On March 3, 2023, at a White House ceremony, retired Army Colonel Paris Davis received the Medal of Honor. During the Vietnam War the OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. 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). It was used prolifically because of its unique hovering abilities. [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. Despite its strong offensive abilities, the SH-2 Seasprite was mostly used for rescuing downed friendly aircrews instead of direct combat. 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. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close The observers and gunners had even less experience. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. [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. Each time we went out, we got shot at. The OH-6 Cayuse was built with a rugged structure covered in light aluminum. Moore served as an Army OH-6A "Loach" scout in IV Corps, South Vietnam, 1968-1969: Fort Apache, Vihn Long Province. I still have scars on my legsit was terrifying. If the OH-6 came under fire, the nearby Cobra would then strike at the revealed enemy. Modifications were also made to the rotor assembly by way of a five blade main rotor which increased stability. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. They were employed in hunter-killer tactics, wherein they flew low over the jungle as bait to draw enemy fire. 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. Upon landing, an inspection revealed a damaged pitch link, a rotor head component so critical that had it failed, they too would have crashed. I had another lead that went through 150 feet of trees, and they survived., Shafer himself had brushes with disaster, and his luck nearly ran out on a mission west of Dak To, near the border with Laos. Overtop of the fuselage was the OH-6s single engine, attached to a four-blade main rotor assembly. Armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch FFAR, it provides armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. The Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Donald Porter served in Vietnam with the helicopters he writes about. The Army officially adopted the Bell OH-58 Kiowa in 1969. Its four-bladed full-articulated main rotor made it particularly agile, and it was suitable for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. 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 Cayuse could absorb an extensive amount of small arms fire and still bring the crew home safely. 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. Infantrymen would also launch an assault from the ground. The first Loach arrived in Vietnam in 1966, and a total of 1,434 of the primary . Despite Being Prone to Crashing, the Loach Helicopter Was Favored By [19][20][21], In December 1967, the first OH-6As arrived in Vietnam. . 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). After evaluation, three designs were selected and 5 of each: the Bell OH-4A; the Hiller OH-5 and the Hughes OH-6, were ordered for trials by the U.S.Army Aviation Board. In response, a task force was developed originally designated Task Force 158 for the next attempt to rescue the hostages, Operation Honey Badger. 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. The US Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) trains and graduates qualified engineering test pilots, flight test officers, and flight test engineers to conduct test and evaluation (T & E) at the Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) Patuxent River Maryland and other activities. A sobering statistic: Out of 1,419 Loaches built, 842 were destroyed in Vietnam, most shot down and many others succumbing to crashes resulting from low-level flying. Its formal name is derived from the Cayuse people while its "Loach" nickname comes from the acronym for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) programme that it was procured under. They were famous for being shot down or crashing in combat. The Loach-derived MD-500 and other civilian variants still roll off the assembly lines at MD Helicopters, Inc., while Boeing produces an upgraded variant, the AH-6 Little Bird, for military forces (including an autonomous drone version). A recontoured nose allowed for greater leg and head room. The Seasprite was an anti-submarine and anti-surface helicopter that had over-the-horizon targeting facilities. Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program, The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. This simple design made maintenance easy, while the choppers 26-foot rotor made it much easier to maneuver in tight landing zones. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. ", 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. While they were circling the wreckage, enemy rounds hit their ship. Advertising Notice While Hiller did not participate in the rebidding, Bell opted to, submitting their redesigned Model 206. Thats why the majority of pilots who served in Vietnam shared the opinion that, if you were going to crash, it was best to do it in a Loach. The Cayuse was organic to division, brigade, and battalion size units. 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. 60th Assault Helicopter Company: Mar 72 Jun 72, Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 But the light aluminum skin could be easily pierced by rifle bullets, and it also crumpled and absorbed energy in a crash, and a strong structural truss protected critical systemslike the people inside. A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. [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. 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 operated from fixed bases that were islands, if you will, of allied control, says Hugh Mills, who flew both Loaches and Cobras in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972, and went on to fly helicopters for the Kansas City Police Department. 