With all these benefits, several variations were developed. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. OA-6A 'Loach' Scout platoon. Best Vietnam Helicopter Book - General Helicopter Forum - Vertical Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER [12] Accordingly, during 1968, Hughes submitted a bid to build a further 2,700 airframes. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. The NVA [North Vietnamese army] was everywhere. 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. 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. 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. They could also use grenades and on occasion even homebuilt explosives; more aggressive units mounted forward-firing miniguns. 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. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods. The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. Home | [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. Krausz was ordered to Vietnam in April 1971, and today teaches Army students how to fly the Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota, a twin-engine trainer. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. Kanes commanding officer flew his command-and-control Huey to the ravine where Kane and Casher huddled. Some of them were able to tell how large a force was and how recently it had passed. This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon The Vietnam War saw the extensive use of helicopters, though were mostly by the United States military. What was a loach helicopter? - Quora loach | My Vietnam Experience (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) Disclaimer Photographs Historical Snapshot: OH-6 Cayuse/Hughes 500 Helicopter 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. He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to him then and what it means to him now. The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. It was mostly used to transport troops and cargo during the Vietnam war. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. The task force, which had been designated as Task Force 158, was soon formed into the 160th Aviation Battalion. OH-58 "Kiowa" light observation / scout platform. 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). The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives. The OH-6 was largely removed from active U.S. Army service in favor of the Kiowa, but modified versions of the helicopter flew with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as the MH-6C Little Bird as late as 2008. On a few occasions, the OH-23 was also used for medical evacuation purposes, but this was rarely the case. Mills, who served two tours in Loaches and one in Cobras, was shot down 16 timesall but once in OH-6s. By Richard Toops. The Bell UH-1B/C was modified from the UH-1A Cobra to include a set of machine guns for attacking ground targets. Donald Porter September 2017 Pilot Clyde. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. The OH-6A was powered by a single Allison T63-A-5A 285 shp turboshaft engine, and had a cruising speed of 144 mph (125 knots). 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. In the hunter-killer teams, the Loach would fly low over the jungle, drawing fire and then calling for the Cobra to kill the teams on the ground. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. Instead of disbanding Task Force 158, the military opted to turn it into the 160th Aviation Battalion. 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. Nate Shaffer and Bruce Campbell at their assigned positions. Has a mouth full of pointy teeth and a pair of eyes. The Kaman SH-2 could extend and increase both shipboard sensor and weapon abilities against different types of enemy units, including submarines, ships, and patrol craft with anti-ship missiles. 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. 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. Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . 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). 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 purchase. Total flight hours at this point: 00000496 Two (2) Crew: one Pilot, one Observer/Doorgunner. We were combat trackers, says Mills. Unlike previous aircraft, the Tarhe was extremely successful during the Vietnam War. I had another lead that went through 150 feet of trees, and they survived., Shafer himself had brushes with disaster, and his luck nearly ran out on a mission west of Dak To, near the border with Laos. History | 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. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. ). The Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) (formerly Hughes model 369A) OH-6A was designed for use as a military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the US Army's need for an extremely maneuverable light observation helicopter. | READ MORE. The Loach's main role was reconnaisance and observation. The U.S. Army began to use Bell OH-13 Sioux and Hiller OH-23 Raven helicopters, once artillery spotters, to scout ahead of UH-1D Huey formations in the moments before air assaults to gather information about landing zones and enemy locations. 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. [22], Following the April 1980 failure of Operation Eagle Claw (the attempted rescue of American hostages in Tehran), it was determined that the military lacked aircraft and crews who were trained and prepared to perform special operations missions. At peak production, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. Loach come from the LOH which means Light Observation Helicopter. One, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times. Fortunate son intensifies : r/memes - reddit The Mil Mi-8 is a Soviet medium twin-turbine helicopter. Armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch FFAR, it provides armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. Its effectiveness in battle allowed it to quickly replace the Bell H-13 Siouxs being operated in the country. 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. The Hughes (Model 500M) international military version was sold in ten countries and built under license in Italy and Japan. A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. The armed OH-6s from Fort Rucker joined the training program in the fall of 1980.[30]. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: The Cobra is a single-engine attack helicopter produced by Bell Helicopter as a primary attack helicopter in the Vietnam War for aerial assaults or as air cavalry. 10 Types of Helicopters in Vietnam (Vietnam Era Helicopters) - Aero Corner It had no hydraulic system and its electrical setup was used primarily to start up the enginesimple even by 1960s standards, which for practical purposes meant it was easier to maintain and harder to shoot down than other helicopters. Terms of Use 2 M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pods The Bell UH-1 Huey & the Hughes OH-6 Loach AH/MH-6J: US Army Special Operations variant derived from the MD-530MG. [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. The Korean War proved the necessity for such rotorcraft, particularly in regard to search and rescue operations. This aspect was further bolstered by the use of self-sealing fuel tanks that lowered the likelihood of a post-impact fire breaking out. 