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As well, its tough frame made it safer than other helicopters during crashes, as its aluminum skin absorbed the energy and the structure protected the crew. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. The Marine Corp used it for the sea-based interdiction of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in 1972. The architects of the task force identified the need for a small helicopter to land in the most restrictive locations and that was also easily transported on Air Force transport aircraft. The Cayuse (white) was used alongside the AH-1 Cobra (red) attack helicopters, forming (pink) hunter killer teams. | READ MORE. 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. By the end of the war, the Loachs replacement was imminent. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. But the Army decided that it would be more prudent to keep the unit in order to be prepared for future contingencies. SA-7 Grail heat-seeking missiles could down a Loach before its crew even realized they were under fire. 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. 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. During the course of the competition, the Bell submission, the YOH-4, was eliminated as being underpowered (it was powered by the 250shp (186kW) T63-A-5). The guidance systems on newer attack helicoptersoften working with or even controlling the cameras of reconnaissance droneshave relegated to history the hunter role in the hunter-killer missions. Ive seen them, whites of the eyes, and theyve seen me, whites of the eyes. In 1972, as U.S. troops slowly withdrew, the NVA began a major push that became known as the Easter Offensive. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder! The OH-6A would find targets by flying low, trolling for fire, and lead in a Cobra, or Snake, to attack. 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. The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. 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 Piasecki H-21 Workhorse was the fourth line of tandem rotor helicopters developed by Piasecki Helicopters. Hughes's price was $19,860 per airframe, without the engine, while Hiller's price was $29,415 per airframe, also without the engine. The Mil Mi-1 was a Soviet-made light utility chopper with three or four seats. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. Though Cobra pilots were trained Stateside, most Loach pilots didnt take control of OH-6s until arriving in Vietnam. Several Kawasaki-built Loach helicopters were also flown by civilian customers for a variety of reasons, including emergency medical services, law enforcement tasks and for work in the agricultural sector. [22], It became common for OH-6s to operate in teams with other rotorcraft, particularly the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. 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. [22][23] Prior to the arrival of the AH-1, "hunter-killer" teams often relied on the firepower from armed models of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois utility helicopter. Hughes, without informing Real, raised the bid by $3,000, and thus lost the contract to Bell. 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. [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program, The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. This. You were killed, shot down, or got scared and quit. The Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. RMF3TG12 - Warren Motts, who started the Motts Military Museum, walks with a small child, past helicopters that where used in the Vietnam War. It was mostly used to transport troops and cargo during the Vietnam war. Las mejores ofertas para Cartas de Lee: La historia de un hombre de Vietnam por Larayne M. Topp (ingls) Paperb estn en eBay Compara precios y caractersticas de productos nuevos y usados Muchos artculos con envo gratis! 2023 Smithsonian Magazine In 1965, the concept of helicopter-borne fighting forces was still new and largely untested, and units in Vietnam invented tactics on the spot. The Cobra was fast and deadly. But the light aluminum skin could be easily pierced by rifle bullets, and it also crumpled and absorbed energy in a crash, and a strong structural truss protected critical systemslike the people inside. Date: 03/25/1970 You were right in the enemys face with a helicopter and had to know what you were doing, recalls warrant officer Clyde Romero of his 1,100 hours flying scout missions over South Vietnam in 1971. It never flew again. [2] Twelve companies opted to participate in the competition, Hughes Tool Company's Aircraft Division being one of them, submitted the Model 369 as its response. As the H-13s were phased out, Loaches were paired with Cobra gunships. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. 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. Most of our engagements [we] were 25 to 50 feet [away] when we opened up on [the Viet Cong], Mills continues. Some crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the OH-6, however, the transition proceeded while scouting doctrine was changed to emphasis operations from greater distances. 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. It was used to look for and find the VC/NVA troops in Vietnam. 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. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. The helicopter Continued Flight. History | The Cayuse could absorb an extensive amount of small arms fire and still bring the crew home safely. I could see a cigarette butt still burning. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. This simple design made maintenance easy, while the choppers 26-foot rotor made it much easier to maneuver in tight landing zones. Home | An author of aviation books, his latest is Howards Whirlybirds. A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. Up against Fairchild Hiller, Hughes Tool Company purposely undervalued its cost estimates, earning the company favor and the contract. Observation Helicopters 4. 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. [6], During May 1965, the U.S. Army awarded a production contract to Hughes; this initial order for 714 rotorcraft was subsequently increased to 1,300 along with an option for another 114. For most of the war, there was no formal Army training to prepare scout pilots and observers. 60th Assault Helicopter Company: Mar 72 Jun 72, Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 Late in the war, the HH-43 was also deployed for short overland search and rescue missions. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. A recontoured nose allowed for greater leg and head room. Armament 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. 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. 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. 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. I was used to getting up close and personal with the enemy.. 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. 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. Hughes is reported to have told his confidant, Jack Real, that he lost over $100 million to construct 1,370 airframes. We got into another aircraft and went back out. Its four-bladed full-articulated main rotor made it particularly agile, and it was suitable for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. Today, the Little Birds in use by special operations are MH-6Ms derived from a similar but more powerful helicopter. During May 1965, the U.S. Army awarded the production contract to Hughes. The Bell H-13 Sioux was developed as a light-weight single-engine and single-rotor helicopter. OH-58 "Kiowa" light observation / scout platform. Unlike previous aircraft, the Tarhe was extremely successful during the Vietnam War. I was just out of flight school when I went to Vietnam. He flew Loaches for the next 11 months, and today is an accountant in Seattle. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. It was deemed, based on Hughes' estimates, his units would be most cost effective in the long run. Terms of Use Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. The SeaCobra was a twin-engine attack helicopter that was developed from the single-engine AH-1 Cobra helicopter. Contact | I had a wingman shot down, pilot John Shafer says. The Mil Mi-8 is a Soviet medium twin-turbine helicopter. