In 1965, the concept of helicopter-borne fighting forces was still new and largely untested, and units in Vietnam invented tactics on the spot. The campaign included the first major use in the war of Soviet-built, shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles. This teamwork was actively encouraged by Army officials, and led to the development of so-called "hunter-killer" tactics that sought to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets. We thought they were ARVNs [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] until they started running. The Loach helicopter was pitted against what was then known as the Bell Model 206. The armed OH-6s from Fort Rucker joined the training program in the fall of 1980.[30]. The US Army charged Hughes for 714 units with the serial production contract formally announced in May of 1965. The Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. Although most combat aircraft in Vietnam aimed for altitudes and speeds that helped them avoid anti-aircraft weapons, U.S. Army crews flying Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopters flew low and drew fireto set up the shots for the Bell AH-1G Cobras circling above. A Troop, 7th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Aug 70 Feb 72 I still have scars on my legsit was terrifying. 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. As of 2021, these records still stand. Hughes's price was $19,860 per airframe, without the engine, while Hiller's price was $29,415 per airframe, also without the engine. It was the same for Jim. The OH-6 was largely removed from active U.S. Army service in favor of the Kiowa, but modified versions of the helicopter flew with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as the MH-6C Little Bird as late as 2008. Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. Jim was unconscious when I helped pull him out of the burning aircraft.. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a revolutionary rotorcraft operated during the Vietnam War. [22][23] Prior to the arrival of the AH-1, "hunter-killer" teams often relied on the firepower from armed models of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois utility helicopter. 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. History | Contact | [22] All American rotorcraft in the theatre had to be operated more cautiously following this development. OH-6A/Cayuse: Developed initially by the Hughes Aircraft company (later McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company) in the mid-1960s for the US Army. They chose the OH-6A scout helicopter to fill that role, and it became known as the Little Bird compared to the other aircraft in the task force, the MH-60 and the MH-47. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. 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. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) A shaft ran to the tail and powered the two-blade rotor at the back. One time we ran into hundreds of enemy troops. Nate Shaffer and Bruce Campbell at their assigned positions. Within that same year, help was on the way. It was deemed, based on Hughes' estimates, his units would be most cost effective in the long run. 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. 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. City of Walnut Creek Special Recreation Museum Tour October 26, 2019, United Airlines Family Day Fly-in October 13, 2019, Napa County Airport Day September 7, 2019, Virginia Rose II Cobra transferred to Vietnam Helicopters Museum August 14, 2019, Memorial Day 2019 Ceremonies at Oak Hill Memorial Park & Cemetery. Reportedly, 964 out of the 1,422 OH-6As produced for the US Army were destroyed in the Vietnam theatre, the majority of these losses being a result of hostile action, typically ground fire. The OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. Improved versions were issued through the war and included pockets on the chest and back in which large additional plates could be inserted. While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0020 feet and 050 knots. It was mostly used as a transport chopper, but it could also deliver supplies to troops. It was pretty hairy, and we got the hell out of there. But Boucher got a rush from the missions, and stayed six months beyond what was required of a draftee. 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. For this, a small rotorcraft capable of landing in restrictive locations and easily transportable via US Air Force transport aircraft was necessary. 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. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. The OH-6A Cayuse was quite effective when teamed with the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter as part of what were known as Pink Teams. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. In air mobile teams, a pilot would fly low while an observer would scan the ground for signs of the enemy force. Hughes 500M: Military export version of OH-6 in mid-1970s with upgraded 278-shp Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine, "V" tail. 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. 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. A recontoured nose allowed for greater leg and head room. [14][15], During 1966, the OH-1 entered service with the U.S. Army. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. After around 10 hours at the controls of a Loach, the pilots were deemed worthy of flying in combat. The architects of the task force identified the need for a small helicopter to land in the most restrictive locations and that was also easily transported on Air Force transport aircraft. They were employed in hunter-killer tactics, wherein they flew low over the jungle as bait to draw enemy fire. Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . 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. When the training was completed, C-141 Starlifter airlifters transported both rotorcraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two weeks of mission training. The Korean War proved the necessity for such rotorcraft, particularly in regard to search and rescue operations. contact us here and we will remove the This story is a selection from the September issue of Air & Space magazine, Donald Porter The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. While barely any American helicopters served in World War II and few flew in Korea, Vietnam was a proving ground for many airframes everything from the venerable Huey to Chinooks sporting huge guns. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. The OH-6A Loach (for "LOH") would find targets by flying low, "trolling for fire", then marking the target with colored smoke to lead in a Cobra, or Snake, to attack. (Scouts were known as White Teams and Cobras as Red; the two colors combine to become pink. Up against Fairchild Hiller, Hughes Tool Company purposely undervalued its cost estimates, earning the company favor and the contract. