During the Vietnam War Era, different types of helicopters were crucial for providing support for ground forces, scouting locations, and deploying or retrieving soldiers. 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. 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. 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. But the Vietnam War was unlike any previous American conflict; there were few real definable frontlines, and combatants needed to know what was happening all around them, all the time. Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 Its like a street cop going into a bad neighborhood. It was a joy to fly. Kane, who today sells securities in Richmond, Virginia, flew AH-1s in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971. I was used to getting up close and personal with the enemy.. Casualties = 01 WIA . Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. This chopper is mostly known for having been used to spot enemy artillery. Nate Shaffer and Bruce Campbell at their assigned positions. 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. Hughes Model OH-6A "Cayuse" or "LOACH". The helicopter made a Forced Landing. 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. Anthony comes from a military family and has served his country proudly in the military as a pilot. By Richard Toops. Ultimately, Hughes was selected as the winner of the competition. Date: 03/25/1970 It was deemed, based on Hughes' estimates, his units would be most cost effective in the long run. At peak production, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. We operated from fixed bases that were islands, if you will, of allied control, says Hugh Mills, who flew both Loaches and Cobras in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972, and went on to fly helicopters for the Kansas City Police Department. The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives. 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. While Hiller did not participate in the rebidding, Bell opted to, submitting their redesigned Model 206. 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. 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. Its effectiveness in battle allowed it to quickly replace the Bell H-13 Siouxs being operated in the country. 2 Hellfire ATGM City of Walnut Creek Special Recreation Museum Tour October 26, 2019, United Airlines Family Day Fly-in October 13, 2019, Napa County Airport Day September 7, 2019, Virginia Rose II Cobra transferred to Vietnam Helicopters Museum August 14, 2019, Memorial Day 2019 Ceremonies at Oak Hill Memorial Park & Cemetery. Accordingly, the U.S. Army's fixed-wing airplane, the Cessna O-1 Bird Dog, which was utilized for artillery observation and reconnaissance flights, would be replaced by the incoming OH-6A. In the end, Hughes lost its contract to Bell, who was deemed to have the superior design. 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. 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. 1:00 Jan. 6 will mark 50 years since former Newburgh resident Dave Middleton was shot down in Vietnam while piloting a Loach helicopter on a mission to which he wasn't originally assigned.. 2 Stinger AAM. Setting 23 world records for speed, distance, and altitude, the Hughes Tool Company OH-6 entered service in September of 1966. Within that same year, help was on the way. We were combat trackers, says Mills. All Rights Reserved. The Cayuse could absorb an extensive amount of small arms fire and still bring the crew home safely. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. Troop C, 1st squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Oct 68 Jan 69 (7.62MM) History. However, the U.S. Army subsequently chose to include Hughes's Model 369 for further consideration as well. We were about ready to call in tactical air support to blow up the wrecked ship when another Cobra took a lot of fire. Your email address will not be published. This simple design made maintenance easy, while the choppers 26-foot rotor made it much easier to maneuver in tight landing zones. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. In the event of a crash the tailboom and engine separate from the egg-like cabin, improving the survival chances of the crew and passengers. Hughes is reported to have told his confidant, Jack Real, that he lost over $100 million to construct 1,370 airframes. As of 2021, these records still stand. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 It was the same for Jim. A total of five prototypes were built, all of which were powered by a single Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft engine, capable of producing 252shp (188kW). During the testing phase, it became clear the Bell prototype was underpowered, so it was dropped. 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. Just as I set it down, the tail rotor spun off. 2 M260 2.75-in Hydra 70 rocket pods (7 or 12 each) It is 1/6th scale and very large, has to be at least 3 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip. Two of these designs, those submitted by Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, were selected as finalists by the Army-Navy design competition board. [4] The prototypes were delivered to the U.S. Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where they competed against the other ten prototype aircraft produced by Bell and Fairchild-Hiller. Primarily, it was used by the Marine Corp to transport personnel and cargo. When the Loach debuted in 1966, it broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, all important attributes for a scout helicopter. 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. I followed footsteps. Kane recalls, The vibrations were so harsh I had to return to base camp at Khe Sanh, seven miles from the Laotian border. The 1-245 modified infantry night vision goggles and worked to develop the necessary skills for rapid deployment with Little Birds and C-130s.[31]. But the Hueys proved too slow to do the job properly, and the need to replace both scouts and protectors was immediately evident. 2 MK19 40-mm grenade launcher It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. Hughes's price was $19,860 per airframe, without the engine, while Hiller's price was $29,415 per airframe, also without the engine. Nate Shaffer has restored a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopter. Lt. Col. [22] Its straightforward design made it easier to maintain than most other helicopters, while its relatively compact 26-foot main rotor made it easier to use tight landing zones. 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. The OH-6A Cayuse was quite effective when teamed with the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter as part of what were known as Pink Teams. contact us here and we will remove the Served in Vietnam War during 1968 and 1970-1972 [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). The Huskie was used by the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps. 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. Loach come from the LOH which means Light Observation Helicopter. Donald Porter September 2017 Pilot Clyde. [7] The Hiller design, designated OH-5A,[7] had featured a boosted control system, while the Hughes design did not, a difference that accounted for some of the price increase. 