loach helicopter 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. 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 In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. Your Privacy Rights 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. Typically missions were flown during the daylight, starting at dawn; common roles included the clearance of landing zones and general intelligence/observation flights. Kane recalls, The vibrations were so harsh I had to return to base camp at Khe Sanh, seven miles from the Laotian border. You can have all the guns, vests, and radios you want, but you need street smarts or youre going to be dead within an hour.. MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures. 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 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. The OH-6A could be armed with the M27 armament subsystem, the M134 six-barrel 7.62mm minigun or the M129 40mm grenade launcher on the XM8 armament subsystem. The OH-6 was also exported as the Model 500 Defender. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse - Wikipedia Hughes 500M: Military export version of OH-6 in mid-1970s with upgraded 278-shp Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine, "V" tail. 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. I could see a cigarette butt still burning. The Mil Mi-1 was a Soviet-made light utility chopper with three or four seats. Vietnam following a morning mission with the 11th Special Forces (SF) at Long Than North, South Vietnam. [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. They underwent two weeks of qualification training and an additional two weeks of mission training. Scout pilots were a different breed of cat, says Cobra pilot Jim Kane, who likens his former colleagues to the airborne equivalent of the Tunnel Rats, soldiers who crawled head-first into Viet Cong-built tunnels without any idea what awaited them there. 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. You had a couple of flights in the Huey, then you rode front seat in a Cobra, scout pilot Allan Krausz recounts. Two (2) Crew: one Pilot, one Observer/Doorgunner. During the testing phase, it became clear the Bell prototype was underpowered, so it was dropped. Due to its designation LOH (Light Observation Helicopter), pilots and crew nicknamed this helicopter LOACH. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. [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. Helicopter took 2 hits from: [2] This shaping, combined with the provision of internal bulkheads, has been attributed as giving the rotorcraft its uncommonly strong crashworthiness properties. Ultimately, Hughes was selected as the winner of the competition. OH-6A Cayuse / AH-6J Little Bird - Military Aircraft 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. The CH-34 Choctaw was developed by Sikorsky Aircraft for transport purposes to carry personnel and deliver supplies. 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. 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. A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. The Hughes OH-6 "Cayuse" (popularly recognized as the "Loach") was a revolutionary light helicopter mount primarily in service with the United States Army and saw combat service during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). 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. 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. It was barely used in the Vietnam War because it was replaced by the more advanced Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw. [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. [14][15], During 1966, the OH-1 entered service with the U.S. Army. Since units were all but permanently assigned to particular areas, they came to know the local geography intimately and could spot anything out of the ordinary. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) After evaluation, three designs were selected and 5 of each: the Bell OH-4A; the Hiller OH-5 and the Hughes OH-6, were ordered for trials by the U.S.Army Aviation Board. Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . These would be used to replace its fleet of Bell H-13 Sioux, a compact first generation rotorcraft. As of 2021, these records still stand. Following a contentious selection process that included allegations of industrial espionage and political favoritism, the first Hughes OH-6A observation helicopters arrived in Vietnam in December 1967. Its first overseas deployment, as well as into frontline combat, was the Vietnam War. ", FAI Record ID #11656 Absolute Rotorcraft World Record, Distance over a closed circuit without landing, FAI Record ID #11655 Absolute Rotorcraft World Record, Distance without landing, Obituary: Robert G. Ferry; Air Force veteran was record-setting test pilot, "In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close", "Jane's Aircraft Upgrades, MD Helicopters (Hughes) Model 500 (Military Versions)", "Dominican Republic Air Force Unit History", "Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force OH-6J", "Breda Nardi Hughes NH.500M in Armed Forces of Malta service", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hughes_OH-6_Cayuse&oldid=1133333304, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 07:46. 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. Upon returning to the United States, he established a career in the construction industry and settled in rural Sierra City, California. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. 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. Shop | Best Vietnam Helicopter Book - General Helicopter Forum - Vertical The campaign included the first major use in the war of Soviet-built, shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles. It served in Granada and Panama during the 1980s, as well as in the . Kane was dispatched to the crash site in another Cobra with copilot Jim Casher. History. Fitted with 1x 253-shp Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft, 4 bladed main rotor, and an offset "V" tail. Armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch FFAR, it provides armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. The helicopter was hit in the Cockpit The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. If the OH-6 came under fire, the nearby Cobra would then strike at the revealed enemy. That was about it.. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. I still have scars on my legsit was terrifying. Terms of Use Headquarters, 173rd Airborne Brigade: Jan 70 May 70 While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. To counter the US, the Vietnamese employed their helicopter fleets of mostly Soviet-made aircraft. The OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 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. Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam - YouTube The Incident - CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website OH-6A Cayuse ('Loach') The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. After around 10 hours at the controls of a Loach, the pilots were deemed worthy of flying in combat. Army units this aircraft deployed with in Vietnam: [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. [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. 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. During 1964, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a memorandum directing that all U.S. Army fixed-wing aircraft be transferred to the U.S. Air Force, while the U.S. Army transitioned to solely operating rotor-wing aircraft. Multi-Mission Helicopters 6. Vietnam Helicopters Museum - OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter s/n 66-07841



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