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder! Primarily, it was used by the Marine Corp to transport personnel and cargo. Hughes Model OH-6A "Cayuse" or "LOACH". [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. By the end of the war, the Loachs replacement was imminent. The Hughes (Model 500M) international military version was sold in ten countries and built under license in Italy and Japan. It later turned out that Howard Hughes purposely undervalued his estimate and deceptively won out against Fairchild-Hiller - his reasoning being that a long-term US Army commitment to his helicopter would, over time, make the deal profitable at some point. and Images on this page are gathered from various sources. s/n 67-16304 In addition, an M60D 7.62mm machine gun could be mounted in the front port (left) or rear starboard (right) door openings. The Mil Mi-8 was developed in the later stage of the Vietnam War to counter the Bell Huey UH1. SA-7 Grail heat-seeking missiles could down a Loach before its crew even realized they were under fire. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Logan Nye Updated December 07, 2022 09:30:25 While barely any American helicopters served in World War II and few flew in Korea, Vietnam was a proving ground for many airframes everything from the venerable Huey to Chinooks sporting huge guns. 13456, "History of Rotorcraft World Records, List of records established by the 'YOH-6A'. 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. The OH-6A replaced the Korean era OH-13 Sioux and OH-23 Raven light observation helicopters. US Army Loach OH-6 Helicopter Vietnam War Era Steve1958OR 242 subscribers 14K views 9 years ago A friend came by today with his Vietnam war era Hughs OH-6 Loach helicopter. The OH-6A would find targets by flying low, trolling for fire, and lead in a Cobra, or Snake, to attack. 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). As a separate part of the project, armed OH-6As were being developed at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Ive seen them, whites of the eyes, and theyve seen me, whites of the eyes. Light Attack Helicopters 3. [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. Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Cobras, nicknamed Snakes, flew circles 1,500 feet above the scouts, waiting to pounce on whatever the Loach found. The back plate was often not used owing to the weight, and even the chest plate was deleted. It could accomplish missions that bigger, slower and louder helicopters couldnt do. The Cayuse (white) was used alongside the AH-1 Cobra (red) attack helicopters, forming (pink) hunter killer teams. The Gyrodyne QH-50 was mostly designed to be used on ships that werent large enough to carry a full-sized helicopter. The OH-6A was powered by a single Allison T63-A-5A 285 shp turboshaft engine, and had a cruising speed of 144 mph (125 knots). [26], During 1972, a pair of heavily modified OH-6As were utilized by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) via Air America for a covert wire-tapping mission. Setting 23 world records for speed, distance, and altitude, the Hughes Tool Company OH-6 entered service in September of 1966. Two of these designs, those submitted by Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, were selected as finalists by the Army-Navy design competition board. 2 M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pods It was used prolifically because of its unique hovering abilities. As the H-13s were phased out, Loaches were paired with Cobra gunships. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. Its first overseas deployment, as well as into frontline combat, was the Vietnam War. 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. In some areas, Purple Teamsone Loach and two Cobraswere also common, as were other variations.) In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. I was wounded three times and shot down nine times, Romero reports. Table of Contents 1. OA-6A 'Loach' Scout platoon. During the Vietnam War, it was mostly deployed for aerial combat and for conducting rescue operations in areas close to US Air bases. Typically missions were flown during the daylight, starting at dawn; common roles included the clearance of landing zones and general intelligence/observation flights. But the Hueys proved too slow to do the job properly, and the need to replace both scouts and protectors was immediately evident. The AH-1 is sometimes affectionately referred to as the Huey Cobra or The Snake. However, the U.S. Army subsequently chose to include Hughes's Model 369 for further consideration as well. 2 MK19 40-mm grenade launcher The shelf life of a scout pilot was probably six months. Total flight hours at this point: 00000265 article/image or apply full credit information. Upon encountering enemy fire, Loaches were to leave immediately, dropping smoke grenades to mark the target so that within seconds, the Cobra could roll in. 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. Towards the end of the conflict, the replacement of the OH-6 by the Bell OH-58 Kiowa was imminent across nearly all US Army units. Furthermore, a number of civilian customers also flew Kawasaki-built OH-6s for a variety of missions, including emergency medical services (EMS), law enforcement, and agricultural work. The Mil Mi-8 is a Soviet medium twin-turbine helicopter. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Radiomen in the Vietnam War faced a 5-second life expectancy 5 cringeworthy military slang terms (that we should actually retire) From nursing to newspapers, these were the women of Vietnam During the Vietnam War the OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. FAQ | The killer role persists. Helicopter took 1 hits from: MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. See his memoir Warpath: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/60299643-warpath Posted as part of the \"War \u0026 Life: Discussions with Veterans\" project. In January 1968 PFC Richard Toops went on to Infantry OCS at Ft. Benning, Ga. graduating in September 1968. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . Fitted with 1x 253-shp Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft, 4 bladed main rotor, and an offset "V" tail. 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. In 1961, twelve companies submitted proposals to meet U.S.Army requirements for a four-seat turbine-powered light observation helicopter (LOH). The Sea Stallion is a variant of the Jolly Green Giant, but its used only for sea transport. 