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. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. [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. Total flight hours at this point: 00000265 Possible mast-mounted sight. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. One, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times. On March 3, 2023, at a White House ceremony, retired Army Colonel Paris Davis received the Medal of Honor. The hunter-killer tactic worked well for a few years, but by the time the United States left Vietnam, it was obsolete, says Mills. The high-low hunter-killer combination gave way to uniform-altitude missions, with all helicopters flying nap of the earth. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. Required fields are marked *. South Vietnam The AH-1J SeaCobra was used later in the later stages of the Vietnam war. 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. [14][15], During 1966, the OH-1 entered service with the U.S. Army. Missions began every day at dawn, when crews were briefed on where to fly and what to look for. I went up in a Loach with an M60 machine gun to get used to firing the weapon. Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. 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. More from us: The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. Despite having been designed for anti-submarine combat, the Gyrodyne QH-50 was mostly used for conducting reconnaissance of enemy vessels in the Vietnam war, instead of actual combat. 2 M260 2.75-in Hydra 70 rocket pods (7 or 12 each) Improved versions were issued through the war and included pockets on the chest and back in which large additional plates could be inserted. Troop C, 1st squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Oct 68 Jan 69 The OH-6A Loach (for "LOH") would find targets by flying low, "trolling for fire", then marking the target with colored smoke to lead in a Cobra, or Snake, to attack. Casualties = 01 WIA . Total flight hours at this point: 00000496 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]. 605th transportation Company (Direct Support): Nov . Initially fielded in Vietnam in early 1968, the Hughes OH-6A was used for command and control, observation, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. The OH-6 Cayuse was built with a rugged structure covered in light aluminum. The Sea Stallion is a variant of the Jolly Green Giant, but its used only for sea transport. The OH-6D was an improved version with more advanced electronics and heavier armament. By the end of the war, the Loachs replacement was imminent. 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. 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. (Scouts were known as White Teams and Cobras as Red; the two colors combine to become pink. The Model 369 was submitted by Hughes, and competed against the two finalists, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, for a production contract. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. 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. Underneath, a fixed twin-skid undercarriage was supported at two separate points. Instead of disbanding Task Force 158, the military opted to turn it into the 160th Aviation Battalion. 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. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: The killer role persists. a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization EIN 45-4703737We Fly for Our Veterans!. 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. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. This chopper is mostly known for having been used to spot enemy artillery. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. 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 UH-1B/C was used sparingly during the Vietnam War. Cookie Settings, pilot. I liked it because in the Bronx, I was a ghetto kid. [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. MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures. Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat. [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. It was a joy to fly. Kane, who today sells securities in Richmond, Virginia, flew AH-1s in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971. The Hughes OH-6A Cayuse, was designed for use as a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) nicknamed LOACH, military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the U.S. Armys need for an extremely maneuverable observation helicopter. In January 1968 PFC Richard Toops went on to Infantry OCS at Ft. Benning, Ga. graduating in September 1968. The AH-6 and its troop-carrying sibling, the MH-6, are still heavily used by U.S. special-operations forces, as everything from airborne sniper platforms to transports inserting small teams to expeditionary light attack helicopters. Your Privacy Rights 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. [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. 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. The Piasecki H-21 Workhorse was the fourth line of tandem rotor helicopters developed by Piasecki Helicopters. Both the Pilot and Observer/Gunner positions were equipped with carbon fiber side panels and seats. The OH-6 Cayuse, by this point known as the Loach helicopter, made its way to Vietnam in December 1967. A.J. If you would like 60th Assault Helicopter Company: Mar 72 Jun 72, Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 While successful in this respect, the Loach helicopter also had a reputation for being easily gunned down. The Army requested 714 helicopters in May 1965, a number that was later increased to 1,300. The Army initially ordered 1,438 Hughes Model 369s, designated by the Army as the OH-6A Cayuse helicopters. Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. To counter the US, the Vietnamese employed their helicopter fleets of mostly Soviet-made aircraft. Furthermore, a number of civilian customers also flew Kawasaki-built OH-6s for a variety of missions, including emergency medical services (EMS), law enforcement, and agricultural work. 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) 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. Moore served as an Army OH-6A Loach scout in IV Corps, South Vietnam, 1968-1969: Fort Apache, Vihn Long Province. You were killed, shot down, or got scared and quit. For this, a small rotorcraft capable of landing in restrictive locations and easily transportable via US Air Force transport aircraft was necessary. Trademarks and copyright information is respected. | READ MORE. In 1965, the concept of helicopter-borne fighting forces was still new and largely untested, and units in Vietnam invented tactics on the spot. Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam - YouTube 0:00 / 5:15 Intro Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam Chopperguy 15.4K subscribers Subscribe 1.1K 53K views 1 year ago We fly with Low Level. . MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants.
In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close The Loach helicopter was pitted against what was then known as the Bell Model 206. Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . 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). For other AH-6 and MH-6 variants, see MH-6 Little Bird and Boeing AH-6. Late in the war, the HH-43 was also deployed for short overland search and rescue missions. The Cayuse was Hughes' longest-running helicopter program and, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. The Army officially adopted the Bell OH-58 Kiowa in 1969. This was a Combat incident. I could see a cigarette butt still burning. 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.
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. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. 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. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. 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 observers and gunners had even less experience. AH-1G Huey Cobra 'Snake' . Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods. It was used to look for and find the VC/NVA troops in Vietnam. They were famous for being shot down or crashing in combat. I have come home with blood on my windshield.
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse | Military Wiki | Fandom These helicopters were mostly used for observation, reconnaissance, utility, and for providing combat support. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a revolutionary rotorcraft operated during the Vietnam War.
Loach History - Fly in a Vietnam War Helicopter Upon returning to the United States, he established a career in the construction industry and settled in rural Sierra City, California. The Model 369 had a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that had strong crashworthiness properties and provided excellent external visibility. By Richard Toops. In some areas, Purple Teamsone Loach and two Cobraswere also common, as were other variations.) The Marine Corp used it for the sea-based interdiction of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in 1972.
The Incident - CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website 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". The helicopter was hit in the Left Side A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. [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. He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to him then and what it means to him now. I spent more time with them.. During the Vietnam War Era, different types of helicopters were crucial for providing support for ground forces, scouting locations, and deploying or retrieving soldiers. 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. 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. This story is a selection from the September issue of Air & Space magazine, Donald Porter About Us | [2] This shaping, combined with the provision of internal bulkheads, has been attributed as giving the rotorcraft its uncommonly strong crashworthiness properties. The Huskie was used by the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps. US Army Loach OH-6 Helicopter Vietnam War Era Steve1958OR 242 subscribers 14K views 9 years ago A friend came by today with his Vietnam war era Hughs OH-6 Loach helicopter.