Typically missions were flown during the daylight, starting at dawn; common roles included the clearance of landing zones and general intelligence/observation flights. Reportedly, Hughes had consulted at the last moment with Real, who recommended a bid of $53,550. 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. 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. The UH-1B/C was used sparingly during the Vietnam War. [19][20][21], In December 1967, the first OH-6As arrived in Vietnam. The flames covered my boots and lower legs. 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. Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. They went down in the jungle, and both [members of the crew] survived. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. 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. Helicopter took 1 hits from: 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. As a separate part of the project, armed OH-6As were being developed at Fort Rucker, Alabama. 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 deemed, based on Hughes' estimates, his units would be most cost effective in the long run. Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam - YouTube 0:00 / 5:15 Intro Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam Chopperguy 15.4K subscribers Subscribe 1.1K 53K views 1 year ago We fly with Low Level. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. One, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times. It could accomplish missions that bigger, slower and louder helicopters couldnt do. Hughes Tool Company Aircraft Division submitted their Model 369 to fill a US Army requirement for a Light Observation Helicopter capable of performing a number of secondary duties including escort, attack and casualty evacuation duties. Cobras, nicknamed Snakes, flew circles 1,500 feet above the scouts, waiting to pounce on whatever the Loach found. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. 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! 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. Cobras rolled in and blew the downed aircraft uptaking with it about 15 bad guys standing around it.. 79th Transportation Company: Jun 70 Jul 70 Your email address will not be published. During the testing phase, it became clear the Bell prototype was underpowered, so it was dropped. which many are taken will be available from our shop to A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. 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. US Army Loach OH-6 Helicopter Vietnam War Era Steve1958OR 242 subscribers 14K views 9 years ago A friend came by today with his Vietnam war era Hughs OH-6 Loach helicopter. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. 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. Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . The Loach helicopters used to transport personnel were given the designation MH-6, while the armed ones were dubbed the AH-6. 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. The Mil Mi-1 was a Soviet-made light utility chopper with three or four seats. Loach and Cobra were in constant radio communication, and because of the intensity of hunter-killer missions, it wasnt long before pairs in each type knew each other well enough to anticipate the others moves. 2 MK19 40-mm grenade launcher [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. This story is a selection from the September issue of Air & Space magazine, Donald Porter Instead of disbanding Task Force 158, the military opted to turn it into the 160th Aviation Battalion. The Cobras high above had a few seconds of warningthey could spot the missiles exhaust plumebut were all the more tempting because at their higher altitudes they were more easily seen than the smaller Loaches. EH-6B, a previous version of the Little Bird, was used for command, control and radio relay. Her research focused on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history with a focus on childhood diseases. Its four-bladed full-articulated main rotor made it particularly agile, and it was suitable for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. Privacy Statement Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . Cookie Policy Up against Fairchild Hiller, Hughes Tool Company purposely undervalued its cost estimates, earning the company favor and the contract. 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. Cobra Gunship, Huey and Loach OH-6 Members of C Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry dedicated an OH-6 Loach Scout helicopter flown by their unit during the Vietnam War [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. 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. 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. It was also the right size to fit the necessary avionics and fuel stores, all while keeping the structure nimble and agile. Kane recalls, The vibrations were so harsh I had to return to base camp at Khe Sanh, seven miles from the Laotian border. In some areas, Purple Teamsone Loach and two Cobraswere also common, as were other variations.) I had a wingman shot down, pilot John Shafer says. s/n 67-16304 Read the harrowing story of what happened on that tragic mission. Vietnam following a morning mission with the 11th Special Forces (SF) at Long Than North, South Vietnam. 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. The AH-1J SeaCobra was used later in the later stages of the Vietnam war. While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0060 feet and 010 knots. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 We got into another aircraft and went back out. Nate Shaffer has restored a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopter. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. Multi-Mission Helicopters 6. 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. 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. The 1-245th AVN BN enlisted 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 aircraft. The OH-6A replaced the Korean era OH-13 Sioux and OH-23 Raven light observation helicopters. 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. But even that armament combined with the Cobra escort couldnt keep them safe. AH/MH-6J: US Army Special Operations variant derived from the MD-530MG. The Hughes OH-6A Cayuse was quite effective when teamed with the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter as part of what were known as Pink Teams, combining the OH-6A Loach (white team) with a AH-1G Cobra atacke helicopter (red team). 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. The Army initially ordered 1,438 Hughes Model 369s, designated by the Army as the OH-6A Cayuse helicopters. It is 1/6th scale and very large, has to be at least 3 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip. OH-6A/Cayuse: Developed initially by the Hughes Aircraft company (later McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company) in the mid-1960s for the US Army. The Sea Stallion is a line of heavy-lift transport helicopters. We were combat trackers, says Mills. We were about ready to call in tactical air support to blow up the wrecked ship when another Cobra took a lot of fire. It later turned out that Howard Hughes purposely undervalued his estimate and deceptively won out against Fairchild-Hiller - his reasoning being that a long-term US Army commitment to his helicopter would, over time, make the deal profitable at some point. Despite Being Prone to Crashing, the Loach Helicopter Was Favored By Pilots In Vietnam The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a revolutionary rotorcraft operated during the Vietnam War. All Rights Reserved. Your Privacy Rights [5] Accordingly, the bidding for the LOH contract came down to Fairchild-Hiller and Hughes. These helicopters were mostly used for observation, reconnaissance, utility, and for providing combat support. The prototype first flew in early 1963, and production began two years later. 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. This was a Combat incident. OA-6A 'Loach' Scout platoon. Served in Vietnam War during 1968 and 1970-1972 Observation Helicopters Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (Loach) The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light helicopter with a single engine and a four-bladed main rotor. So I engaged the enemy, but didnt make it out of that one. He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to him then and what it means to him now. Almost as soon as production began, however, it was replaced by a competitors model. Here are the 24 helicopters used in Vietnam. During the Vietnam war, the HH-43 Huskie was used for more rescue missions than all other aircraft combined. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. [10][self-published source][11], Due to price escalations for both the OH-6 and spare components, the U.S. Army opted to reopen bids for the programme in 1967. Upon returning to the United States, he established a career in the construction industry and settled in rural Sierra City, California. 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. Although most combat aircraft in Vietnam aimed for altitudes and speeds that helped them avoid anti-aircraft weapons, U.S. Army crews flying Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopters flew low and drew fireto set up the shots for the Bell AH-1G Cobras circling above. USNTPS plans to retain the aircraft indefinitely and continue to improve the safety, reliability, and usefulness of the aircraft in the test pilot training role. The helicopter was hit in the Cockpit Unknown as to mission impact. For this, a small rotorcraft capable of landing in restrictive locations and easily transportable via US Air Force transport aircraft was necessary.
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