I have come home with blood on my windshield. Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam - YouTube 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. The Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. Hughes Model OH-6A "Cayuse" or "LOACH". Here are the 24 helicopters used in Vietnam. Even trampled grass was a clue; it meant that enemy troops had passed through the area within eight hours, the time it took for grass to dry upright. We flew down along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, he says of the supply route that wound through Vietnam and neighboring Laos and Cambodia. The Incident - CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website In the end, Hughes lost its contract to Bell, who was deemed to have the superior design. One of the most dangerous helicopter assignments was a tiny scout helicopter known as the Loach. Officially designated the OH-6 Cayuse, these things were made of thin plexiglass and metal but were expected to fly low over the jungles and grass, looking for enemy forces hiding in the foliage. Jim was unconscious when I helped pull him out of the burning aircraft.. [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. | READ MORE. In the Vietnam War, these choppers were used to recover downed aircraft. You had a couple of flights in the Huey, then you rode front seat in a Cobra, scout pilot Allan Krausz recounts. The Bell H-13 Sioux was developed as a light-weight single-engine and single-rotor helicopter. 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. 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). In 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. The task force, which had been designated as Task Force 158, was soon formed into the 160th Aviation Battalion. A recontoured nose allowed for greater leg and head room. Hughes Model OH-6A Cayuse or LOACH These choppers were modified for combat rescue missions and had self-sealing fuel tanks, rescue hoist, and in-flight refueling abilities. Another such gunner was 19-year-old Joel Boucher, drafted and sent to Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. Unit: DIR SUP / TRAN The Sea Knight is a medium left-tandem rotor helicopter used for transport. The OH-6 Cayuse was developed from specifications issued by the U.S. Army in 1960 for a light observation helicopter (LOH), and the familiar Loach nickname was derived from the acronym. Loach come from the LOH which means Light Observation Helicopter. 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. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War - VHPA The hunter-killer tactic worked well for a few years, but by the time the United States left Vietnam, it was obsolete, says Mills. [22] The remaining H-13s were promptly withdrawn in favour of the OH-6s. 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. 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. In response, a task force was developed originally designated Task Force 158 for the next attempt to rescue the hostages, Operation Honey Badger. Upon returning to the United States, he established a career in the construction industry and settled in rural Sierra City, California. He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to him then and what it means to him now. (Scouts were known as White Teams and Cobras as Red; the two colors combine to become pink. Despite its strong offensive abilities, the SH-2 Seasprite was mostly used for rescuing downed friendly aircrews instead of direct combat. One time we ran into hundreds of enemy troops. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Kane recalls, The vibrations were so harsh I had to return to base camp at Khe Sanh, seven miles from the Laotian border. An author of aviation books, his latest is Howards Whirlybirds. [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. 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. Las mejores ofertas para Cartas de Lee: La historia de un hombre de Vietnam por Larayne M. Topp (ingls) Paperb estn en eBay Compara precios y caractersticas de productos nuevos y usados Muchos artculos con envo gratis! . 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. 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. [14][15], During 1966, the OH-1 entered service with the U.S. Army. FAQ | They could also use grenades and on occasion even homebuilt explosives; more aggressive units mounted forward-firing miniguns. We got hit by incendiary .51-caliber rounds, and the phosphorus ignited the Cobras hydraulic fluid. But the Army decided that it would be more prudent to keep the unit in order to be prepared for future contingencies. [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. While Hiller did not participate in the rebidding, Bell opted to, submitting their redesigned Model 206. Cobras rolled in and blew the downed aircraft uptaking with it about 15 bad guys standing around it.. The CH-34 Choctaw was developed by Sikorsky Aircraft for transport purposes to carry personnel and deliver supplies. It is 1/6th scale and very large, has to be at least 3 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip. Under enemy fire this nimble machine had to fly low to the ground, just above the jungle canopy. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a single-engine light helicopter that was designed and produced by the American aerospace company Hughes Helicopters. The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. Served in Vietnam War during 1968 and 1970-1972 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. 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. The Mil Mi-4 was a Soviet transport chopper used both for civilian and military purposes. 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. In January 1968 PFC Richard Toops went on to Infantry OCS at Ft. Benning, Ga. graduating in September 1968. However, the U.S. Army subsequently chose to include Hughes's Model 369 for further consideration as well. South Vietnam Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,400. The North Vietnamese deployed hundreds of the missiles, and from then on, both hunter and killer tried to stay well hidden. Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 [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. This was a Combat incident. We were combat trackers, says Mills. US Army Loach OH-6 Helicopter Vietnam War Era - YouTube However, the choppers frame ensured the crewmen within remained safe. Hughes is reported to have told his confidant, Jack Real, that he lost over $100 million to construct 1,370 airframes. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine The pilots dubbed the new helicopter Loach, a word created by pronunciation of the acronym of the program that spawned the aircraft, LOH (light observation helicopter). When Chuck Gross left for Vietnam in 1970, he was a nineteen-year-old army helicopter pilot fresh out of flight school. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse - Wikipedia Underneath, a fixed twin-skid undercarriage was supported at two separate points. 