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. However, the choppers frame ensured the crewmen within remained safe. For other AH-6 and MH-6 variants, see MH-6 Little Bird and Boeing AH-6. OA-6A 'Loach' Scout platoon. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. ). During the Vietnam War, it was mostly deployed for aerial combat and for conducting rescue operations in areas close to US Air bases. 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. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a single-engine light helicopter that was designed and produced by the American aerospace company Hughes Helicopters. Optional and variable (attack and special forces versions only). I spent more time with them.. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 Front left side view of the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopter; color, Right side view of the Hughes OH-6 Loach in flight; color. On March 3, 2023, at a White House ceremony, retired Army Colonel Paris Davis received the Medal of Honor. [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. The Cayuse had a single articulated four-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor, and a V-shaped tail. The Model 369, with its Allison T63-A-5A series turboshaft engine, took its first flight on February 27, 1963, under the military designation YOH-6A. I still have scars on my legsit was terrifying. The United States deployed all types of helicopter, ranging from massive troop transport choppers, to smaller multipurpose and attack helicopters, and even helicopter drones. If you would like It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. Primarily, it was used by the Marine Corp to transport personnel and cargo. This aspect was further bolstered by the use of self-sealing fuel tanks that lowered the likelihood of a post-impact fire breaking out. 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). 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. The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. 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. Initially fielded in Vietnam in early 1968, the Hughes OH-6A was used for command and control, observation, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. Its first overseas deployment, as well as into frontline combat, was the Vietnam War. Due to its designation LOH (Light Observation Helicopter), pilots and crew nicknamed this helicopter LOACH. 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. 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. The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. 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.. As a separate part of the project, armed OH-6As were being developed at Fort Rucker, Alabama. 605th transportation Company (Direct Support): Nov . The unrefueled range of the AH-6 is 250 nautical miles. Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. These helicopters were mostly used for observation, reconnaissance, utility, and for providing combat support. Fitted with 1x 253-shp Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft, 4 bladed main rotor, and an offset "V" tail. During the Vietnam war, the HH-43 Huskie was used for more rescue missions than all other aircraft combined. Graphics are very well done, the whole model is very well done. In the end, Hughes lost its contract to Bell, who was deemed to have the superior design. and Images on this page are gathered from various sources. a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 45-4703737We Fly for Our Veterans!. To counter the US, the Vietnamese employed their helicopter fleets of mostly Soviet-made aircraft. Kane was dispatched to the crash site in another Cobra with copilot Jim Casher. [27] During June 1972, they were deployed to a secret base in southern Laos (PS-44), where one of the helicopters was heavily damaged during a training mission late in the summer. The OH-6A helicopters used for transporting personnel became the MH-6 aircraft of the Light Assault Company and the armed OH-6As became the AH-6 aircraft of the Light Attack Company. 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. article/image or apply full credit information. 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. [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. Infantrymen would also launch an assault from the ground. Each time we went out, we got shot at. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. 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. [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. 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. Reportedly, 964 out of the 1,422 OH-6As produced for the U.S. Army were destroyed in Vietnam alone. The US Army charged Hughes for 714 units with the serial production contract formally announced in May of 1965. In the Vietnam War, these choppers were used to recover downed aircraft. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. [14][15], During 1966, the OH-1 entered service with the U.S. Army. [19][20][21], In December 1967, the first OH-6As arrived in Vietnam. These rotorcraft were operated by several different organisations, the majority of which were based in Japan. The Loach helicopters used to transport personnel were given the designation MH-6, while the armed ones were dubbed the AH-6. The small-arms protection aircrewmen armor that was introduced in 1966 was a vest with pockets containing composite laminated plates commonly called chicken plates. With all these benefits, several variations were developed. When the Loach debuted in 1966, it broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, all important attributes for a scout helicopter. The OH-6A replaced the Korean era OH-13 Sioux and OH-23 Raven light observation helicopters. I went up in a Loach with an M60 machine gun to get used to firing the weapon. [26], During 1972, a pair of heavily modified OH-6As were utilized by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) via Air America for a covert wire-tapping mission. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) The Sea Stallion is a variant of the Jolly Green Giant, but its used only for sea transport. The Sea Knight is a medium left-tandem rotor helicopter used for transport. All Rights Reserved. While Loachs were vulnerable to enemy fire, they were famous for surviving crashes like John did. Can include a combination of the following across two fuselage wingstubs (though some weapons operated from cabin doors): (Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above), Hardpoint Mountings: 2 (if wingstub equipped). They would then call in scouts on the ground or infantrymen to hunt for the enemy in the brush while attack helicopters protected everyone. 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. 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. 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. Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . However, the U.S. Army subsequently chose to include Hughes's Model 369 for further consideration as well. Two (2) Crew: one Pilot, one Observer/Doorgunner. While they were circling the wreckage, enemy rounds hit their ship. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: 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. I have come home with blood on my windshield. The OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. The observers and gunners had even less experience. The shelf life of a scout pilot was probably six months. An Army article written after Johns seventh crash credited it with surviving 61 hits from enemy fire and seven crashes without losing a single crew member. Some of them were able to tell how large a force was and how recently it had passed. 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. To remedy this shortcoming, the Army began developing a special aviation task force to prepare for the next attempt to rescue the hostages: Operation Honey Badger. 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.. The OH-6 Cayuse was developed from specifications issued by the U.S. Army in 1960 for a light observation helicopter (LOH), and the familiar Loach nickname was derived from the acronym. We were combat trackers, says Mills. The small "egg-shaped" design and simplified rotorhead incorporated four rotor blades of constant chord, made of bonded light alloy.