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. Systems damaged were: COMM SYS, STRUCTURE, INSTRUMENTS, PERSONNEL The OH-6/Model 369 was also license-produced overseas by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries for both military and civilian operators. Military operators included the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the Japanese Coast Guard. Home | The back plate was often not used owing to the weight, and even the chest plate was deleted. Mills, who served two tours in Loaches and one in Cobras, was shot down 16 timesall but once in OH-6s. Contact | Modifications were also made to the rotor assembly by way of a five blade main rotor which increased stability. The Loach helicopter was pitted against what was then known as the Bell Model 206. The Piasecki H-21 Workhorse was the fourth line of tandem rotor helicopters developed by Piasecki Helicopters. Boucher quickly discovered that life as a qualified crewman was extremely dangerous. With all these benefits, several variations were developed. [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. The helicopter was hit in the Cockpit Another such gunner was 19-year-old Joel Boucher, drafted and sent to Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. The enemy was moving toward us when a [command and control] ship picked us up. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. The armed OH-6s from Fort Rucker joined the training program in the fall of 1980.[30]. The U.S. Marine Corps still flies AH-1 SuperCobras as its main attack helicopter, with the latest versionthe AH-1Z Viper so upgraded and modernized that a Vietnam-era pilot might be hard-pressed to recognize it. The small "egg-shaped" design and simplified rotorhead incorporated four rotor blades of constant chord, made of bonded light alloy. I got shot down on my 22nd birthday, March 27, 1971. [22] All American rotorcraft in the theatre had to be operated more cautiously following this development. [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. [3], On 27 February 1963, the first Model 369 prototype performed its maiden flight. 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. This teamwork was actively encouraged by Army officials, and led to the development of so-called "hunter-killer" tactics that sought to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets. This helicopter was chosen by the US Army over the proposals of a number of other helicopter manufactures, designated the OH-6A Cayuse, and entered service in 1965. They underwent two weeks of qualification training and an additional two weeks of mission training. Each time we went out, we got shot at. 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. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 The Aircraft Division of Hughes Tool Company came up with the Model 369, which became one of three finalists, alongside designs from Bell Helicopter Company and Fairchild Hiller. [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. A Troop, 7th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Aug 70 Feb 72 Light Attack Helicopters 3. 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. Worthy, the OH-6 Loach and two other air scout helicopter pilots, all decorated, were in Topeka on Saturday night for an event at Forbes Field Airport designed to increase interest and. During the Vietnam War the OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. 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. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 Today, the Little Birds in use by special operations are MH-6Ms derived from a similar but more powerful helicopter. The Cayuse . They would then call in scouts on the ground or infantrymen to hunt for the enemy in the brush while attack helicopters protected everyone. The aircraft, dubbed 500P (penetrator) by Hughes, began as an ARPA project, codenamed "Mainstreet", in 1968. An author of aviation books, his latest is Howards Whirlybirds. This was a Combat incident. The Gyrodyne QH-50 was mostly designed to be used on ships that werent large enough to carry a full-sized helicopter. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. Trademarks and copyright information is respected. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. I could tell how old a footprint was by how it looked. We flew down along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, he says of the supply route that wound through Vietnam and neighboring Laos and Cambodia. 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. The OH-6D was an improved version with more advanced electronics and heavier armament. The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. The Sea Knight is a medium left-tandem rotor helicopter used for transport. Vietnam Veteran and his Helicopter Reunited. These helicopters were mostly used for observation, reconnaissance, utility, and for providing combat support. 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. Optional and variable (attack and special forces versions only). RMF3TG12 - Warren Motts, who started the Motts Military Museum, walks with a small child, past helicopters that where used in the Vietnam War. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. Hughes 500M: Military export version of OH-6 in mid-1970s with upgraded 278-shp Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine, "V" tail. 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. During May 1965, the U.S. Army awarded the production contract to Hughes. [2] This shaping, combined with the provision of internal bulkheads, has been attributed as giving the rotorcraft its uncommonly strong crashworthiness properties. Disclaimer Photographs The flames covered my boots and lower legs. They went down in the jungle, and both [members of the crew] survived. Observation Helicopters 4. The US Army charged Hughes for 714 units with the serial production contract formally announced in May of 1965. Almost as soon as production began, however, it was replaced by a competitors model. It would often be crewed by a pilot and an observer; up to five passengers or up to 1,000lb of cargo could be carried internally. Your email address will not be published. A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. Total flight hours at this point: 00000265 Operation Honey Badger never went ahead, as the hostages were released in January 1981. [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. I was flying wing and just dropped into the AO [Area of Operations]. Once enemy positions opened fire at the Cayuse, they were destroyed by the mighty firepower of escorting Cobras. The Model 206 was mostly employed as a general utility helicopter, but at times it was also used for transporting troops and high command, in addition to serving observational and reconnaissance roles during the Vietnam war. 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. MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures. Cookie Policy 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. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. The SeaCobra was a twin-engine attack helicopter that was developed from the single-engine AH-1 Cobra helicopter. The Mojave is a large heavy-lift helicopter that was deployed in the Vietnam War in 1965 to assist in recovery of downed US aircraft, but it proved ineffective. The Huey descended gingerly into a clearing smaller than its main rotor diameter, the aircrafts rotor blades chopping tree limbs as it descended. Overtop of the fuselage was the OH-6s single engine, attached to a four-blade main rotor assembly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. The Loach's main role was reconnaisance and observation. The OH-6A would find targets by flying low, trolling for fire, and lead in a Cobra, or Snake, to attack. During the Vietnam War, it was mostly deployed for aerial combat and for conducting rescue operations in areas close to US Air bases. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,400. AH/MH-6J: US Army Special Operations variant derived from the MD-530MG. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Reportedly, 964 out of the 1,422 OH-6As produced for the U.S. Army were destroyed in Vietnam alone. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy.