loach helicopter vietnam

[8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . 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. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. 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. Hughes's price was $19,860 per airframe, without the engine, while Hiller's price was $29,415 per airframe, also without the engine. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. External load capacity was approximately 1,200 Lbs (550 kg), and transport capability 2 or 3 troops or cargo internally. 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. 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. 2 M260 2.75-in Hydra 70 rocket pods (7 or 12 each) The Cayuse had a single articulated four-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor, and a V-shaped tail. Required fields are marked *. 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. The OH-6/Model 369 was also license-produced overseas by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries for both military and civilian operators. MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures. 1:00 Jan. 6 will mark 50 years since former Newburgh resident Dave Middleton was shot down in Vietnam while piloting a Loach helicopter on a mission to which he wasn't originally assigned.. 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 Raven was used as a scouting helicopter during the early phases of the war, before it was eventually replaced by the Cayuse in early 1986. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. 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. Up against Fairchild Hiller, Hughes Tool Company purposely undervalued its cost estimates, earning the company favor and the contract. 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. The OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. In terms of its basic configuration, the Model 369 had an atypical teardrop-shaped fuselage, a feature that led to personnel sometimes referring to it as the "flying egg". By the end of the war, the Loachs replacement was imminent. On March 3, 2023, at a White House ceremony, retired Army Colonel Paris Davis received the Medal of Honor. Helicopter took 1 hits from: 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. This was a Combat incident. 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. The Army dictated that after 300 hours of flight time, each Loach go through a thorough inspection, but in practice such inspections were rare: Few Loaches survived to reach that mark. [12] Following a competitive fly-off, the Army requested the manufacturers to submit sealed bids. In 1972, as U.S. troops slowly withdrew, the NVA began a major push that became known as the Easter Offensive. Most of our engagements [we] were 25 to 50 feet [away] when we opened up on [the Viet Cong], Mills continues. (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . Infantrymen would also launch an assault from the ground. South Vietnam 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 Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. Headquarters, 173rd Airborne Brigade: Jan 70 May 70 Cookie Policy Vietnam War helicopter pilots bring stories and aircraft to Topeka 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. [10][self-published source][11], Due to price escalations for both the OH-6 and spare components, the U.S. Army opted to reopen bids for the programme in 1967. They could also use grenades and on occasion even homebuilt explosives; more aggressive units mounted forward-firing miniguns. Nate Shaffer has restored a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopter. I liked it because in the Bronx, I was a ghetto kid. The armed OH-6s from Fort Rucker joined the training program in the fall of 1980.[30]. The UH-1B/C was used sparingly during the Vietnam War. The Mil Mi-8 is a Soviet medium twin-turbine helicopter. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam The SeaCobra was a twin-engine attack helicopter that was developed from the single-engine AH-1 Cobra helicopter. 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) 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. Just as I set it down, the tail rotor spun off. Cookie Settings, pilot. These choppers were modified for combat rescue missions and had self-sealing fuel tanks, rescue hoist, and in-flight refueling abilities. Military operators included the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the Japanese Coast Guard. . MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. The Incident - Operation Triumphus It was the same for Jim. 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. In 1961, twelve companies submitted proposals to meet U.S.Army requirements for a four-seat turbine-powered light observation helicopter (LOH). [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. Hughes, without informing Real, raised the bid by $3,000, and thus lost the contract to Bell. Pilot sold separately. For this, a small rotorcraft capable of landing in restrictive locations and easily transportable via US Air Force transport aircraft was necessary. Some units were modified during the war with machine guns to act as gunships. He recalls: 360 degrees around you was enemy territory, and the ability to work with American and [South Vietnamese] units on the ground really required aviation to be able to look eye to eye to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Loach-Cobra pairings were sent out more and more frequently, until their main role was to gather general intelligence rather than prepare landing zones. (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) It would often be crewed by a pilot and an observer; up to five passengers or up to 1,000lb of cargo could be carried internally. Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. Instead of disbanding Task Force 158, the military opted to turn it into the 160th Aviation Battalion. Front left side view of the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopter; color, Right side view of the Hughes OH-6 Loach in flight; color. Total flight hours at this point: 00000265 Underneath, a fixed twin-skid undercarriage was supported at two separate points. 