That was about it.. [19][20][21], In December 1967, the first OH-6As arrived in Vietnam. AH/MH-6J: US Army Special Operations variant derived from the MD-530MG. 2 M260 2.75-in Hydra 70 rocket pods (7 or 12 each) All Rights Reserved. The Cayuse had a single articulated four-bladed main rotor, a metal two-bladed tail rotor, and a V-shaped tail. 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. While successful in this respect, the Loach helicopter also had a reputation for being easily gunned down. The Cayuse was publicly introduced in 1966 and set several records, including record for endurance, speed and rate of climb. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. It can cruise at speeds of 150 mph. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (Loach) - Military Factory OH-6A/MD-530F Super Cayuse/Lifter: Upgraded engine to a 425-shp Allison 250- C30 turboshaft, and avionics in 1988 for the US Army. Light Observation Helicopter - Wikipedia In response, a task force was developed originally designated Task Force 158 for the next attempt to rescue the hostages, Operation Honey Badger. This helicopter was UNK While Loachs were vulnerable to enemy fire, they were famous for surviving crashes like John did. 2 MK19 40-mm grenade launcher External load capacity was approximately 1,200 Lbs (550 kg), and transport capability 2 or 3 troops or cargo internally. Your email address will not be published. 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. Thats why the majority of pilots who served in Vietnam shared the opinion that, if you were going to crash, it was best to do it in a Loach. 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. Both the Pilot and Observer/Gunner positions were equipped with carbon fiber side panels and seats. It was reasonably fast, very crashworthy, comparatively easy to maintain and fly, and extraordinarily maneuverable. With all these benefits, several variations were developed. The Cobra is a single-engine attack helicopter produced by Bell Helicopter as a primary attack helicopter in the Vietnam War for aerial assaults or as air cavalry. 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. The Loach's main role was reconnaisance and observation. | The following text is exclusive to this site. Scout crews argued that the Kiowa was nowhere near as nimble as the Cayuse, but scouting flights were changing. 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. Underneath, a fixed twin-skid undercarriage was supported at two separate points. Unit: DIR SUP / TRAN Army headquarters developed doctrine by building on what worked in the field, rather than the other way around, and each unit in-country did things slightly differently. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. Served in Vietnam War during 1968 through 1970. Date: 02/08/1969 In 1965, the concept of helicopter-borne fighting forces was still new and largely untested, and units in Vietnam invented tactics on the spot. You had a couple of flights in the Huey, then you rode front seat in a Cobra, scout pilot Allan Krausz recounts. 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 Mil Mi-4 was a Soviet transport chopper used both for civilian and military purposes. A little gory but thats how close we were. As the Loach flew among the trees, the rear-seat pilot in the Snake circling above kept a close eye on the little scout and the front-seat gunner jotted down whatever the Loach observers radioed. The OH-6 was also exported as the Model 500 Defender. 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). Search and Rescue Helicopters 5. We got hit by incendiary .51-caliber rounds, and the phosphorus ignited the Cobras hydraulic fluid. He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to him then and what it means to him now. Despite its strong offensive abilities, the SH-2 Seasprite was mostly used for rescuing downed friendly aircrews instead of direct combat. The LOH program opened the floor to several companies to come up with their own designs. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. 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. Up against Fairchild Hiller, Hughes Tool Company purposely undervalued its cost estimates, earning the company favor and the contract. I got shot down on my 22nd birthday, March 27, 1971. The Hughes 369 was redesignated the OH-6A "Cayuse" by the U.S. Army. The high-low hunter-killer combination gave way to uniform-altitude missions, with all helicopters flying nap of the earth. 2 TOW missile pods (2 each) 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. Cookie Settings, pilot. To remedy this shortcoming, the Army began developing a special aviation task force to prepare for the next attempt to rescue the hostages: Operation Honey Badger. One, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. 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. So I engaged the enemy, but didnt make it out of that one. The Bell OH-58 Kiowa was an entire line of military helicopters with a single engine and a single rotor. When the training was completed, C-141 Starlifter airlifters transported both rotorcraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two weeks of mission training. s/n 67-16304 However, the choppers frame ensured the crewmen within remained safe. Reportedly, 964 out of the 1,422 OH-6As produced for the U.S. Army were destroyed in Vietnam alone. Read the harrowing story of what happened on that tragic mission. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. See Also: How Much Does a Huey Helicopter Cost? 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. The shelf life of a scout pilot was probably six months. New book recounts Newburgh man's time as Vietnam helicopter pilot I spent more time with them., Kids Start Forgetting Early Childhood Around Age 7, Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar, Artificial Sweetener Tied to Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds, 5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq, The Surprisingly Scientific Roots of Monkey Bars. Total flight hours at this point: 00000496 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. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) 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. [23][22] Such a team would have normally comprised a single OH-6 that would fly relatively slow and at a low altitude while attempting to spot the presence of enemies. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Queer John was famous not just for crashing, but for keeping the crew safe while it did so. 