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. 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. [27] During June 1972, they were deployed to a secret base in southern Laos (PS-44), where one of the helicopters was heavily damaged during a training mission late in the summer. More from us: The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. 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. He is proud of his service, which involved a great deal of combat, but has concluded that U.S. involvement in Vietnam was a mistake. Click on the hotlinks for more information. In contrast, of the nearly 1,100 Cobras delivered to the Army, 300 were lost. The helicopter was hit in the Left Side Sensing its growing battlefield requirements, the US Army then raised the production ceiling to 1,300 units in all. which many are taken will be available from our shop to 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. 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. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures. Headquarters, 173rd Airborne Brigade: Jan 70 May 70 The OH-6/Model 369 was also license-produced overseas by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries for both military and civilian operators. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) 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. MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. A.J. Most of our engagements [we] were 25 to 50 feet [away] when we opened up on [the Viet Cong], Mills continues. Contact | Best Vietnam Helicopter Book - General Helicopter Forum - Vertical Nate Shaffer and Bruce Campbell at their assigned positions. Graphics are very well done, the whole model is very well done. 13456, "History of Rotorcraft World Records, List of records established by the 'YOH-6A'. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. I followed footsteps. Despite Being Prone to Crashing, the Loach Helicopter Was Favored By Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. 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. Your email address will not be published. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. Total flight hours at this point: 00000496 The Army dictated that after 300 hours of flight time, each Loach go through a thorough inspection, but in practice such inspections were rare: Few Loaches survived to reach that mark. 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. Observation Helicopters 4. We thought they were ARVNs [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] until they started running. Its first overseas deployment, as well as into frontline combat, was the Vietnam War. Its like a street cop going into a bad neighborhood. 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. Unfortunately, the weight of the armament kept the little bird from taking off. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0020 feet and 050 knots. [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. 29 of the best politically incorrect Vietnam War slang terms In 1961, twelve companies submitted proposals to meet U.S.Army requirements for a four-seat turbine-powered light observation helicopter (LOH). Missions began every day at dawn, when crews were briefed on where to fly and what to look for. Light Observation Helicopter - Wikipedia The US Army charged Hughes for 714 units with the serial production contract formally announced in May of 1965. 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. Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. In addition, an M60D 7.62mm machine gun could be mounted in the front port (left) or rear starboard (right) door openings. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. The Cobra was fast and deadly. It was powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. 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 (Model 500M) international military version was sold in ten countries and built under license in Italy and Japan. Moore served as an Army OH-6A "Loach" scout in IV Corps, South Vietnam, 1968-1969: Fort Apache, Vihn Long Province. a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 45-4703737We Fly for Our Veterans!. Following the lead, we got peppered with rounds. The Loach had a bad vibration, but he made it about half a mile before he had to land. During 1964, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a memorandum directing that all U.S. Army fixed-wing aircraft be transferred to the U.S. Air Force, while the U.S. Army transitioned to solely operating rotor-wing aircraft. The NVA [North Vietnamese army] was everywhere. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. The small-arms protection aircrewmen armor that was introduced in 1966 was a vest with pockets containing composite laminated plates commonly called chicken plates. But even that armament combined with the Cobra escort couldnt keep them safe. The AH-6 and its troop-carrying sibling, the MH-6, are still heavily used by U.S. special-operations forces, as everything from airborne sniper platforms to transports inserting small teams to expeditionary light attack helicopters. 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. History. The OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. Unlike previous aircraft, the Tarhe was extremely successful during the Vietnam War. Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . To counter the US, the Vietnamese employed their helicopter fleets of mostly Soviet-made aircraft. To this day I am closer to those guys I flew with in Vietnam than my own brothers, says Mills. 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. Kane was dispatched to the crash site in another Cobra with copilot Jim Casher. Ultimately, Hughes was selected as the winner of the competition. Table of Contents 1. 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. (7.62MM) [2] This shaping, combined with the provision of internal bulkheads, has been attributed as giving the rotorcraft its uncommonly strong crashworthiness properties. It was mostly used as a transport chopper, but it could also deliver supplies to troops. What was a loach helicopter? - Quora [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. 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. Date: 03/25/1970 Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . 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. The Bell AH-1J was also used for various subsequent assaults and military operations conducted by the US Marine Corps. Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program, The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. 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. About Us | Setting 23 world records for speed, distance, and altitude, the Hughes Tool Company OH-6 entered service in September of 1966. [19][20][21], In December 1967, the first OH-6As arrived in Vietnam. Helicopter took 2 hits from:

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