loach helicopter vietnam

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. 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! 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 Both the Pilot and Observer/Gunner positions were equipped with carbon fiber side panels and seats. Helicopter took 1 hits from: Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. The Huskie was used by the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps. Reportedly, Hughes had consulted at the last moment with Real, who recommended a bid of $53,550. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) Upon returning to the United States, he established a career in the construction industry and settled in rural Sierra City, California. 2 .50 cal MG pods Vietnams mountainous terrain stressed the underpowered, obsolete helicopters to their limits: They could neither fly fast enough to escape enemy fire nor carry enough armament to pose a meaningful threat. Its four-bladed full-articulated main rotor made it particularly agile, and it was suitable for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. With US Army evaluations of each prototype ongoing, the underpowered Bell offering was formally dropped from contention and the US Army decision favored the Hughes design over the Fairchild-Hiller. The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. Ultimately, Hughes was selected as the winner of the competition. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) Disclaimer Photographs 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. Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/18/2017 | Content www.MilitaryFactory.com Just as I set it down, the tail rotor spun off. Each time we went out, we got shot at. Although many were still teenagers, their survival depended on well-honed instincts and razor-sharp reflexes, along with plenty of luck. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. 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. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. The Cayuse had a single articulated four-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor, and a V-shaped tail. During the Vietnam war, the HH-43 Huskie was used for more rescue missions than all other aircraft combined. Two (2) Crew: one Pilot, one Observer/Doorgunner. Vietnam Helicopters Museum - OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter s/n 66-07841 I spent more time with them.. OH-6 Loach - Light Observation Helicopter - Brickmania Toys However, the U.S. Army subsequently chose to include Hughes's Model 369 for further consideration as well. Another such gunner was 19-year-old Joel Boucher, drafted and sent to Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. The-21C was extensively used by the US Army to transport troops and supplies. If you would like ). For other AH-6 and MH-6 variants, see MH-6 Little Bird and Boeing AH-6. On top of this, Fairchild Hiller lodged a formal complaint over Hughes Tool Companys deceitful tactics to earn the original contract. 10 Types of Helicopters in Vietnam (Vietnam Era Helicopters) - Aero Corner Upon encountering enemy fire, Loaches were to leave immediately, dropping smoke grenades to mark the target so that within seconds, the Cobra could roll in. Vietnam War Era Hughes OH-6 Loach Helicopter - YouTube Anthony is our resident military expert who uses his experience to write about all aspects of flying in the military, including what it takes to become a pilot and serve your country. "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. [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. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. It was deemed, based on Hughes' estimates, his units would be most cost effective in the long run. Trademarks and copyright information is respected. In photo #2 you can see the nice graphics. One, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times. The hunter-killer tactic worked well for a few years, but by the time the United States left Vietnam, it was obsolete, says Mills. Historical Snapshot: OH-6 Cayuse/Hughes 500 Helicopter [22] The remaining H-13s were promptly withdrawn in favour of the OH-6s. Army units this aircraft deployed with in Vietnam: In 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. The Army requested 714 helicopters in May 1965, a number that was later increased to 1,300. I tried to move the stuck controls and prayed for a place to set down. It took all of Kanes strength to pull out of a steep dive, and they crash-landed with a horrific thud. 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. After around 10 hours at the controls of a Loach, the pilots were deemed worthy of flying in combat. The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. See Also: How Much Does a Huey Helicopter Cost? 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. Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. History | Optional and variable (attack and special forces versions only). He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to him then and what it means to him now. 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. Unit: 173 ABN 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. Served in Vietnam War during 1968 and 1970-1972 A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. The Bell UH-1 Huey & the Hughes OH-6 Loach OH-6A/Cayuse: Developed initially by the Hughes Aircraft company (later McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company) in the mid-1960s for the US Army. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse Light Observation Helicopter - MILITARY TODAY The helicopter was hit in the Left Side The Korean War proved the necessity for such rotorcraft, particularly in regard to search and rescue operations. 608th Transportation Company (Aircraft Direct Support): Mar 72 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. They went down in the jungle, and both [members of the crew] survived. It could accomplish missions that bigger, slower and louder helicopters couldnt do. The Loach's main role was reconnaisance and observation. An author of aviation books, his latest is Howards Whirlybirds. Up against Fairchild Hiller, Hughes Tool Company purposely undervalued its cost estimates, earning the company favor and the contract. 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 OH-6A would find targets by flying low, trolling for fire, and lead in a Cobra, or Snake, to attack. When Chuck Gross left for Vietnam in 1970, he was a nineteen-year-old army helicopter pilot fresh out of flight school. AH-1G Huey Cobra 'Snake' . 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. More from us: The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. In addition, an M60D 7.62mm machine gun could be mounted in the front port (left) or rear starboard (right) door openings. Queer John was famous not just for crashing, but for keeping the crew safe while it did so. [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. In 1972, as U.S. troops slowly withdrew, the NVA began a major push that became known as the Easter Offensive. Though Cobra pilots were trained Stateside, most Loach pilots didnt take control of OH-6s until arriving in Vietnam. 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. 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. Since 1968 this helicopter saw combat in Vietnam. The aircraft, dubbed 500P (penetrator) by Hughes, began as an ARPA project, codenamed "Mainstreet", in 1968. Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . The AH-6 Little Bird Gun, a light attack helicopter, has been tested and proven in combat. The Loach helicopter was pitted against what was then known as the Bell Model 206. US Army Loach OH-6 Helicopter Vietnam War Era - YouTube Under enemy fire this nimble machine had to fly low to the ground, just above the jungle canopy. Donald Porter September 2017 Pilot Clyde. Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . We were about ready to call in tactical air support to blow up the wrecked ship when another Cobra took a lot of fire. Vietnam War helicopter pilots bring stories and aircraft to Topeka OH-58 "Kiowa" light observation / scout platform. You were killed, shot down, or got scared and quit. The OH-6 was also exported as the Model 500 Defender. Loach helicopter hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy The "loach" was the LOH (Light Observation Helicopter) or OH-6A. For this, a small rotorcraft capable of landing in restrictive locations and easily transportable via US Air Force transport aircraft was necessary. 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. Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat.

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