History. Cookie Settings, pilot. The Cayuse could absorb an extensive amount of small arms fire and still bring the crew home safely. 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. Has a mouth full of pointy teeth and a pair of eyes. This helicopter was UNK The Bell AH-1J was also used for various subsequent assaults and military operations conducted by the US Marine Corps. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light helicopter with a single engine and a four-bladed main rotor. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. The SeaCobra was a twin-engine attack helicopter that was developed from the single-engine AH-1 Cobra helicopter. Primarily, it was used by the Marine Corp to transport personnel and cargo. Military operators included the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the Japanese Coast Guard. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 2 M260 2.75-in Hydra 70 rocket pods (7 or 12 each) You were killed, shot down, or got scared and quit. As well, its tough frame made it safer than other helicopters during crashes, as its aluminum skin absorbed the energy and the structure protected the crew. 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. 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. The Bell UH-1B/C was modified from the UH-1A Cobra to include a set of machine guns for attacking ground targets. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. 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. 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. Unlike previous aircraft, the Tarhe was extremely successful during the Vietnam War. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a single-engine light helicopter that was designed and produced by the American aerospace company Hughes Helicopters. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. 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. Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods. 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. This simple design made maintenance easy, while the choppers 26-foot rotor made it much easier to maneuver in tight landing zones. [14][15], During 1966, the OH-1 entered service with the U.S. Army. Possible mast-mounted sight. We were so close to the elephant grass that wed blow the grass apart to see if anyone was hiding in there, observer Bob Moses says. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Radiomen in the Vietnam War faced a 5-second life expectancy 5 cringeworthy military slang terms (that we should actually retire) From nursing to newspapers, these were the women of Vietnam The task force, which had been designated as Task Force 158, was soon formed into the 160th Aviation Battalion. article/image or apply full credit information. The Vietnam War saw the extensive use of helicopters, though were mostly by the United States military. Operation Honey Badger was canceled after the hostages were released on 20 January 1981, and for a short while, it looked as if the task force would be disbanded and the personnel returned to their former units. [22][23] Prior to the arrival of the AH-1, "hunter-killer" teams often relied on the firepower from armed models of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois utility helicopter. 2 M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pods Cobras generally attacked with rockets, preferred for long-range accuracy, switching to the less-accurate chin-mounted machine gun and grenade launcher only if they were far enough away from friendly troops or if the rocketsAH-1s could carry as many as 76 rocketsran out. Jim was unconscious when I helped pull him out of the burning aircraft.. The observers and gunners had even less experience. As of 2021, these records still stand. The Bell Model 206 is a line of both single and twin-engined helicopters with two primary rotor blades. 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. Read the harrowing story of what happened on that tragic mission. 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) 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. The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. In 1972, as U.S. troops slowly withdrew, the NVA began a major push that became known as the Easter Offensive. 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. Though Cobra pilots were trained Stateside, most Loach pilots didnt take control of OH-6s until arriving in Vietnam. It was also the right size to fit the necessary avionics and fuel stores, all while keeping the structure nimble and agile. A little gory but thats how close we were. As the Loach flew among the trees, the rear-seat pilot in the Snake circling above kept a close eye on the little scout and the front-seat gunner jotted down whatever the Loach observers radioed. 2 MK19 40-mm grenade launcher 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. For most of the war, there was no formal Army training to prepare scout pilots and observers. (7.62MM) Hughes Model OH-6A Cayuse or LOACH 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. Vietnam War Era Hughes OH-6 Loach Helicopter 60,632 views Mar 30, 2013 327 Dislike Share Save Steve1958OR 221 subscribers A friend came by with his restored US Army Loach OH-6 helicopter. I spent more time with them., Kids Start Forgetting Early Childhood Around Age 7, Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar, Artificial Sweetener Tied to Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds, 5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq, The Surprisingly Scientific Roots of Monkey Bars. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. 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. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. Army units this aircraft deployed with in Vietnam: Troop B, 1st squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Aug '68 - Oct '70. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program, The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. OA-6A 'Loach' Scout platoon. A saying among Army aviators was, If you have to crash, do it in a Loach.. 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. The first Loach arrived in Vietnam in 1966, and a total of 1,434 of the primary . In addition, an M60D 7.62mm machine gun could be mounted in the front port (left) or rear starboard (right) door openings. The Mil Mi-4 was a Soviet transport chopper used both for civilian and military purposes. Its four-bladed full-articulated main rotor made it particularly agile, and it was suitable for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. 2 M75 40-mm grenade launchers In 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. 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. When the Loach debuted in 1966, it broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, all important attributes for a scout helicopter. Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. In 1965, the concept of helicopter-borne fighting forces was still new and largely untested, and units in Vietnam invented tactics on the spot. Contact | The helicopter was hit in the Cockpit 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. The Loach's main role was reconnaisance and observation. Within that same year, help was on the way. 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. Fitted with 1x 253-shp Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft, 4 bladed main rotor, and an offset "V" tail. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. A.J. Table of Contents 1. The OH-6A could be armed with the M27 armament subsystem, the port (left) side mounting M134 six-barrel 7.62mm minigun or a 40mm grenade launcher on the XM8 armament subsystem. All Rights Reserved. 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. This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. Operation Honey Badger never went ahead, as the hostages were released in January 1981. In photo #2 you can see the nice graphics. 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. The LOH program opened the floor to several companies to come up with their own designs. The back plate was often not used owing to the weight, and even the chest plate was deleted. To this day I am closer to those guys I flew with in Vietnam than my own brothers, says Mills. Another such gunner was 19-year-old Joel Boucher, drafted and sent to Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. The Gyrodyne company built the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) to combat submarines from a distance. Another flight competition was held, this time without a submission from Fairchild Hiller. Unfortunately, the weight of the armament kept the little bird from taking off. 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. This was a Combat incident. 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.
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