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. The light observation helicopter OH-6 Cayuse, or Loach (based on the LOH acronym), was a Vietnam-era helicopter designed with speed and maneuverability in mind. The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. Since 1968 this helicopter saw combat in Vietnam. We flew down along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, he says of the supply route that wound through Vietnam and neighboring Laos and Cambodia. Jim was unconscious when I helped pull him out of the burning aircraft.. 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. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. I could see a cigarette butt still burning. OH-6A Cayuse ('Loach') The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. 2 Hellfire ATGM In 1972, as U.S. troops slowly withdrew, the NVA began a major push that became known as the Easter Offensive. 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. Kane was dispatched to the crash site in another Cobra with copilot Jim Casher. [22], It became common for OH-6s to operate in teams with other rotorcraft, particularly the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. Another such gunner was 19-year-old Joel Boucher, drafted and sent to Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. 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 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. Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Helicopter took 2 hits from: article/image or apply full credit information. Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War - VHPA That was about it.. Two of these designs, those submitted by Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, were selected as finalists by the Army-Navy design competition board. It was deemed, based on Hughes' estimates, his units would be most cost effective in the long run. Hunter-killer team - Wikipedia The OH-6 Cayuse was built with a rugged structure covered in light aluminum. Hughes Model OH-6A Cayuse or LOACH The OH-6 was also exported as the Model 500 Defender. 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. I spent more time with them.. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 The aircraft, dubbed 500P (penetrator) by Hughes, began as an ARPA project, codenamed "Mainstreet", in 1968. This simple design made maintenance easy, while the choppers 26-foot rotor made it much easier to maneuver in tight landing zones. 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. The AH-1J SeaCobra was used later in the later stages of the Vietnam war. 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. So I engaged the enemy, but didnt make it out of that one. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. But even that armament combined with the Cobra escort couldnt keep them safe. The helicopter was hit in the Left Side Donald Porter served in Vietnam with the helicopters he writes about. Reportedly, Hughes had consulted at the last moment with Real, who recommended a bid of $53,550. Infantrymen would also launch an assault from the ground. The mission training consisted of loading onto C-130 Hercules transport aircraft which would then transport them to forward staging areas over routes as long as 1,000 nautical miles (1,900km). Hughes's price was $19,860 per airframe, without the engine, while Hiller's price was $29,415 per airframe, also without the engine. [22] All American rotorcraft in the theatre had to be operated more cautiously following this development. The Bell OH-58 Kiowa was an entire line of military helicopters with a single engine and a single rotor. Queer John was famous not just for crashing, but for keeping the crew safe while it did so. MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. Vietnam Helicopters Museum - OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter s/n 67-16304 While the already-produced OH-6 Cayuses were being deployed to Vietnam in 1967, production costs were beginning to rise. 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. It was barely used in the Vietnam War because it was replaced by the more advanced Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw. During the testing phase, it became clear the Bell prototype was underpowered, so it was dropped. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (nicknamed "Loach", after the requirement acronym LOHLight Observation Helicopter) is a single-engine light helicopter with a four-bladed main rotor used for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. This chopper is mostly known for having been used to spot enemy artillery. In one particular clandestine incident in 1972, known as the Vinh wiretap, a pair of OH-6As were heavily modified and used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) via Air America was used to infiltrate Vietnamese high level communications, providing valuable intelligence. Ace Cozzalio was among the most colorful characters of the Vietnam War. A.J. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. 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. New book recounts Newburgh man's time as Vietnam helicopter pilot contact us here and we will remove the To this day I am closer to those guys I flew with in Vietnam than my own brothers, says Mills. 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 first Loach arrived in Vietnam in 1966, and a total of 1,434 of the primary . Can a Helicopter Fly to the Top of Mount Everest. 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. 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. As the H-13s were phased out, Loaches were paired with Cobra gunships. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. Date: 02/08/1969 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) The Loach helicopters used to transport personnel were given the designation MH-6, while the armed ones were dubbed the AH-6. 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 Cayuse . During 1967, following price escalations for the OH-6, the U.S. Army reopened the programme to bids for as many as 2,700 additional airframes beyond the 1,300 OH-6s already contracted. I went up in a Loach with an M60 machine gun to get used to firing the weapon. [18] Subsequently, on 6 April 1966, Robert Ferry set the long distance world record for helicopters by flying from Culver City, California, with over a ton of fuel to Ormond Beach, Florida, covering a total of 1,923.08 nm (2,213.04mi, 3,561.55km) in 15 hours, and near the finish at up to 24,000 feet (7,300m) altitude. On top of this, Fairchild Hiller lodged a formal complaint over Hughes Tool Companys deceitful tactics to earn the original contract. The shelf life of a scout pilot was probably six months. If you would like Moses, a 19-year-old draftee, arrived in Vietnam in July 1970 for the first of two year-long tours, and later worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs as a therapist and administrator. Ive seen them, whites of the eyes, and theyve seen me, whites of the eyes. Contact | 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. Ultimate Soldier Air Cavalry OH-6 "Loach" Helicopter 1/6 Scale 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. 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". 79th Transportation Company: Jun 70 Jul 70 But the Army decided that it would be more prudent to keep the unit in order to be prepared for future contingencies. We got hit by incendiary .51-caliber rounds, and the phosphorus ignited the Cobras hydraulic fluid. They were employed in hunter-killer tactics, wherein they flew low over the jungle as bait to draw enemy fire. It was reasonably fast, very crashworthy, comparatively easy to maintain and fly, and extraordinarily maneuverable.