail. The Army officially adopted the Bell OH-58 Kiowa in 1969. . Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . On the night of 5-6 December 1972, the remaining helicopter deployed a wiretap near Vinh, Vietnam; useful information provided from this wiretap was acted on by the United States on several occasions, such as during the Linebacker II campaign and Paris Peace Talks. [6], During May 1965, the U.S. Army awarded a production contract to Hughes; this initial order for 714 rotorcraft was subsequently increased to 1,300 along with an option for another 114. The Cayuse was Hughes' longest-running helicopter program and, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month.
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