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. Kawasaki Heavy Industries produced 387 OH-6D Cayuses under license in Japan. The helicopter was hit in the Cockpit 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. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. MD-500E/MD-500MG/Defender II: Had a more elongated nose for streamlining, and an optional 4x blade tail rotor for reduced acoustic signatures. Loach helicopter hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy The Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. 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. Cobras, nicknamed Snakes, flew circles 1,500 feet above the scouts, waiting to pounce on whatever the Loach found. The Incident - Operation Triumphus Loach come from the LOH which means Light Observation Helicopter. OH-6A Cayuse / AH-6J Little Bird - Military Aircraft This helicopter was REPAIRED IN THEATER South Vietnam He shares memories of his service and reflects on what the war meant to. Adopted after. 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. The NVA [North Vietnamese army] was everywhere. 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. An inventive Bell Helicopter engineer was already at work on the worlds first attack helicopter, and Bells decision to keep the project hidden until complete let the model slip into service as a Huey derivative (see The Birth of the Cobra, Aug. 2017). Fortunate son intensifies : r/memes - reddit The Army officially adopted the Bell OH-58 Kiowa in 1969. 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 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. Hughes 500M: Military export version of OH-6 in mid-1970s with upgraded 278-shp Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine, "V" tail. Primarily, it was used by the Marine Corp to transport personnel and cargo. The Model 369 was submitted by Hughes, and competed against the two finalists, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, for a production contract. 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. 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.. Vietnam Veteran and his Helicopter Reunited. Tough Mission LOACH Chopper Vietnam - YouTube 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. This chopper is mostly known for having been used to spot enemy artillery. The Army purchased this helicopter 0968 They would then call in scouts on the ground or infantrymen to hunt for the enemy in the brush while attack helicopters protected everyone. The OH-6D was an improved version with more advanced electronics and heavier armament. I was used to getting up close and personal with the enemy.. Pilot sold separately. The armed OH-6s from Fort Rucker joined the training program in the fall of 1980.[30]. The SeaCobra was a twin-engine attack helicopter that was developed from the single-engine AH-1 Cobra helicopter. In 1961, twelve companies submitted proposals to meet U.S.Army requirements for a four-seat turbine-powered light observation helicopter (LOH). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. (Scouts were known as White Teams and Cobras as Red; the two colors combine to become pink. 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. [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. They underwent two weeks of qualification training and an additional two weeks of mission training. 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. Unfortunately, the weight of the armament kept the little bird from taking off. Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . 2 M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pods The helicopter made a Forced Landing. Operation Honey Badger never went ahead, as the hostages were released in January 1981. If the OH-6 came under fire, the nearby Cobra would then strike at the revealed enemy. Typically missions were flown during the daylight, starting at dawn; common roles included the clearance of landing zones and general intelligence/observation flights. A shaft ran to the tail and powered the two-blade rotor at the back. 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. Most of our engagements [we] were 25 to 50 feet [away] when we opened up on [the Viet Cong], Mills continues. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam (He later transferred to the Air Force and flew F-4 Phantoms, and eventually became an airline captain.) The Bell AH-1J was also used for various subsequent assaults and military operations conducted by the US Marine Corps. During May 1965, the U.S. Army awarded the production contract to Hughes. Information on U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A tail number 67-16304 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. 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. 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. [12] Accordingly, during 1968, Hughes submitted a bid to build a further 2,700 airframes. On top of this, Fairchild Hiller lodged a formal complaint over Hughes Tool Companys deceitful tactics to earn the original contract. A rescue operation for the crew of a downed Loach helicopter doesn't quite go as planned and the rescuers become victims themselves. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. 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. The mission training consisted of loading onto C-130 Hercules transport aircraft which would then transport them to forward staging areas over routes as long as 1,000 nautical miles (1,900km). Ace Cozzalio was among the most colorful characters of the Vietnam War. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. The AH-1J SeaCobra was used later in the later stages of the Vietnam war. The Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) (formerly Hughes model 369A) OH-6A was designed for use as a military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the US Army's need for an extremely maneuverable light observation helicopter. 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. At peak production, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. When the opposing forces exposed themselves, the crew would call upon an accompanying Bell AH-1 Cobra to attack. 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. To hunt for encampments, bunkers, or other signs of the enemy, commanders would deploy a flight of one scouting Loach and one supporting Cobra, called Pink Teams. [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. Your Privacy Rights This was a Combat incident. Pilots called this helicopter as the Loach. The Sea Stallion is a line of heavy-lift transport helicopters. 