Ive seen them, whites of the eyes, and theyve seen me, whites of the eyes. Click on the hotlinks for more information. The SeaCobra was a twin-engine attack helicopter that was developed from the single-engine AH-1 Cobra helicopter. The AH/MH Little Birds were lifted by a single C-5 Galaxy, and two C-130 Hercules, along with all support kits for the battalion. A Troop, 7th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Aug 70 Feb 72 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". When the Loach debuted in 1966, it broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, all important attributes for a scout helicopter. 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). It was a joy to fly. Kane, who today sells securities in Richmond, Virginia, flew AH-1s in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a revolutionary rotorcraft operated during the Vietnam War. The OH-6A could be armed with the M27 armament subsystem, the M134 six-barrel 7.62mm minigun or the M129 40mm grenade launcher on the XM8 armament subsystem. The Sea Stallion is a line of heavy-lift transport helicopters. The shelf life of a scout pilot was probably six months. In 1965, the concept of helicopter-borne fighting forces was still new and largely untested, and units in Vietnam invented tactics on the spot. That was about it.. 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. He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to him then and what it means to him now. Hughes 500M: Military export version of OH-6 in mid-1970s with upgraded 278-shp Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine, "V" tail. The Model 369 had a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that had strong crashworthiness properties and provided excellent external visibility. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. 2 M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pods The enemy was moving toward us when a [command and control] ship picked us up. Fitted with 1x 253-shp Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft, 4 bladed main rotor, and an offset "V" tail. A shaft ran to the tail and powered the two-blade rotor at the back. 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. By the end of the war, the Loachs replacement was imminent. They could also use grenades and on occasion even homebuilt explosives; more aggressive units mounted forward-firing miniguns. (Scouts were known as White Teams and Cobras as Red; the two colors combine to become pink. Cookie Policy In 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. See Also: How Much Does a Huey Helicopter Cost? Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . Anthony is our resident military expert who uses his experience to write about all aspects of flying in the military, including what it takes to become a pilot and serve your country. 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. Loach crews were equipped with small arms and returned fire as they fled. You were killed, shot down, or got scared and quit. Unfortunately, the weight of the armament kept the little bird from taking off. Another flight competition was held, this time without a submission from Fairchild Hiller. The US Army charged Hughes for 714 units with the serial production contract formally announced in May of 1965. 13456, "History of Rotorcraft World Records, List of records established by the 'YOH-6A'. Hughes Model OH-6A Cayuse or LOACH 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. The Hughes OH-6A Cayuse, was designed for use as a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) nicknamed LOACH, military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the U.S. Armys need for an extremely maneuverable observation helicopter. 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. By Richard Toops. They were usually joined by Cobra gunships either in hunter-killer teams where the Loach hunted and the Cobra killed or in air mobile cavalry units where both airframes supported cavalry and infantrymen on the ground. Late in the war, the HH-43 was also deployed for short overland search and rescue missions. To counter the US, the Vietnamese employed their helicopter fleets of mostly Soviet-made aircraft. We were about ready to call in tactical air support to blow up the wrecked ship when another Cobra took a lot of fire. 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). Kawasaki Heavy Industries produced 387 OH-6D Cayuses under license in Japan. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. | READ MORE. But the Army decided that it would be more prudent to keep the unit in order to be prepared for future contingencies. The Sea Knight is a medium left-tandem rotor helicopter used for transport. Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . History | 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. This helicopter was chosen by the US Army over the proposals of a number of other helicopter manufactures, designated the OH-6A Cayuse, and entered service in 1965. When the training was completed, C-141 Starlifter airlifters transported both rotorcraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two weeks of mission training. Date: 02/08/1969 More from us: The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. The armed OH-6s from Fort Rucker joined the training program in the fall of 1980.[30]. Modifications were also made to the rotor assembly by way of a five blade main rotor which increased stability. Aircraft took off, fully flight capable. Armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch FFAR, it provides armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. They were famous for being shot down or crashing in combat. Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat. 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. 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.. For this, a small rotorcraft capable of landing in restrictive locations and easily transportable via US Air Force transport aircraft was necessary. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine ). At peak production, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. 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. 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. The first Loach arrived in Vietnam in 1966, and a total of 1,434 of the primary . Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: [13][3] Beginning in 2001, the JGSDF OH-6s were supplemented by the indigenously-developed Kawasaki OH-1, a more advanced observation helicopter. For most of the war, there was no formal Army training to prepare scout pilots and observers. Infantrymen would also launch an assault from the ground. Loach come from the LOH which means Light Observation Helicopter. The Marine Corp used it for the sea-based interdiction of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in 1972. Unit: DIR SUP / TRAN During the testing phase, it became clear the Bell prototype was underpowered, so it was dropped. 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. 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). 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. President As we navigate rapidly evolving military culture and Like any deployed troops, Russian soldiers make calls Sign up for our newsletter and receive the mighty updates! The Mil Mi-8 is a Soviet medium twin-turbine helicopter. During the Vietnam war, the HH-43 Huskie was used for more rescue missions than all other aircraft combined. Shop | 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. Kane was dispatched to the crash site in another Cobra with copilot Jim Casher. 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. Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. His three tours to Vietnam included death-defying scouting missions piloting his Hughes OH-6 light observation helicopter (or Loach) as well as gunship runs inside his AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter.. Cozzalio was also involved in nine aircraft mishaps; he was shot down six times and suffered three hard landings. If the OH-6 came under fire, the nearby Cobra would then strike at the revealed enemy. With all these benefits, several variations were developed. Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . [27], During the early 1970s, Soviet-supplied SA-7 Grail shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles emerged amongst North Vietnamese troops; one hit could down a Loach, potentially dealing fatal damage before its crew were aware that they were under fire. 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 OH-6 was also exported as the Model 500 Defender. The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine transport and search helicopter. To remedy this shortcoming, the Army began developing a special aviation task force to prepare for the next attempt to rescue the hostages: Operation Honey Badger. But the Hueys proved too slow to do the job properly, and the need to replace both scouts and protectors was immediately evident. I have come home with blood on my windshield. [3], On 27 February 1963, the first Model 369 prototype performed its maiden flight. 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. Date: 03/25/1970 As the H-13s were phased out, Loaches were paired with Cobra gunships. Development included test and training flights in Culver City, California (Hughes Airport) and at Area 51 in 1971. Boucher quickly discovered that life as a qualified crewman was extremely dangerous. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. The Cayuse . Instead of disbanding Task Force 158, the military opted to turn it into the 160th Aviation Battalion. Vietnam following a morning mission with the 11th Special Forces (SF) at Long Than North, South Vietnam. The Army requested 714 helicopters in May 1965, a number that was later increased to 1,300. I could tell how old a footprint was by how it looked. In some areas, Purple Teamsone Loach and two Cobraswere also common, as were other variations.) Nate Shaffer has restored a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopter. [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 Cayuse had a single articulated four-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor, and a V-shaped tail.
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