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. OH-6 Loach - Light Observation Helicopter - Brickmania Toys "Pink teams" of scout and attack helicopters, such as OH-6 "Loach" or OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopters and the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter during the Vietnam War; In anti-submarine warfare an Maritime patrol aircraft may be employed as "hunter", with surface ships such as destroyers as killers. Hughes bid $56,550 per airframe, while Bell bid $54,200. [18] Subsequently, on 6 April 1966, Robert Ferry set the long distance world record for helicopters by flying from Culver City, California, with over a ton of fuel to Ormond Beach, Florida, covering a total of 1,923.08 nm (2,213.04mi, 3,561.55km) in 15 hours, and near the finish at up to 24,000 feet (7,300m) altitude. But even that armament combined with the Cobra escort couldnt keep them safe. The Army initially ordered 1,438 Hughes Model 369s, designated by the Army as the OH-6A Cayuse helicopters. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: 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. Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/18/2017 | Content www.MilitaryFactory.com [4] The prototypes were delivered to the U.S. Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where they competed against the other ten prototype aircraft produced by Bell and Fairchild-Hiller. It was mostly used as a transport chopper, but it could also deliver supplies to troops. The unrefueled range of the AH-6 is 250 nautical miles. In the Vietnam War, these choppers were used to recover downed aircraft. I was flying wing and just dropped into the AO [Area of Operations]. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. 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. 10 Types of Helicopters in Vietnam (Vietnam Era Helicopters) - Aero Corner Vietnam Helicopters Museum - OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter s/n 66-07841 The guidance systems on newer attack helicoptersoften working with or even controlling the cameras of reconnaissance droneshave relegated to history the hunter role in the hunter-killer missions. 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. Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam - YouTube In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder! 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. [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. In some areas, Purple Teamsone Loach and two Cobraswere also common, as were other variations.) 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 1960, the US Army issued Technical Specification 153 and established the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program. A shaft ran to the tail and powered the two-blade rotor at the back. [22][23] Prior to the arrival of the AH-1, "hunter-killer" teams often relied on the firepower from armed models of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois utility helicopter. It could accomplish missions that bigger, slower and louder helicopters couldnt do. History | 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. 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.. [13][3] Beginning in 2001, the JGSDF OH-6s were supplemented by the indigenously-developed Kawasaki OH-1, a more advanced observation helicopter. Helicopter took 2 hits from: 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. 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 Unfortunately, the weight of the armament kept the little bird from taking off. ", FAI Record ID #11656 Absolute Rotorcraft World Record, Distance over a closed circuit without landing, FAI Record ID #11655 Absolute Rotorcraft World Record, Distance without landing, Obituary: Robert G. Ferry; Air Force veteran was record-setting test pilot, "In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close", "Jane's Aircraft Upgrades, MD Helicopters (Hughes) Model 500 (Military Versions)", "Dominican Republic Air Force Unit History", "Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force OH-6J", "Breda Nardi Hughes NH.500M in Armed Forces of Malta service", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hughes_OH-6_Cayuse&oldid=1133333304, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 07:46. In the hunter-killer teams, the Loach would fly low over the jungle, drawing fire and then calling for the Cobra to kill the teams on the ground. The following two-week mission was to Yuma for night operation training. Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. Almost as soon as production began, however, it was replaced by a competitors model. Multi-Mission Helicopters 6. 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. (7.62MM) Its first overseas deployment, as well as into frontline combat, was the Vietnam War. Late in the war, the HH-43 was also deployed for short overland search and rescue missions. It was nicknamed the Jolly Green Giant during the war. Initially fielded in Vietnam in early 1968, the Hughes OH-6A was used for command and control, observation, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. The OH-6A Cayuse was quite effective when teamed with the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter as part of what were known as Pink Teams. Robert Davis Travel Management Consultant, 2023 Executive Flyers +1 (512) 241-0795. [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. | The following text is exclusive to this site. Unknown as to mission impact. Possible mast-mounted sight. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. Table of Contents 1. 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 Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. They underwent two weeks of qualification training and an additional two weeks of mission training. During the testing phase, it became clear the Bell prototype was underpowered, so it was dropped. Pilots called this helicopter as the Loach. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. 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. 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. What was a loach helicopter? - Quora In air mobile teams, a pilot would fly low while an observer would scan the ground for signs of the enemy force. Read the harrowing story of what happened on that tragic mission. The Sea Stallion is a variant of the Jolly Green Giant, but its used only for sea transport. Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. These hunter-killer missions, among the most hazardous of the Vietnam War, tested the resolve of the OH-6 pilots and the aerial observers sitting beside them. OH-6A/Cayuse: Developed initially by the Hughes Aircraft company (later McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company) in the mid-1960s for the US Army. A "Loach" (Helicopter) Scout in IV Corps, South Vietnam, 1968-1969 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 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. I followed footsteps. The Cayuse was Hughes' longest-running helicopter program and, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. The OH-6A could be armed with the M27 armament subsystem, the M134 six-barrel 7.62mm minigun or the M129 40mm grenade launcher on the XM8 armament subsystem. Despite a strong outcry from crews in Vietnam, the Bell OH-58A Kiowa, powered by the same Allison T-63 engine as the OH-6, was being distributed to Army units. In 1966 it entered military service with the US Army. article/image or apply full credit information. The Huey descended gingerly into a clearing smaller than its main rotor diameter, the aircrafts rotor blades chopping tree limbs as it descended. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,318 On the night of 56 December 1972, the remaining helicopter deployed a wiretap near Vinh, Vietnam; useful information provided from this wiretap was acted on by the United States on several occasions, such as during the Linebacker II campaign and Paris Peace Talks. (7.62MM) Towards the end of the conflict, the replacement of the OH-6 by the Bell OH-58 Kiowa was imminent across nearly all US Army units. [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. 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. Your email address will not be published. The Model 369 had a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that had strong crashworthiness properties and provided excellent external visibility. The small-arms protection aircrewmen armor that was introduced in 1966 was a vest with pockets containing composite laminated plates commonly called chicken plates. 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. 2 M75 40-mm grenade launchers A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. A saying among Army aviators was, If you have to crash, do it in a Loach.. Provision for packaged armament on port side, including an XM-27 7.62mm (0.300in) machine-gun with 2,000 - 4,000 rounds of ammunition; or an XM-75 grenade launcher, Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and Task Force 160, List of military aircraft of the United States, Hearings on military posture and H.R. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse - Wikipedia Sensing its growing battlefield requirements, the US Army then raised the production ceiling to 1,300 units in all. To this day I am closer to those guys I flew with in Vietnam than my own brothers, says Mills. 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 Huskie was used by the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Four troop-carrying Hueys (called a Blue Team) often sat idle somewhere nearby, ready to insert troops if the Pink Team discovered an interesting targetor were shot down and needed rescuing. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. We were about ready to call in tactical air support to blow up the wrecked ship when another Cobra took a lot of fire. During 1960, the United States Army issued Technical Specification 153 for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) capable of fulfilling various roles on the battlefield, including personnel transport, escort, casualty evacuation, observation, and attack missions. Flight Hours in Vietnam: 1,400. Its effectiveness in battle allowed it to quickly replace the Bell H-13 Siouxs being operated in the country. Observation Helicopters 4. Over time, the effectiveness of this pairing was such that enemies would often decide against firing on the relatively vulnerable OH-1 in fear of the response that would be unleased by the AH-1. 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. 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. When the 1980 hostage situation of Operation Eagle Claw was deemed a disaster, the US military realized there was a lack of aircraft and personnel trained for such special operations. Click on the hotlinks for more information. Trademarks and copyright information is respected. The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. Units in Vietnam began sending UH-1Bs outfitted with rocket pods and machine guns to circle over the scouts at around 600 feet and attack anything that might interfere with the imminent troop landing. Contact | He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to. Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. It was powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen. The US Army subsequently reopened the LOH program to engineering companies, offering a new contract for 2,700 additional airframes. We flew down along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, he says of the supply route that wound through Vietnam and neighboring Laos and Cambodia. In January 1968 PFC Richard Toops went on to Infantry OCS at Ft. Benning, Ga. graduating in September 1968. 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. The Model 369 was submitted by Hughes, and competed against the two finalists, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, for a production contract. NVA troops shot down a Cobra, killing the crew. 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. 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. 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. History. 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). Date: 03/25/1970 Served in Vietnam War during 1968 and 1970-1972 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. Improved versions were issued through the war and included pockets on the chest and back in which large additional plates could be inserted. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. 24 Helicopters Used in Vietnam (And Their Purpose) I had a wingman shot down, pilot John Shafer says. Hughes Model OH-6A "Cayuse" or "LOACH". The Hughes (Model 500M) international military version was sold in ten countries and built under license in Italy and Japan. 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]. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. and Images on this page are gathered from various sources. On a few occasions, the OH-23 was also used for medical evacuation purposes, but this was rarely the case. Vietnam War Era Hughes OH-6 Loach Helicopter - YouTube For other AH-6 and MH-6 variants, see MH-6 Little Bird and Boeing AH-6. When the Loach debuted in 1966, it broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, all important attributes for a scout helicopter. 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. 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. Upon landing, an inspection revealed a damaged pitch link, a rotor head component so critical that had it failed, they too would have crashed.

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