This. The 1-245th AVN BN enlisted 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 aircraft. 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. It had a distinct teardrop-shaped fuselage, which made it instantly recognizable, and a cockpit for two crew members, along with two removable seats in the passenger cabin. 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. 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). Onboard UH1 Huey helicopter (SN 66-163-56) was Aircraft Commander, WO William H. Seaborn Jr., myself as . 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. The Vietnam War saw the extensive use of helicopters, though were mostly by the United States military. Within that same year, help was on the way. When the training was completed, C-141 Starlifter airlifters transported both rotorcraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two weeks of mission training. Its effectiveness in battle allowed it to quickly replace the Bell H-13 Siouxs being operated in the country. The Cayuse . 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. Reportedly, 964 out of the 1,422 OH-6As produced for the U.S. Army were destroyed in Vietnam alone. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. Ultimately, Hughes was selected as the winner of the competition. Late in the war, the HH-43 was also deployed for short overland search and rescue missions. Due to its designation LOH (Light Observation Helicopter), pilots and crew nicknamed this helicopter LOACH. contact us here and we will remove the [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. 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. Kane and Casher were pulled aboard and returned to Khe Sanh, but the Huey barely made it back; slicing trees had left its blades shredded, and the tail section had almost separated. The NVA [North Vietnamese army] was everywhere. By the end of the war, the Loachs replacement was imminent. Hughes Model OH-6A "Cayuse" or "LOACH". During 1966, the OH-6 entered service with the U.S. Army, it promptly arrived into active combat in the Vietnam War. Although most combat aircraft in Vietnam aimed for altitudes and speeds that helped them avoid anti-aircraft weapons, U.S. Army crews flying Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopters flew low and drew fireto set up the shots for the Bell AH-1G Cobras circling above. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. The helicopter was hit in the Left Side Accordingly, this tactic had resulted in substantial losses being incurred on the contract with the U.S. Army; the company had allegedly anticipated that an extended production cycle would eventually make the rotorcraft financially viable. The OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. 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. The unrefueled range of the AH-6 is 250 nautical miles. Cobras generally attacked with rockets, preferred for long-range accuracy, switching to the less-accurate chin-mounted machine gun and grenade launcher only if they were far enough away from friendly troops or if the rocketsAH-1s could carry as many as 76 rocketsran out. 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. Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. The UH, nicknamed Huey is a utility military chopper that was used for troop and cargo transport, medical evacuation, and sometimes for military purposes. | READ MORE. I liked it because in the Bronx, I was a ghetto kid. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) Required fields are marked *. 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. While successful in this respect, the Loach helicopter also had a reputation for being easily gunned down. OH-6A Cayuse ('Loach') The OH-6A "Cayuse" is a small tactical helicopter flown by units of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment [SOAR]. Hughes 500M: Military export version of OH-6 in mid-1970s with upgraded 278-shp Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine, "V" tail. Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. Table of Contents 1. The OH-6/Model 369 was also license-produced overseas by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries for both military and civilian operators. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. Just as I set it down, the tail rotor spun off. 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. The Loach-derived MD-500 and other civilian variants still roll off the assembly lines at MD Helicopters, Inc., while Boeing produces an upgraded variant, the AH-6 Little Bird, for military forces (including an autonomous drone version). 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. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 [17] On 26 March 1966, Jack Schwiebold set the closed circuit distance record in a YOH-6A at Edwards Air Force Base, California, flying without landing for 1,739.96mi (2,800.20km). They were famous for being shot down or crashing in combat. The AH/MH Little Birds were lifted by a single C-5 Galaxy, and two C-130 Hercules, along with all support kits for the battalion. These helicopters were mostly used for observation, reconnaissance, utility, and for providing combat support. Also: LNOF, 90119, JSIDR (Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. Nate Shaffer has restored a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopter. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Radiomen in the Vietnam War faced a 5-second life expectancy 5 cringeworthy military slang terms (that we should actually retire) From nursing to newspapers, these were the women of Vietnam Multi-Mission Helicopters 6. That was about it.. and Images on this page are gathered from various sources. [16], Early on in the OH-6's career, the type demonstrated its performance in a particularly prominent manner via the setting of 23 individual world records for helicopters during 1966 in the categories of speed, endurance and time to climb. The helicopter made a Forced Landing. So I engaged the enemy, but didnt make it out of that one. While Hiller did not participate in the rebidding, Bell opted to, submitting their redesigned Model 206. Find Us on Facebook, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC). 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. [12] Accordingly, during 1968, Hughes submitted a bid to build a further 2,700 airframes. 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. During the Vietnam War, it was mostly deployed for aerial combat and for conducting rescue operations in areas close to US Air bases. 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. Home | It later turned out that Howard Hughes purposely undervalued his estimate and deceptively won out against Fairchild-Hiller - his reasoning being that a long-term US Army commitment to his helicopter would, over time, make the deal profitable at some point. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/18/2017 | Content www.MilitaryFactory.com We got into another aircraft and went back out. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. Adopted after. purchase. Optional and variable (attack and special forces versions only). 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. I still have scars on my legsit was terrifying. Light Attack Helicopters 3. 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. 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. The Mil Mi-8 was developed in the later stage of the Vietnam War to counter the Bell Huey UH1. 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. 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. Since 1968 this helicopter saw combat in Vietnam. Some of them were able to tell how large a force was and how recently it had passed. A.J. Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . (Scouts were known as White Teams and Cobras as Red; the two colors combine to become pink. 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). Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. A sobering statistic: Out of 1,419 Loaches built, 842 were destroyed in Vietnam, most shot down and many others succumbing to crashes resulting from low-level flying. They were employed in hunter-killer tactics, wherein they flew low over the jungle as bait to draw enemy fire. Up against Fairchild Hiller, Hughes Tool Company purposely undervalued its cost estimates, earning the company favor and the contract. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. We were about ready to call in tactical air support to blow up the wrecked ship when another Cobra took a lot of fire. Donald Porter September 2017 Pilot Clyde. The OH-6 Cayuse, by this point known as the Loach helicopter, made its way to Vietnam in December 1967. Upon encountering enemy fire, Loaches were to leave immediately, dropping smoke grenades to mark the target so that within seconds, the Cobra could roll in. Under enemy fire this nimble machine had to fly low to the ground, just above the jungle canopy. Its first overseas deployment, as well as into frontline combat, was the Vietnam War. With all these benefits, several variations were developed. Its four-bladed full-articulated main rotor made it particularly agile, and it was suitable for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation. 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 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. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. While the already-produced OH-6 Cayuses were being deployed to Vietnam in 1967, production costs were beginning to rise. Armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch FFAR, it provides armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. Almost as soon as production began, however, it was replaced by a competitors model. The OH-6A replaced the Korean era OH-13 Sioux and OH-23 Raven light observation helicopters. Unknown as to mission impact. The Huskie was used by the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps. With US Army evaluations of each prototype ongoing, the underpowered Bell offering was formally dropped from contention and the US Army decision favored the Hughes design over the Fairchild-Hiller. A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. Lt. Col. 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". Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. The United States deployed all types of helicopter, ranging from massive troop transport choppers, to smaller multipurpose and attack helicopters, and even helicopter drones. 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.