Systems damaged were: COMM SYS, STRUCTURE, INSTRUMENTS, PERSONNEL In one particular clandestine incident in 1972, known as the Vinh wiretap, a pair of OH-6As were heavily modified and used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) via Air America was used to infiltrate Vietnamese high level communications, providing valuable intelligence. NVA troops shot down a Cobra, killing the crew. Moses, a 19-year-old draftee, arrived in Vietnam in July 1970 for the first of two year-long tours, and later worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs as a therapist and administrator. Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program, The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. 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. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. I followed footsteps. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. It was a joy to fly. Kane, who today sells securities in Richmond, Virginia, flew AH-1s in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971. A.J. 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. In some areas, Purple Teamsone Loach and two Cobraswere also common, as were other variations.) Today, the Little Birds in use by special operations are MH-6Ms derived from a similar but more powerful helicopter. OH-6 Loach - Light Observation Helicopter - Brickmania Toys 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. In this theatre, it was commonly operated in teams with other rotorcraft, such as the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, using so-called "hunter-killer" tactics to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets; the OH-6 would act as bait to draw enemy fire and mark targets for other platforms such as the AH-1 to attack. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. The helicopter was designed around their earlier model 269/300 making use of monocoque steel tube construction techniques, allowing a strong and compact fuselage. 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. 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. Aircraft took off, fully flight capable. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Russian soldiers calls back home reveal horrifying experiences in Ukraine, broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen, could carry everything from 7.62mm miniguns to 70mm rockets and anti-tank missiles, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times, modified versions of the helicopter flew with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as the MH-6C Little Bird as late as 2008, 29 of the best politically incorrect Vietnam War slang terms. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder! The enemy was moving toward us when a [command and control] ship picked us up. Queer John was famous not just for crashing, but for keeping the crew safe while it did so. Book A Flight | It was the same for Jim. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. As of 2021, these records still stand. Home | Helicopter took 2 hits from: Donald Porter September 2017 Pilot Clyde. [28][29], The pilots selected to fly the OH-6A helicopters came from the 229th Attack Helicopter Battalion and were sent to the Mississippi Army National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) at Gulfport, Mississippi, for two weeks of qualification training in the rotorcraft. 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. (Scouts were known as White Teams and Cobras as Red; the two colors combine to become pink. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. 2 Stinger AAM. [12] Accordingly, during 1968, Hughes submitted a bid to build a further 2,700 airframes. Hughes Model OH-6A "Cayuse" or "LOACH". You had a couple of flights in the Huey, then you rode front seat in a Cobra, scout pilot Allan Krausz recounts. ). The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine transport and search helicopter. The Cayuse was Hughes' longest-running helicopter program and, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. This helicopter was UNK Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. To this day I am closer to those guys I flew with in Vietnam than my own brothers, says Mills. Contact | 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. Vietnam War Era Hughes OH-6 Loach Helicopter - YouTube One, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times. 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. I had another lead that went through 150 feet of trees, and they survived., Shafer himself had brushes with disaster, and his luck nearly ran out on a mission west of Dak To, near the border with Laos. The campaign included the first major use in the war of Soviet-built, shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles. Click on the hotlinks for more information. [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. Rattler One-Seven puts you in the helicopter seat, to see the war in Vietnam through the eyes of an inexperienced pilot as he transforms himself into a seasoned combat veteran. The "OH-6C" was the creation of the Maintenance Section of The Real Cav, B Troop 7/17th Air Cavalry Squadron, which was stationed near Pleiku in early 1972. The Bell UH-1B/C was modified from the UH-1A Cobra to include a set of machine guns for attacking ground targets. (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) 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. Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. The killer role persists. Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . (7.62MM) We were about ready to call in tactical air support to blow up the wrecked ship when another Cobra took a lot of fire. The helicopter Continued Flight. Each could be equipped with any number of armaments, including grenade launchers, 7.62 mm miniguns, Hydra 70 mm unguided rockets, and TOW and Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles. Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. I could tell how old a footprint was by how it looked. 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. 79th Transportation Company: Jun 70 Jul 70 Improved versions were issued through the war and included pockets on the chest and back in which large additional plates could be inserted. Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. [13][3] Beginning in 2001, the JGSDF OH-6s were supplemented by the indigenously-developed Kawasaki OH-1, a more advanced observation 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 Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light helicopter with a single engine and a four-bladed main rotor. It was barely used in the Vietnam War because it was replaced by the more advanced Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw. I have come home with blood on my windshield. For this, a small rotorcraft capable of landing in restrictive locations and easily transportable via US Air Force transport aircraft was necessary. 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. Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . They were employed in hunter-killer tactics, wherein they flew low over the jungle as bait to draw enemy fire. The Seasprite was an anti-submarine and anti-surface helicopter that had over-the-horizon targeting facilities. https://warandlifediscussions.weebly.com/Any veteran who served in any combat zone in any capacity is invited to contact Preston Jones: [email protected] / (479) 524-7488 The helicopter made a Forced Landing. While Enroute this helicopter was at Level Flight at 0020 feet and 050 knots. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. 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. Its effectiveness in battle allowed it to quickly replace the Bell H-13 Siouxs being operated in the country. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. article/image or apply full credit information. So I engaged the enemy, but didnt make it out of that one. 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. However, the choppers frame ensured the crewmen within remained safe. The Incident - Operation Triumphus It was pretty hairy, and we got the hell out of there. But Boucher got a rush from the missions, and stayed six months beyond what was required of a draftee. Best Vietnam Helicopter Book - General Helicopter Forum - Vertical Primarily, it was used by the Marine Corp to transport personnel and cargo. [22], Following the April 1980 failure of Operation Eagle Claw (the attempted rescue of American hostages in Tehran), it was determined that the military lacked aircraft and crews who were trained and prepared to perform special operations missions. This chopper is mostly known for having been used to spot enemy artillery. Stanley Hiller complained to the U.S. Army that Hughes had used unethical procedures; therefore, the Army opened the contract for rebidding by all parties. We were so close to the elephant grass that wed blow the grass apart to see if anyone was hiding in there, observer Bob Moses says. Once enemy positions opened fire at the Cayuse, they were destroyed by the mighty firepower of escorting Cobras. Can a Helicopter Fly to the Top of Mount Everest. Vietnam Veteran and his Helicopter Reunited. MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures.