The Bell Model 206 is a line of both single and twin-engined helicopters with two primary rotor blades. Almost as soon as production began, however, it was replaced by a competitors model. and Images on this page are gathered from various sources. 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. 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. In the end, Hughes lost its contract to Bell, who was deemed to have the superior design. 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. If the OH-6 came under fire, the nearby Cobra would then strike at the revealed enemy. 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. [12] Accordingly, during 1968, Hughes submitted a bid to build a further 2,700 airframes. 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. OH-6A Cayuse / AH-6J Little Bird - Military Aircraft It was nicknamed the Jolly Green Giant during the war. Ive seen them, whites of the eyes, and theyve seen me, whites of the eyes. 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. [3], On 27 February 1963, the first Model 369 prototype performed its maiden flight. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. South Vietnam The Loach's main role was reconnaisance and observation. The Mil Mi-8 is a Soviet medium twin-turbine helicopter. This helicopter was UNK Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. 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. Sensing its growing battlefield requirements, the US Army then raised the production ceiling to 1,300 units in all. Some of them were able to tell how large a force was and how recently it had passed. While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0020 feet and 050 knots. They would then call in scouts on the ground or infantrymen to hunt for the enemy in the brush while attack helicopters protected everyone. AH/MH-6J: US Army Special Operations variant derived from the MD-530MG. The flames covered my boots and lower legs. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. Jim Kanes Vietnam tour abruptly ended one day in February 1971. When Chuck Gross left for Vietnam in 1970, he was a nineteen-year-old army helicopter pilot fresh out of flight school. The aircraft, dubbed 500P (penetrator) by Hughes, began as an ARPA project, codenamed "Mainstreet", in 1968. Hunter-killer team - Wikipedia I have come home with blood on my windshield. Just as I set it down, the tail rotor spun off. Loach helicopter hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. The UH-1B/C was used sparingly during the Vietnam War. . Fewer than 2,000 of the type were produced though the original went on to spawn a plethora of viable performers including the Hughes 500 "Defender" and the special forces-minded MH-6 "Little Bird". 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. Donald Porter served in Vietnam with the helicopters he writes about. Vietnam War helicopter pilots bring stories and aircraft to Kansas a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 45-4703737We Fly for Our Veterans!. It never flew again. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. I liked it because in the Bronx, I was a ghetto kid. The Loach helicopters used to transport personnel were given the designation MH-6, while the armed ones were dubbed the AH-6. Click on the hotlinks for more information. Missions began every day at dawn, when crews were briefed on where to fly and what to look for. 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. 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. Warrant officer John Shafer was 21 when he arrived on October 16, 1970, to fly Loaches. They underwent two weeks of qualification training and an additional two weeks of mission training. 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. 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. Unknown as to mission impact. Her research focused on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history with a focus on childhood diseases. They were famous for being shot down or crashing in combat. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. The US Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) trains and graduates qualified engineering test pilots, flight test officers, and flight test engineers to conduct test and evaluation (T & E) at the Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) Patuxent River Maryland and other activities. 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. Nate Shaffer and Bruce Campbell at their assigned positions. Hughes, without informing Real, raised the bid by $3,000, and thus lost the contract to Bell. Anthony comes from a military family and has served his country proudly in the military as a pilot. 60th Assault Helicopter Company: Mar 72 Jun 72, Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 Army troops called the OH-6As Loaches, a contraction of light observation helicopters. The ship was unusually light and had plenty of power, perfect for flying nap-of-the-earth missions, and its 26-foot-diameter main rotor made getting into tight landing zones a snap. The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. In response, a task force was developed originally designated Task Force 158 for the next attempt to rescue the hostages, Operation Honey Badger. The OH-6 was developed in response to the United States Army issuing Technical Specification 153 in 1960 to replace its Bell H-13 Sioux fleet. Possible mast-mounted sight. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. Book A Flight | The Cayuse . Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . The AH-1 is sometimes affectionately referred to as the Huey Cobra or The Snake. Another flight competition was held, this time without a submission from Fairchild Hiller. 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. 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. [23][22] Such a team would have normally comprised a single OH-6 that would fly relatively slow and at a low altitude while attempting to spot the presence of enemies. A little gory but thats how close we were. As the Loach flew among the trees, the rear-seat pilot in the Snake circling above kept a close eye on the little scout and the front-seat gunner jotted down whatever the Loach observers radioed. 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. The Sea Stallion is a line of heavy-lift transport helicopters. The SeaCobra was a twin-engine attack helicopter that was developed from the single-engine AH-1 Cobra helicopter. It is 1/6th scale and very large, has to be at least 3 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip. . A Troop, 7th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Aug 70 Feb 72 Development included test and training flights in Culver City, California (Hughes Airport) and at Area 51 in 1971. Your email address will not be published. These choppers were modified for combat rescue missions and had self-sealing fuel tanks, rescue hoist, and in-flight refueling abilities. 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). During 1966, the OH-6 entered service with the U.S. Army, it promptly arrived into active combat in the Vietnam War. [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. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Logan Nye Updated December 07, 2022 09:30:25 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. It was also the right size to fit the necessary avionics and fuel stores, all while keeping the structure nimble and agile. 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. 2 .50 cal MG pods OH-6A Cayuse ('Loach') The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. 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. Instead of disbanding Task Force 158, the military opted to turn it into the 160th Aviation Battalion. 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. MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. 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. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse - Wikipedia Hughes bid $56,550 per airframe, while Bell bid $54,200. In 1965, the concept of helicopter-borne fighting forces was still new and largely untested, and units in Vietnam invented tactics on the spot. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. [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 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program.