Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. The Vietnam War saw the extensive use of helicopters, though were mostly by the United States military. 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. Typically missions were flown during the daylight, starting at dawn; common roles included the clearance of landing zones and general intelligence/observation flights. The Army requested 714 helicopters in May 1965, a number that was later increased to 1,300. [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. These rotorcraft were operated by several different organisations, the majority of which were based in Japan. 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. [12] Following a competitive fly-off, the Army requested the manufacturers to submit sealed bids. Adopted after the company behind its design deceived the US Army, the Loach helicopter, as it was better known, fast became the primary chopper flown in Vietnam. Multi-Mission Helicopters 6. Military operators included the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the Japanese Coast Guard. Here are the 24 helicopters used in Vietnam. 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) The task force, which had been designated as Task Force 158, was soon formed into the 160th Aviation Battalion. Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. South Vietnam 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. Upon landing, an inspection revealed a damaged pitch link, a rotor head component so critical that had it failed, they too would have crashed. With all these benefits, several variations were developed. [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. Its like a street cop going into a bad neighborhood. Home | 60th Assault Helicopter Company: Mar 72 Jun 72, Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 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. 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. The Loach helicopters used to transport personnel were given the designation MH-6, while the armed ones were dubbed the AH-6. Kane recalls, The vibrations were so harsh I had to return to base camp at Khe Sanh, seven miles from the Laotian border. 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 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. It is 1/6th scale and very large, has to be at least 3 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip. The campaign included the first major use in the war of Soviet-built, shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles. Systems damaged were: COMM SYS, STRUCTURE, INSTRUMENTS, PERSONNEL 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. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. Pilot sold separately. I could tell how old a footprint was by how it looked. article/image or apply full credit information. Loach crews were equipped with small arms and returned fire as they fled. Cookie Policy Date: 02/08/1969 Queer John was famous not just for crashing, but for keeping the crew safe while it did so. Improved versions were issued through the war and included pockets on the chest and back in which large additional plates could be inserted. Missions began every day at dawn, when crews were briefed on where to fly and what to look for. Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat. 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. Date: 03/25/1970 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. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . The Little Birds weaponry is a far cry from the M60 machine gun carried aboard a Loach in Vietnam: AH-6s can carry miniguns, rocket pods, grenade launchers, Hellfire missiles, and air-to-air Stinger missiles. to voice a complaint about any articles or image on this website, please About Us | In 1965, the concept of helicopter-borne fighting forces was still new and largely untested, and units in Vietnam invented tactics on the spot. Hughes Model OH-6A Cayuse or LOACH [24][25] As to indicate the position of concealed enemy ground forces, the observer in the OH-6 would mark the spot using a smoke grenade, assisting other units in effectively firing upon them. 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. The aircraft was diverted prior to accomplishing any mission objectives. [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. I got shot down on my 22nd birthday, March 27, 1971. 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. 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. Trademarks and copyright information is respected. The OH-6 Cayuse, by this point known as the Loach helicopter, made its way to Vietnam in December 1967. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. The Cayuse could absorb an extensive amount of small arms fire and still bring the crew home safely. 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. 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.. In contrast, of the nearly 1,100 Cobras delivered to the Army, 300 were lost. 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. Hughes Tool Company, Aircraft Division - USA, (View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers), Dominican Republic; Denmark; Japan; Spain; Taiwan; United States, (OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable), Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout, X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator), (Showcased structural values pertain to the base Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (Loach) production variant), RANGES (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hi-Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: >19030, (Showcased performance specifications pertain to the. The Model 369 had a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that had strong crashworthiness properties and provided excellent external visibility. The OH-6A Cayuse fulfilled this role and became known as the Little Bird. The pilots tasked with operating the choppers were selected from the 229th Attack Helicopter Battalion. Lt. Col. 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. Due to its designation LOH (Light Observation Helicopter), pilots and crew nicknamed this helicopter LOACH. 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. We thought they were ARVNs [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] until they started running. The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine transport and search helicopter. 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. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. The Gyrodyne company built the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) to combat submarines from a distance. 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. They went down in the jungle, and both [members of the crew] survived. [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. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. Furthermore, the helicopter was also developed into a civilian helicopter, the Model 500, which was still in production into the twenty-first century under MD Helicopters as the MD 500.