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. Donald Porter served in Vietnam with the helicopters he writes about. Sensing its growing battlefield requirements, the US Army then raised the production ceiling to 1,300 units in all. The Model 369 had a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that had strong crashworthiness properties and provided excellent external visibility. The Sea Stallion is a line of heavy-lift transport helicopters. The prototype first flew in early 1963, and production began two years later. Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program, The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. 79th Transportation Company: Jun 70 Jul 70 Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. 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. Due to its designation LOH (Light Observation Helicopter), pilots and crew nicknamed this helicopter LOACH. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. Advertising Notice Four troop-carrying Hueys (called a Blue Team) often sat idle somewhere nearby, ready to insert troops if the Pink Team discovered an interesting targetor were shot down and needed rescuing. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. s/n 66-07841. The Mojave is a large heavy-lift helicopter that was deployed in the Vietnam War in 1965 to assist in recovery of downed US aircraft, but it proved ineffective. On March 3, 2023, at a White House ceremony, retired Army Colonel Paris Davis received the Medal of Honor. In the Vietnam War, these choppers were used to recover downed aircraft. Several Kawasaki-built Loach helicopters were also flown by civilian customers for a variety of reasons, including emergency medical services, law enforcement tasks and for work in the agricultural sector. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. Following a contentious selection process that included allegations of industrial espionage and political favoritism, the first Hughes OH-6A observation helicopters arrived in Vietnam in December 1967. to voice a complaint about any articles or image on this website, please [10][self-published source][11], Due to price escalations for both the OH-6 and spare components, the U.S. Army opted to reopen bids for the programme in 1967. 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. 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. Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. 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. It never flew again. Another such gunner was 19-year-old Joel Boucher, drafted and sent to Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. The "OH-6C" was the creation of the Maintenance Section of The Real Cav, B Troop 7/17th Air Cavalry Squadron, which was stationed near Pleiku in early 1972. Operation Honey Badger was canceled after the hostages were released on 20 January 1981, and for a short while, it looked as if the task force would be disbanded and the personnel returned to their former units. The OH-6A could be armed with the M27 armament subsystem, the port (left) side mounting M134 six-barrel 7.62mm minigun or a 40mm grenade launcher on the XM8 armament subsystem. On the night of 56 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. Reportedly, 964 out of the 1,422 OH-6As produced for the U.S. Army were destroyed in Vietnam alone. [5] Accordingly, the bidding for the LOH contract came down to Fairchild-Hiller and Hughes. This simple design made maintenance easy, while the choppers 26-foot rotor made it much easier to maneuver in tight landing zones. The Army requested 714 helicopters in May 1965, a number that was later increased to 1,300. The Raven was used as a scouting helicopter during the early phases of the war, before it was eventually replaced by the Cayuse in early 1986. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. [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. I was used to getting up close and personal with the enemy.. 2 M75 40-mm grenade launchers EH-6B, a previous version of the Little Bird, was used for command, control and radio relay. They were famous for being shot down or crashing in combat. The enemy was moving toward us when a [command and control] ship picked us up. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. See Also: How Much Does a Huey Helicopter Cost? In order to reduce their acoustic signature, the helicopters (N351X and N352X) received a four-blade 'scissors' style tail rotor (later incorporated into the Hughes-designed AH-64 Apache), a fifth rotor blade and reshaped rotor tips, a modified exhaust system, and various other performance boosting modifications. 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 U.S. Army began to use Bell OH-13 Sioux and Hiller OH-23 Raven helicopters, once artillery spotters, to scout ahead of UH-1D Huey formations in the moments before air assaults to gather information about landing zones and enemy locations. Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 It was also the right size to fit the necessary avionics and fuel stores, all while keeping the structure nimble and agile. 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 CH-34 Choctaw was developed by Sikorsky Aircraft for transport purposes to carry personnel and deliver supplies. Stanley Hiller complained to the U.S. Army that Hughes had used unethical procedures; therefore, the Army opened the contract for rebidding by all parties. The Huskie was used by the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps. which many are taken will be available from our shop to Operation Honey Badger never went ahead, as the hostages were released in January 1981. The SeaCobra was a twin-engine attack helicopter that was developed from the single-engine AH-1 Cobra helicopter. 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. Today, the Little Birds in use by special operations are MH-6Ms derived from a similar but more powerful helicopter. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. The high-low hunter-killer combination gave way to uniform-altitude missions, with all helicopters flying nap of the earth. History. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. 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. Despite its strong offensive abilities, the SH-2 Seasprite was mostly used for rescuing downed friendly aircrews instead of direct combat. [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. It had to do with the timbre of your voicehow you talked to other guys on the radio, says Romero, who arrived in Vietnam in 1970, initially as a Huey co-pilot. During the Vietnam War Era, different types of helicopters were crucial for providing support for ground forces, scouting locations, and deploying or retrieving soldiers. We got hit by incendiary .51-caliber rounds, and the phosphorus ignited the Cobras hydraulic fluid. On top of this, Fairchild Hiller lodged a formal complaint over Hughes Tool Companys deceitful tactics to earn the original contract.
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