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Armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch FFAR, it provides armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. All Rights Reserved. The 1-245th AVN BN enlisted 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 aircraft. The AH-1J SeaCobra was used later in the later stages of the Vietnam war. Hughes, without informing Real, raised the bid by $3,000, and thus lost the contract to Bell. 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. You were killed, shot down, or got scared and quit. The "loach" was the LOH (Light Observation Helicopter) or OH-6A. Just as I set it down, the tail rotor spun off. We thought they were ARVNs [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] until they started running. This chopper is mostly known for having been used to spot enemy artillery. The Army requested 714 helicopters in May 1965, a number that was later increased to 1,300. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 The Bell OH-58 Kiowa was an entire line of military helicopters with a single engine and a single rotor. These choppers were modified for combat rescue missions and had self-sealing fuel tanks, rescue hoist, and in-flight refueling abilities. Required fields are marked *. We were combat trackers, says Mills. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. 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. I was used to getting up close and personal with the enemy.. (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) It had no hydraulic system and its electrical setup was used primarily to start up the enginesimple even by 1960s standards, which for practical purposes meant it was easier to maintain and harder to shoot down than other helicopters. Donald Porter September 2017 Pilot Clyde. 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. To counter the US, the Vietnamese employed their helicopter fleets of mostly Soviet-made aircraft. Primarily, it was used by the Marine Corp to transport personnel and cargo. Optional and variable (attack and special forces versions only). With US Army evaluations of each prototype ongoing, the underpowered Bell offering was formally dropped from contention and the US Army decision favored the Hughes design over the Fairchild-Hiller. Read the harrowing story of what happened on that tragic mission. During the Vietnam War, it was exclusively used by North Vietnam for reconnaissance and VIP transport. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. Army troops called the OH-6As Loaches, a contraction of light observation helicopters. The ship was unusually light and had plenty of power, perfect for flying nap-of-the-earth missions, and its 26-foot-diameter main rotor made getting into tight landing zones a snap. 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. [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. It was powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. Vietnams mountainous terrain stressed the underpowered, obsolete helicopters to their limits: They could neither fly fast enough to escape enemy fire nor carry enough armament to pose a meaningful threat. Under enemy fire this nimble machine had to fly low to the ground, just above the jungle canopy. It was used to look for and find the VC/NVA troops in Vietnam. [22] The remaining H-13s were promptly withdrawn in favour of the OH-6s. The North Vietnamese deployed hundreds of the missiles, and from then on, both hunter and killer tried to stay well hidden. USNTPS plans to retain the aircraft indefinitely and continue to improve the safety, reliability, and usefulness of the aircraft in the test pilot training role. I tried to move the stuck controls and prayed for a place to set down. It took all of Kanes strength to pull out of a steep dive, and they crash-landed with a horrific thud. In this theatre, it was commonly operated in teams with other rotorcraft, such as the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, using so-called "hunter-killer" tactics to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets; the OH-6 would act as bait to draw enemy fire and mark targets for other platforms such as the AH-1 to attack. The Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) (formerly Hughes model 369A) OH-6A was designed for use as a military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the US Army's need for an extremely maneuverable light observation helicopter. While Hiller did not participate in the rebidding, Bell opted to, submitting their redesigned Model 206. Moore served as an Army OH-6A Loach scout in IV Corps, South Vietnam, 1968-1969: Fort Apache, Vihn Long Province. Despite a strong outcry from crews in Vietnam, the Bell OH-58A Kiowa, powered by the same Allison T-63 engine as the OH-6, was being distributed to Army units. ", 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. This helicopter was UNK Unfortunately, the weight of the armament kept the little bird from taking off. [2] The pilot was provisioned with excellent external visibility via its large plexiglass windscreen, while its four-bladed fully-articulated main rotor meant it was considerably more agile than the preceding H-13 Sioux. OH-6A Cayuse ('Loach') The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. The Model 369 was submitted by Hughes, and competed against the two finalists, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, for a production contract. Warrant officer John Shafer was 21 when he arrived on October 16, 1970, to fly Loaches. From the rear cockpit, the pilot fired rockets from launchers fixed to the stub wings on either side; the copilot in the front operated a chin turret that held a minigun and grenade launcher. The 1-245 modified infantry night vision goggles and worked to develop the necessary skills for rapid deployment with Little Birds and C-130s.[31]. The OH-6 Cayuse, by this point known as the Loach helicopter, made its way to Vietnam in December 1967. More from us: The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. Date: 02/08/1969 A.J. a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 45-4703737We Fly for Our Veterans!. Upon returning to the United States, he established a career in the construction industry and settled in rural Sierra City, California. Cobras, nicknamed Snakes, flew circles 1,500 feet above the scouts, waiting to pounce on whatever the Loach found. The killer role persists. Sensing its growing battlefield requirements, the US Army then raised the production ceiling to 1,300 units in all. 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. "Pink teams" of scout and attack helicopters, such as OH-6 "Loach" or OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopters and the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter during the Vietnam War; In anti-submarine warfare an Maritime patrol aircraft may be employed as "hunter", with surface ships such as destroyers as killers. Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. In 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. OH-6A/MD-530F Super Cayuse/Lifter: Upgraded engine to a 425-shp Allison 250- C30 turboshaft, and avionics in 1988 for the US Army. 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. 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. ). Accordingly, the U.S. Army's fixed-wing airplane, the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, which was utilized for artillery observation and reconnaissance flights, would be replaced by the incoming OH-6A. He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to. The Gyrodyne QH-50 was mostly designed to be used on ships that werent large enough to carry a full-sized helicopter. The Cayuse (white) was used alongside the AH-1 Cobra (red) attack helicopters, forming (pink) hunter killer teams. AH-1G Huey Cobra 'Snake' . SA-7 Grail heat-seeking missiles could down a Loach before its crew even realized they were under fire. 2 .50 cal MG pods The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 The AH-1 is sometimes affectionately referred to as the Huey Cobra or The Snake. The Gyrodyne company built the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) to combat submarines from a distance. The observers and gunners had even less experience. It was also the right size to fit the necessary avionics and fuel stores, all while keeping the structure nimble and agile. 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. 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. 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. 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. I went up in a Loach with an M60 machine gun to get used to firing the weapon. While Loachs were vulnerable to enemy fire, they were famous for surviving crashes like John did. Cobra Gunship, Huey and Loach OH-6 Members of C Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry dedicated an OH-6 Loach Scout helicopter flown by their unit during the Vietnam War Total flight hours at this point: 00000496 It is 1/6th scale and very large, has to be at least 3 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip. which many are taken will be available from our shop to [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. Loach crews regularly walked away from crashes that would doom others. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light helicopter with a single engine and a four-bladed main rotor. As of 2021, these records still stand. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. I still have scars on my legsit was terrifying. They underwent two weeks of qualification training and an additional two weeks of mission training. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. 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. Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 The UH-1B/C was used sparingly during the Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War Era, different types of helicopters were crucial for providing support for ground forces, scouting locations, and deploying or retrieving soldiers. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. 79th Transportation Company: Jun 70 Jul 70 Samantha Franco is a Freelance Content Writer who received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Guelph, and her Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Western Ontario. The Hughes OH-6 "Cayuse" (popularly recognized as the "Loach") was a revolutionary light helicopter mount primarily in service with the United States Army and saw combat service during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). Operation Honey Badger never went ahead, as the hostages were released in January 1981. In response, a task force was developed originally designated Task Force 158 for the next attempt to rescue the hostages, Operation Honey Badger. Provision for packaged armament on port side, including an XM-27 7.62mm (0.300in) machine-gun with 2,000 - 4,000 rounds of ammunition; or an XM-75 grenade launcher, Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and Task Force 160, List of military aircraft of the United States, Hearings on military posture and H.R. Another flight competition was held, this time without a submission from Fairchild Hiller. Aircraft took off, fully flight capable. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Russian soldiers calls back home reveal horrifying experiences in Ukraine, broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen, could carry everything from 7.62mm miniguns to 70mm rockets and anti-tank missiles, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times, modified versions of the helicopter flew with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as the MH-6C Little Bird as late as 2008, 29 of the best politically incorrect Vietnam War slang terms. The Loach's main role was reconnaisance and observation. Unknown as to mission impact. Late in the war, the HH-43 was also deployed for short overland search and rescue missions. 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. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. It was mostly used to transport troops and cargo during the Vietnam war. An inventive Bell Helicopter engineer was already at work on the worlds first attack helicopter, and Bells decision to keep the project hidden until complete let the model slip into service as a Huey derivative (see The Birth of the Cobra, Aug. 2017). Your email address will not be published. As a separate part of the project, armed OH-6As were being developed at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Upon landing, an inspection revealed a damaged pitch link, a rotor head component so critical that had it failed, they too would have crashed. The Bell UH-1B/C was modified from the UH-1A Cobra to include a set of machine guns for attacking ground targets. It had a distinct teardrop-shaped fuselage, which made it instantly recognizable, and a cockpit for two crew members, along with two removable seats in the passenger cabin. The guidance systems on newer attack helicoptersoften working with or even controlling the cameras of reconnaissance droneshave relegated to history the hunter role in the hunter-killer missions. Cookie Policy For most of the war, there was no formal Army training to prepare scout pilots and observers. I spent more time with them., Kids Start Forgetting Early Childhood Around Age 7, Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar, Artificial Sweetener Tied to Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds, 5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq, The Surprisingly Scientific Roots of Monkey Bars. Hughes Tool Company Aircraft Division submitted their Model 369 to fill a US Army requirement for a Light Observation Helicopter capable of performing a number of secondary duties including escort, attack and casualty evacuation duties. Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. 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. Krausz was ordered to Vietnam in April 1971, and today teaches Army students how to fly the Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota, a twin-engine trainer. I have come home with blood on my windshield. 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. Nate Shaffer and Bruce Campbell at their assigned positions. MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures.

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