Improved versions were issued through the war and included pockets on the chest and back in which large additional plates could be inserted. It was a joy to fly. Kane, who today sells securities in Richmond, Virginia, flew AH-1s in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971. The CH-34 Choctaw was developed by Sikorsky Aircraft for transport purposes to carry personnel and deliver supplies. Ultimate Soldier Air Cavalry OH-6 "Loach" Helicopter 1/6 Scale Sensing its growing battlefield requirements, the US Army then raised the production ceiling to 1,300 units in all. South Vietnam I could see a cigarette butt still burning. Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War - VHPA The Incident - Operation Triumphus It was used prolifically because of its unique hovering abilities. Loach come from the LOH which means Light Observation Helicopter. 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. Military operators included the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the Japanese Coast Guard. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. 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. 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. 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. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close 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. It was nicknamed the Jolly Green Giant during the war. Setting 23 world records for speed, distance, and altitude, the Hughes Tool Company OH-6 entered service in September of 1966. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. Read the harrowing story of what happened on that tragic mission. The Hughes OH-6 "Cayuse" (popularly recognized as the "Loach") was a revolutionary light helicopter mount primarily in service with the United States Army and saw combat service during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The killer role persists. EH-6B, a previous version of the Little Bird, was used for command, control and radio relay. 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. Following a competitive fly-off and a sealed bidding process, Hughes lost the contract to Bell, resulting in the competing Bell OH-58 Kiowa being produced. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. The helicopter was hit in the Left Side 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. Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/18/2017 | Content www.MilitaryFactory.com The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Privacy Statement A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. [19][20][21], In December 1967, the first OH-6As arrived in Vietnam. Optional and variable (attack and special forces versions only). A recontoured nose allowed for greater leg and head room. It was reasonably fast, very crashworthy, comparatively easy to maintain and fly, and extraordinarily maneuverable. Cookie Settings, pilot. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. Terms of Use In contrast, of the nearly 1,100 Cobras delivered to the Army, 300 were lost. The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. 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. How a Vietnam War Helicopter Pilot Captured a POW With His Civil War Missions began every day at dawn, when crews were briefed on where to fly and what to look for. Almost as soon as production began, however, it was replaced by a competitors model. The Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. The LOH program opened the floor to several companies to come up with their own designs. Hughes Model OH-6A "Cayuse" or "LOACH". Cartas de Lee: La historia de un hombre de Vietnam por Larayne M. Topp [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. Upon landing, an inspection revealed a damaged pitch link, a rotor head component so critical that had it failed, they too would have crashed. Your Privacy Rights [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. The OH-6/Model 369 was also license-produced overseas by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries for both military and civilian operators. "Pink teams" of scout and attack helicopters, such as OH-6 "Loach" or OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopters and the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter during the Vietnam War; In anti-submarine warfare an Maritime patrol aircraft may be employed as "hunter", with surface ships such as destroyers as killers. 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. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,400. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Also: LNOF, 90119, JSIDR (Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. The Cayuse was organic to division, brigade, and battalion size units. Click on the hotlinks for more information. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. 13456, "History of Rotorcraft World Records, List of records established by the 'YOH-6A'. 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. The Gyrodyne QH-50 was mostly designed to be used on ships that werent large enough to carry a full-sized helicopter. This aspect was further bolstered by the use of self-sealing fuel tanks that lowered the likelihood of a post-impact fire breaking out. 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. Vietnam War helicopter pilots bring stories and aircraft to Kansas The North Vietnamese deployed hundreds of the missiles, and from then on, both hunter and killer tried to stay well hidden. The small-arms protection aircrewmen armor that was introduced in 1966 was a vest with pockets containing composite laminated plates commonly called chicken plates. 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. Hughes, without informing Real, raised the bid by $3,000, and thus lost the contract to Bell. Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0020 feet and 050 knots. The Bell Model 206 is a line of both single and twin-engined helicopters with two primary rotor blades. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. Warrant officer John Shafer was 21 when he arrived on October 16, 1970, to fly Loaches. It was mostly used to transport troops and cargo during the Vietnam war. As the H-13s were phased out, Loaches were paired with Cobra gunships. One time we ran into hundreds of enemy troops. Book A Flight | Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . 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". The Cayuse . The Sea Stallion is a line of heavy-lift transport helicopters. 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). During the Vietnam War the OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. Cobras rolled in and blew the downed aircraft uptaking with it about 15 bad guys standing around it.. Despite Being Prone to Crashing, the Loach Helicopter Was Favored By The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. Vietnam War Era Hughes OH-6 Loach Helicopter - YouTube Hunter-killer team - Wikipedia This chopper is mostly known for having been used to spot enemy artillery. During 1960, the United States Army issued Technical Specification 153 for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) capable of fulfilling various roles on the battlefield, including personnel transport, escort, casualty evacuation, observation, and attack missions. The observers and gunners had even less experience. [17] On 26 March 1966, Jack Schwiebold set the closed circuit distance record in a YOH-6A at Edwards Air Force Base, California, flying without landing for 1,739.96mi (2,800.20km). In support of the Helicopter Flight Mechanics syllabus, the USNTPS operates surplus Army OH-6B Helicopters which were refurbished by the Army National Guard, Gulfport, Mississippi in 1991. 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). Some units were modified during the war with machine guns to act as gunships. 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. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. A saying among Army aviators was, If you have to crash, do it in a Loach.. 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. The Loach helicopter was pitted against what was then known as the Bell Model 206. [5] Accordingly, the bidding for the LOH contract came down to Fairchild-Hiller and Hughes. 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. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. 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. Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. 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. NVA troops shot down a Cobra, killing the crew. South Vietnam 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. I was wounded three times and shot down nine times, Romero reports. 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. I got shot down on my 22nd birthday, March 27, 1971. Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. OH-6A/Cayuse: Developed initially by the Hughes Aircraft company (later McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company) in the mid-1960s for the US Army. As the reserve units have continued to move away from the OH-6 as their primary scout aircraft, military technical support of the aircraft has dwindled. A.J. [22], It became common for OH-6s to operate in teams with other rotorcraft, particularly the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. I liked it because in the Bronx, I was a ghetto kid. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 For other AH-6 and MH-6 variants, see MH-6 Little Bird and Boeing AH-6. 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 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.