I have around 800 hours in this bird in Vietnam, twice shutdown, somewhat walked away from both of them. One brought back to replace damages and the other is still where it crashed, it might have made it back but with the engine and transmission both shot out of the aircraft, we had to blow it where the major parts were laying. I would do it all over again if asked to do so.
David Neidel & Donald Jones "Welcome Home!!!" I was in the RVN from Mar70-Mar71. DEROS'd then did an early out. Drafted in August of 68, upgraded to a 3 year enlistment for the school I wanted. (yes, I had a choice) Approved for a 180 day early out to continue schooling as a civilian. Your service in the Nam is appreciated. Again. Welcome Home!!!
@@Roscoe.P.Coldchain We had no back seats, put a ammo box in with 1000 or more rounds all connected for a continuous belt, box of grenades of differing types, a armored 12×12 seat and the gunner. The gunners took care of the maintenance of the helicopter, and one but sometimes 2 pilots. It was cramped but it was where I did my business. I am alive today because of the safety that Howard Hughes' designers put into the aircraft. More pilots and crew chiefs are alive today who flew on it than the much slower Bell Jet Ranger. Believe it or not I could actually take a nap in the back area, when we weren't flying and I am not a small man, even back then.
As an aeroscout in the air Cav I absolutely loved the Loach. We worked with 82nd many times in the 80s they had the early OH-58 Kiowa. They drooled at out Nam era birds as we could easily out perform them in every aspect except straight speed. But for NOE and snoop and poops they were toast. We called the 58 the 5.8 not quite a 6. They agreed. Is this a privately owned bird? If so I am so jealous. Thanks for the memory
This is the best aircraft the army has to get shot down in. You can roll this thing up in a ball and step up to get out and brush the plexi-glass off. The entire engine has armor surrounding the engine and you could hover and take AK-47 fire all day long without getting shot down. You'd get shot but not shot down. Great aircraft, fast and responsive as heck. I was shot down in a Loach and walked away. They took our OH-6A and exchanged them for OH-58A ( A Bell Helicopter back room deal with the White House). We we're getting shot down with OH-58A with one round. They were under powered and not as fast as the OH-6A. The radios were really good but not a good crashing aircraft (I was shot down three times in these). The Special Operations 160th (Night Stalkers) is using the OH-6. They call them "little birds" A lot more power and well armed and lethal as hell. OH-6 are the best.
??? The OH-6 has engine armor? Was this some sort of "field" modification? Currently, none of the helicopters in the Army has engine armor that I worked on. Not even the Apache. You could shoot through those engine cowlings with a .22 rifle or a bow and arrow for that matter. The 160th is using a "special late model 500 with 5 blades and a tail rotor with more blades making it quieter. In addition it has a more powerful engine, different avionics, etc. It's so different from the original it isn't accurate to call it an OH-6.
Riley, the OH-6 Loach CAN operate with holes shot in the blades (a little high speed tape, duct tape, after you refuel and your good to go) and you can actually clip a few inches off the end of the blades and still keep on flying, albeit a little rougher ride but I've clippped a couple of inches off dropping down in a hover hole in VN and kept on flying. One of the best combat helicopters in the inventory. Why do you think the Special Opns 160th is using them again? Much better aircraft than the OH-58 that the Army just retired.
Dr. Ginalick: I use to carry a empty coke can, snips, 100 mile an hour tape, safety wire, and a couple of other tools and could keep it flying with holes all over it. If they don't know what 100 mile an hour tape is, it's what became duct tape. Coke can to patch bullet holes. We even finished missions with multiple holes, glass shot out and like you said, holes in rotor blades. But for some reason, my first time being shot down was due to a small throttle control being blown out and the second was because they blew our engine/transmission/rotor blades off the aircraft. Hard to fly without them. The second one was the day before the Easter Offensive of 1972. We found a staging area where the gunship pilot heard us taking fire for over a minute and both of us were able to make it out. That was 50 years ago, seems like only yesterday. The OH58 was junk compared to the OH6.
What an amazing helicopter! I cannot thank those who flew them and flew on them enough for your extreme sacrifice to this nation!! Ooh-Rah!!!
Howard Hughes designed this helicopter for the Vietnam War. No other helicopter can do what the OH-6A did for the Scout mission in Vietnam.
I have around 800 hours in this bird in Vietnam, twice shutdown, somewhat walked away from both of them. One brought back to replace damages and the other is still where it crashed, it might have made it back but with the engine and transmission both shot out of the aircraft, we had to blow it where the major parts were laying. I would do it all over again if asked to do so.
I was a grunt in Vietnam 1971. We respected you guys.
David Neidel & Donald Jones "Welcome Home!!!" I was in the RVN from Mar70-Mar71. DEROS'd then did an early out. Drafted in August of 68, upgraded to a 3 year enlistment for the school I wanted.