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. We flew down along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, he says of the supply route that wound through Vietnam and neighboring Laos and Cambodia. Nate Shaffer has restored a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopter. 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. 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. [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. In the end, Hughes lost its contract to Bell, who was deemed to have the superior design. Heavy Attack Helicopters 2. Light Attack Helicopters 3. Jim was unconscious when I helped pull him out of the burning aircraft.. 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. In some areas, Purple Teamsone Loach and two Cobraswere also common, as were other variations.) FAQ | 605th transportation Company (Direct Support): Nov . To counter the US, the Vietnamese employed their helicopter fleets of mostly Soviet-made aircraft. One, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times. You can have all the guns, vests, and radios you want, but you need street smarts or youre going to be dead within an hour.. [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. The OH-6 was developed in response to the United States Army issuing Technical Specification 153 in 1960 to replace its Bell H-13 Sioux fleet. Armed with a 40mm grenade launcher in a nose turret, and two 19-tube 2.75 inch rocket launchers, the "OH-6C" was ready to take on anything. 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. 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. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. 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. [14][15], During 1966, the OH-1 entered service with the U.S. Army. If you would like Optional and variable (attack and special forces versions only). On 1 October 1986, to help meet the increasing demands for support, the 1-245th Aviation Battalion from the Oklahoma National Guard, which had 25 AH-6 and 23 UH-1 helicopters, was placed under the operational control of the 160th. While successful in this respect, the Loach helicopter also had a reputation for being easily gunned down. The hunter-killer tactic worked well for a few years, but by the time the United States left Vietnam, it was obsolete, says Mills. Kawasaki Heavy Industries produced 387 OH-6D Cayuses under license in Japan. The Sea Stallion is a variant of the Jolly Green Giant, but its used only for sea transport. Both the Pilot and Observer/Gunner positions were equipped with carbon fiber side panels and seats. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. An author of aviation books, his latest is Howards Whirlybirds. 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. 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. I was wounded three times and shot down nine times, Romero reports. OH-58 "Kiowa" light observation / scout platform. This eventually gave way to the loach nickname, and was intended to provide the US military with a light-class, rotary-wing craft that could fulfill a number of purposes: search and rescue, close air support, MEDEVAC, observation, transport, reconnaissance and attack roles. [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. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse Light Observation Helicopter - MILITARY TODAY to voice a complaint about any articles or image on this website, please Hughes is reported to have told his confidant, Jack Real, that he lost over $100 million to construct 1,370 airframes. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. You were right in the enemys face with a helicopter and had to know what you were doing, recalls warrant officer Clyde Romero of his 1,100 hours flying scout missions over South Vietnam in 1971. 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. Armament The small-arms protection aircrewmen armor that was introduced in 1966 was a vest with pockets containing composite laminated plates commonly called chicken plates. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work. MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. Late in the war, the HH-43 was also deployed for short overland search and rescue missions. 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. 2 Stinger AAM. The Gyrodyne company built the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) to combat submarines from a distance. 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. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. One time we ran into hundreds of enemy troops. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a revolutionary rotorcraft operated during the Vietnam War. Despite Being Prone to Crashing, the Loach Helicopter Was Favored By 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. Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . The AH-1J SeaCobra was used later in the later stages of the Vietnam war. Ultimate Soldier Air Cavalry OH-6 "Loach" Helicopter 1/6 Scale The Little Birds weaponry is a far cry from the M60 machine gun carried aboard a Loach in Vietnam: AH-6s can carry miniguns, rocket pods, grenade launchers, Hellfire missiles, and air-to-air Stinger missiles. 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. 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. Pilot sold separately. Click on the hotlinks for more information. Initially fielded in Vietnam in early 1968, the Hughes OH-6A was used for command and control, observation, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. Adopted after the company behind its design deceived the US Army, the Loach helicopter, as it was better known, fast became the primary chopper flown in Vietnam. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 Hughes bid $56,550 per airframe, while Bell bid $54,200. Army units this aircraft deployed with in Vietnam: It is 1/6th scale and very large, has to be at least 3 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip. About Us | They would then call in scouts on the ground or infantrymen to hunt for the enemy in the brush while attack helicopters protected everyone. The NVA [North Vietnamese army] was everywhere. (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) [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. The OH-6 Cayuse, by this point known as the Loach helicopter, made its way to Vietnam in December 1967. The Cobras high above had a few seconds of warningthey could spot the missiles exhaust plumebut were all the more tempting because at their higher altitudes they were more easily seen than the smaller Loaches. [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. [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. 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. Shop | The Cayuse was Hughes' longest-running helicopter program and, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. [22] The remaining H-13s were promptly withdrawn in favour of the OH-6s. 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. 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. The Cayuse had a single articulated four-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor, and a V-shaped tail. The Hughes (Model 500M) international military version was sold in ten countries and built under license in Italy and Japan. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. OH-6A Cayuse / AH-6J Little Bird - Military Aircraft In 1972, as U.S. troops slowly withdrew, the NVA began a major push that became known as the Easter Offensive. 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. Fitted with 1x 253-shp Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft, 4 bladed main rotor, and an offset "V" tail. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. 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). Its cockpit teems with electronics and sensors, and its stub wings are heavy with heat-seeking Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, laser-guided Hellfires, rockets (like those used in Vietnam), and even fuel-filled drop tanks. 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. Unfortunately, the weight of the armament kept the little bird from taking off. The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. 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. During the Vietnam war, the HH-43 Huskie was used for more rescue missions than all other aircraft combined. Read the harrowing story of what happened on that tragic mission. 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. 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. In the event of a crash the tailboom and engine separate from the egg-like . Vietnam War helicopter pilots bring stories and aircraft to Kansas Helicopter took 2 hits from: I was flying wing and just dropped into the AO [Area of Operations]. The Huey descended gingerly into a clearing smaller than its main rotor diameter, the aircrafts rotor blades chopping tree limbs as it descended. While its light aluminum skin could be easily penetrated by small arms fire, it also crumpled and absorbed energy in a crash while the rugged structure protected key systems and its crew; even though the OH-6 was relatively difficult to shoot down, its occupants would often survive forced landings that would have likely been fatal onboard other rotorcraft. 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. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. A Troop, 7th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Aug 70 Feb 72 which many are taken will be available from our shop to I spent more time with them.. Units in Vietnam began sending UH-1Bs outfitted with rocket pods and machine guns to circle over the scouts at around 600 feet and attack anything that might interfere with the imminent troop landing. Cobras rolled in and blew the downed aircraft uptaking with it about 15 bad guys standing around it.. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: 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. Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. The Vietnam War saw the extensive use of helicopters, though were mostly by the United States military. 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. Ive seen them, whites of the eyes, and theyve seen me, whites of the eyes. Loach and Cobra were in constant radio communication, and because of the intensity of hunter-killer missions, it wasnt long before pairs in each type knew each other well enough to anticipate the others moves. The North Vietnamese deployed hundreds of the missiles, and from then on, both hunter and killer tried to stay well hidden. They went down in the jungle, and both [members of the crew] survived. South Vietnam Troop C, 1st squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Oct 68 Jan 69 The US Army subsequently reopened the LOH program to engineering companies, offering a new contract for 2,700 additional airframes. Ace Cozzalio was among the most colorful characters of the Vietnam War. So I engaged the enemy, but didnt make it out of that one. The Bell UH-1B/C was modified from the UH-1A Cobra to include a set of machine guns for attacking ground targets. EH-6B, a previous version of the Little Bird, was used for command, control and radio relay. Jim Kanes Vietnam tour abruptly ended one day in February 1971. Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons.
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