The prototype first flew in early 1963, and production began two years later. Sensing its growing battlefield requirements, the US Army then raised the production ceiling to 1,300 units in all. The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. 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. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. I was flying wing and just dropped into the AO [Area of Operations]. 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. [3], On 27 February 1963, the first Model 369 prototype performed its maiden flight. Systems damaged were: COMM SYS, STRUCTURE, INSTRUMENTS, PERSONNEL Built by Hughes Tool Company, it was designed to be a scout helicopter during the Vietnam war. Its effectiveness in battle allowed it to quickly replace the Bell H-13 Siouxs being operated in the country. 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. Books/Magazines On a few occasions, the OH-23 was also used for medical evacuation purposes, but this was rarely the case. Read the harrowing story of what happened on that tragic mission. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. 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. During the Vietnam War, it was mostly deployed for aerial combat and for conducting rescue operations in areas close to US Air bases. 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. Modifications were also made to the rotor assembly by way of a five blade main rotor which increased stability. 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. Click on the hotlinks for more information. The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine transport and search helicopter. After around 10 hours at the controls of a Loach, the pilots were deemed worthy of flying in combat. The enemy was moving toward us when a [command and control] ship picked us up. . 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. 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. Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. 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. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close The U.S. Marine Corps still flies AH-1 SuperCobras as its main attack helicopter, with the latest versionthe AH-1Z Viper so upgraded and modernized that a Vietnam-era pilot might be hard-pressed to recognize it. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 While Loachs were vulnerable to enemy fire, they were famous for surviving crashes like John did. Helicopter took 1 hits from: Advertising Notice Each could be equipped with any number of armaments, including grenade launchers, 7.62 mm miniguns, Hydra 70 mm unguided rockets, and TOW and Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles. The US Army charged Hughes for 714 units with the serial production contract formally announced in May of 1965. There was one day of initial training, says Bob Moses, who was first trained as a tank crewman and then as infantry before a sudden transition to helicopter door gunner. During the Vietnam War the OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. Warrant officer John Shafer was 21 when he arrived on October 16, 1970, to fly Loaches. Operation Honey Badger never went ahead, as the hostages were released in January 1981. 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 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. Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. To this day I am closer to those guys I flew with in Vietnam than my own brothers, says Mills. Typically missions were flown during the daylight, starting at dawn; common roles included the clearance of landing zones and general intelligence/observation flights. It was also the right size to fit the necessary avionics and fuel stores, all while keeping the structure nimble and agile. In photo #2 you can see the nice graphics. 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. During 1966, the OH-6 entered service with the U.S. Army, it promptly arrived into active combat in the Vietnam War. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. I could tell how old a footprint was by how it looked. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. 13456, "History of Rotorcraft World Records, List of records established by the 'YOH-6A'. On top of this, Fairchild Hiller lodged a formal complaint over Hughes Tool Companys deceitful tactics to earn the original contract. Hughes bid $56,550 per airframe, while Bell bid $54,200. A.J. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a revolutionary rotorcraft operated during the Vietnam War. The UH-1B/C was used sparingly during the Vietnam War. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine These choppers were modified for combat rescue missions and had self-sealing fuel tanks, rescue hoist, and in-flight refueling abilities. The helicopter Continued Flight. The Sea Stallion is a variant of the Jolly Green Giant, but its used only for sea transport. Its like a street cop going into a bad neighborhood. RMF3TG12 - Warren Motts, who started the Motts Military Museum, walks with a small child, past helicopters that where used in the Vietnam War. Troop C, 1st squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Oct 68 Jan 69 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. 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 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. Loaches, usually with a pilot and observer and sometimes a door gunner aboard, flew as little as 10 feet above the treetops at between about 45 and 60 mph, scouting for signs of the enemy. 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. Infantrymen would also launch an assault from the ground. The North Vietnamese deployed hundreds of the missiles, and from then on, both hunter and killer tried to stay well hidden. 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. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. Table of Contents 1. OA-6A 'Loach' Scout platoon. In terms of its basic configuration, the Model 369 had an atypical teardrop-shaped fuselage, a feature that led to personnel sometimes referring to it as the "flying egg". A Troop, 7th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Aug 70 Feb 72 60th Assault Helicopter Company: Mar 72 Jun 72, Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 It gained impetus with the advent of the Vietnam War, and was aided by advances in helicopter technology, specifically the development of the turboshaft engine. [22], It became common for OH-6s to operate in teams with other rotorcraft, particularly the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. 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 The Model 369, with its Allison T63-A-5A series turboshaft engine, took its first flight on February 27, 1963, under the military designation YOH-6A. SA-7 Grail heat-seeking missiles could down a Loach before its crew even realized they were under fire. It was mostly used to transport troops and cargo during the Vietnam war. Kanes commanding officer flew his command-and-control Huey to the ravine where Kane and Casher huddled. During the Vietnam War Era, different types of helicopters were crucial for providing support for ground forces, scouting locations, and deploying or retrieving soldiers. The Cayuse had a single articulated four-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor, and a V-shaped tail. The helicopter made a Forced Landing. The following two-week mission was to Yuma for night operation training. Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 The killer role persists. Disclaimer Photographs Unlike previous aircraft, the Tarhe was extremely successful during the Vietnam War. Privacy Statement The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. The Korean War proved the necessity for such rotorcraft, particularly in regard to search and rescue operations. In the event of a crash the tailboom and engine separate from the egg-like . Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods. 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. [22] The remaining H-13s were promptly withdrawn in favour of the OH-6s. The LOH program opened the floor to several companies to come up with their own designs. It served in Granada and Panama during the 1980s, as well as in the . 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. Contact | When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. [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 aircraft, dubbed 500P (penetrator) by Hughes, began as an ARPA project, codenamed "Mainstreet", in 1968. 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. Front left side view of the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopter; color, Right side view of the Hughes OH-6 Loach in flight; color. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: At peak production, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. Hughes Model OH-6A Cayuse or LOACH The Huey descended gingerly into a clearing smaller than its main rotor diameter, the aircrafts rotor blades chopping tree limbs as it descended. The Vietnam War saw the extensive use of helicopters, though were mostly by the United States military. [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. This aspect was further bolstered by the use of self-sealing fuel tanks that lowered the likelihood of a post-impact fire breaking out. 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. 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. Trademarks and copyright information is respected. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. The flames covered my boots and lower legs. Stepping away from her academic career, Samantha previously worked as a Heritage Researcher and now writes content for multiple sites covering an array of historical topics. 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. Rattler One-Seven puts you in the helicopter seat, to see the war in Vietnam through the eyes of an inexperienced pilot as he transforms himself into a seasoned combat veteran. The OH-6A helicopters used for transporting personnel became the MH-6 aircraft of the Light Assault Company and the armed OH-6As became the AH-6 aircraft of the Light Attack Company. As of 2021, these records still stand. 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. Served in Vietnam War during 1968 and 1970-1972 The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light helicopter with a single engine and a four-bladed main rotor. Kane recalls, The vibrations were so harsh I had to return to base camp at Khe Sanh, seven miles from the Laotian border. Multi-Mission Helicopters 6. Almost as soon as production began, however, it was replaced by a competitors model. 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. When the 1980 hostage situation of Operation Eagle Claw was deemed a disaster, the US military realized there was a lack of aircraft and personnel trained for such special operations. The Model 369 was submitted by Hughes, and competed against the two finalists, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, for a production contract. 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. The first Loach arrived in Vietnam in 1966, and a total of 1,434 of the primary . Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat. The Seasprite was an anti-submarine and anti-surface helicopter that had over-the-horizon targeting facilities. [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.
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