(yes, I had a choice) Approved for a 180 day early out to continue schooling as a civilian. Your service in the Nam is appreciated. Again. Welcome Home!!!
Wow they look a really nimble machine, was there room for a shot gunner Dave
@@Roscoe.P.Coldchain We had no back seats, put a ammo box in with 1000 or more rounds all connected for a continuous belt, box of grenades of differing types, a armored 12×12 seat and the gunner. The gunners took care of the maintenance of the helicopter, and one but sometimes 2 pilots. It was cramped but it was where I did my business. I am alive today because of the safety that Howard Hughes' designers put into the aircraft. More pilots and crew chiefs are alive today who flew on it than the much slower Bell Jet Ranger. Believe it or not I could actually take a nap in the back area, when we weren't flying and I am not a small man, even back then.
If you didn't come back with bamboo or tree branches in your skids you were flying too high.
As an aeroscout in the air Cav I absolutely loved the Loach. We worked with 82nd many times in the 80s they had the early OH-58 Kiowa. They drooled at out Nam era birds as we could easily out perform them in every aspect except straight speed. But for NOE and snoop and poops they were toast. We called the 58 the 5.8 not quite a 6. They agreed. Is this a privately owned bird? If so I am so jealous. Thanks for the memory
My dream helicopter. I'd love to give that little thing a spin around my town.
Holy mother of Jesus,,,what a beautiful machine!
This is the best aircraft the army has to get shot down in. You can roll this thing up in a ball and step up to get out and brush the plexi-glass off. The entire engine has armor surrounding the engine and you could hover and take AK-47 fire all day long without getting shot down. You'd get shot but not shot down. Great aircraft, fast and responsive as heck. I was shot down in a Loach and walked away. They took our OH-6A and exchanged them for OH-58A ( A Bell Helicopter back room deal with the White House). We we're getting shot down with OH-58A with one round. They were under powered and not as fast as the OH-6A. The radios were really good but not a good crashing aircraft (I was shot down three times in these). The Special Operations 160th (Night Stalkers) is using the OH-6. They call them "little birds" A lot more power and well armed and lethal as hell. OH-6 are the best.
??? The OH-6 has engine armor? Was this some sort of "field" modification? Currently, none of the helicopters in the Army has engine armor that I worked on. Not even the Apache. You could shoot through those engine cowlings with a .22 rifle or a bow and arrow for that matter. The 160th is using a "special late model 500 with 5 blades and a tail rotor with more blades making it quieter. In addition it has a more powerful engine, different avionics, etc. It's so different from the original it isn't accurate to call it an OH-6.
great work boys! great to see her back in service
Anyone else get a woody from the sound of those igniters firing off?
Cool , thanks for this great video !
iaaaaaaaaaa i love helicopters they are soooo cool =w=
OH-6 . . . OH YEAH!
Excellent film footage.
Great airframe!!! Love it
that's my oh6 in vietnam
my bird #was 627.
Riley, the OH-6 Loach CAN operate with holes shot in the blades (a little high speed tape, duct tape, after you refuel and your good to go) and you can actually clip a few inches off the end of the blades and still keep on flying, albeit a little rougher ride but I've clippped a couple of inches off dropping down in a hover hole in VN and kept on flying. One of the best combat helicopters in the inventory. Why do you think the Special Opns 160th is using them again? Much better aircraft than the OH-58 that the Army just retired.
How old are you man
I am 68 with over 4000 hours in helicopters (Oh-13, OH-23, Th-55, UH1-A-H, OH-6a, OH-58) Over 1500 hours of combat hours
I served with the cav through 05-10. Honored to serve after one of the originals, very cool. Glad you can share your experiences
3/17 Air Cav 69-70 Di An Vietnam
Dr. Ginalick: I use to carry a empty coke can, snips, 100 mile an hour tape, safety wire, and a couple of other tools and could keep it flying with holes all over it. If they don't know what 100 mile an hour tape is, it's what became duct tape. Coke can to patch bullet holes. We even finished missions with multiple holes, glass shot out and like you said, holes in rotor blades. But for some reason, my first time being shot down was due to a small throttle control being blown out and the second was because they blew our engine/transmission/rotor blades off the aircraft. Hard to fly without them. The second one was the day before the Easter Offensive of 1972. We found a staging area where the gunship pilot heard us taking fire for over a minute and both of us were able to make it out. That was 50 years ago, seems like only yesterday. The OH58 was junk compared to the OH6.
What a dream!
Awesome!
That is awesome.
Fast little chopper
it’s the buzzard
COOOOOOOOOOOOOŌl
Ï
Very cool video. Here's a video with a Loach OH-6 Combat Pilot
thought you might enjoy:
ua-cam.com/video/CgRPL5ZWQas/v-deo.html
Buzzard :D
GTA player
sloppy pilot
Let me see you do better.
The Loach must be pretty hard to fly.