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. [5] Accordingly, the bidding for the LOH contract came down to Fairchild-Hiller and Hughes. During the Vietnam War Era, different types of helicopters were crucial for providing support for ground forces, scouting locations, and deploying or retrieving soldiers. 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. We got into another aircraft and went back out. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. Joint Services Incident Damage Report. The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was a revolutionary rotorcraft operated during the Vietnam War. Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. 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. NVA troops shot down a Cobra, killing the crew. However, the U.S. Army subsequently chose to include Hughes's Model 369 for further consideration as well. Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . The United States deployed all types of helicopter, ranging from massive troop transport choppers, to smaller multipurpose and attack helicopters, and even helicopter drones. Date: 03/25/1970 A Troop, 7th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division: Aug 70 Feb 72 Development included test and training flights in Culver City, California (Hughes Airport) and at Area 51 in 1971. I went up in a Loach with an M60 machine gun to get used to firing the weapon. [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). SA-7 Grail heat-seeking missiles could down a Loach before its crew even realized they were under fire. 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. While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0060 feet and 010 knots. Hunter-killer team - Wikipedia We operated from fixed bases that were islands, if you will, of allied control, says Hugh Mills, who flew both Loaches and Cobras in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972, and went on to fly helicopters for the Kansas City Police Department. This story is a selection from the September issue of Air & Space magazine, Donald Porter Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. which many are taken will be available from our shop to Lt. Col. 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. The US Army subsequently reopened the LOH program to engineering companies, offering a new contract for 2,700 additional airframes. 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. 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. OA-6A 'Loach' Scout platoon. It was used prolifically because of its unique hovering abilities. The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat. 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". Loach crews were equipped with small arms and returned fire as they fled. 2 Hellfire ATGM I was just out of flight school when I went to Vietnam. He flew Loaches for the next 11 months, and today is an accountant in Seattle. [2] The pilot was provisioned with excellent external visibility via its large plexiglass windscreen, while its four-bladed fully-articulated main rotor meant it was considerably more agile than the preceding H-13 Sioux. Book A Flight | 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. The architects of the task force identified the need for a small helicopter to land in the most restrictive locations and that was also easily transported on Air Force transport aircraft. Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War - VHPA During the Vietnam War the OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. (7.62MM) Shaffer, 63, rode in the military helicopter as a door gunner with Charlie Troop 1/9th, 1st Air Cavalry while . A "Loach" (Helicopter) Scout in IV Corps, South Vietnam, 1968-1969 The OH-6 Cayuse, by this point known as the Loach helicopter, made its way to Vietnam in December 1967. Ive seen them, whites of the eyes, and theyve seen me, whites of the eyes. Crews trained side by side with the 160th for all operational concepts. Even trampled grass was a clue; it meant that enemy troops had passed through the area within eight hours, the time it took for grass to dry upright. 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]. In the event of a crash the tailboom and engine separate from the egg-like . https://warandlifediscussions.weebly.com/Any veteran who served in any combat zone in any capacity is invited to contact Preston Jones: pjones@jbu.edu / (479) 524-7488 The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor chopper that was developed by Vetrol and built by Boeing Vertol. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder! This teamwork was actively encouraged by Army officials, and led to the development of so-called "hunter-killer" tactics that sought to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. 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 The hunter-killer tactic worked well for a few years, but by the time the United States left Vietnam, it was obsolete, says Mills. 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. Her research focused on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history with a focus on childhood diseases. I could tell how old a footprint was by how it looked. Boucher quickly discovered that life as a qualified crewman was extremely dangerous. Some units were modified during the war with machine guns to act as gunships. One of the most dangerous helicopter assignments was a tiny scout helicopter known as the Loach. Officially designated the OH-6 Cayuse, these things were made of thin plexiglass and metal but were expected to fly low over the jungles and grass, looking for enemy forces hiding in the foliage. Following a contentious selection process that included allegations of industrial espionage and political favoritism, the first Hughes OH-6A observation helicopters arrived in Vietnam in December 1967. We flew down along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, he says of the supply route that wound through Vietnam and neighboring Laos and Cambodia. AH-1G Huey Cobra 'Snake' . [26], During 1972, a pair of heavily modified OH-6As were utilized by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) via Air America for a covert wire-tapping mission. History. 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 Loach helicopters used to transport personnel were given the designation MH-6, while the armed ones were dubbed the AH-6. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. 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.