MH-6 Little Bird: An EGG You don't Want to Mess With
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ม.ค. 2022
- The MH-6 and AH-6 Little Birds may be coming to the end of their 40-year career, according to some conversations within the U.S. Special Operations Command. This small helicopter has been a hallmark of U.S. special operations, thanks to its small size and brilliant maneuverability, and has become a legend within their community.
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I sure did love flying this helicopter. Six Guns Don’t Miss! You can read more about flying the Killer Egg in my book Death Waits in the Dark.
NSDQ
Look at my avatar ;}> RVN-70-71-72. Scouts. Notice the guy talking said the MH-6 was powered by the Allison T63A5A? That was the turbine in the "A" model. You might have also known it as the C-18, later replaced with the C-20. Welcome home brother.
80 kts!!! Break straps !
Sounds like a great read!
Thanks Chief! DOL/RLTW!
The company I worked for used civilian models for inspection and maintenance of transmission lines. Most of the pilots are ex-military pilots and deserve every penny they get along with our respect.
I've seen videos of the transmission line work, I love seeing the H500/600 at work.
One of the more fun ac to fly, but the cramped cockpit makes it the most uncomfortable ac to be in for prolonged periods of time, combined with its very short fuel endurance makes it a bit of a pain in the but to operate all day.
Ps, I think a lot of the stats this guy mentions are way off the mark.
@@jackmehoff698 are you a pilot and actually fly one of these things or just have an interest.
@@guttasnipe4702 I spend on average 5/6 hours per day, 6 days a week in the MD500 & 530.
@@jackmehoff698 do you mind if i ask you a few questions about flying since you are a helicopter pilot?
One of the best features of this little bird isn't mentioned in the video - easy of maintenance on the field.
Literally if you have two working littlebirds and one of them gets damaged. The other one is fully capable of flying in any parts the damaged one needs. Ask a blackhawk to carry in a new blachawk tail section or engine and tell someone to replace it in the field 🤣
These have been around for over 50 years. One was shot down FIVE times in Vietnam and repaired and put back to the skies!
Took a bullet through the engine and had compressor stall. Watched em install a new engine and test fly my AH in 6 hours in combat. We have the best crew chiefs on the planet.
US F 35 STEALTH LIGHTNING 2 CRASHED IN SOUTH CHINA SEA ⛵
F 35 CAN EASILY TRACKED HACKED AND SHOOT DOWN 😁
@@gautumbuddhabuddha8234 ok
I love these little eggs. I could tell you stories from 2007 in Baghdad that would pin your ears back.
These choppers should have a place in US SOF units until 2040. They're THAT good.
I agree. None of these "replacements" can do what the Little Bird can do, because they are just way too big. In fact, I am pretty sure they are really meant to be replacements for the Blackhawk and this video is just for clicks.
Our armored cavalry squadron air troop in Vietnam had the first versions of these. They were used as very low-level aerial scouts. The scouts were actually outside the bird standing on the landing skids. Very dangerous work.
I'm so glad you made it out of there alive.
They were fun to watch
I've seen that. The hunter-killer teams with eggs scout and AH-1 Cobra killers coming in when they made contact. Crazy. The missions they had in Lam Son 719 in Laos 1970 was serious action. Huge losses.
The Vietnam era version was called the OH-6 (Observation Helicopter) and it was from this that the first civilian version, the Hughes 500C was developed
Just like the A-10 there's nothing that can do these jobs if they are replaced.. MH-6 and A-10's should stay for a long time.
I also compared it to the A10... There's nothing in this high technology age that can replace these 2 badass aircraft.
There are plenty of aircraft that can do the A-10s job. The A-10 has a long and sordid history of blue on blue, and would not be successful in a modern environment. Even with an inflated record during desert storm, it still did not perform as well as other aircraft that operated in _far_ more dangerous environments.
@@Chopstorm. - What data are you using to assess the A10’s performance during hostile environments? I agree their were blue incidents. I remember the British PC that got hit in Desert Storm… it was on our flank, 7th Corp. So, yes, there are blue incidents, but not only for A10s. Fratricide happens… It’s the fog of war. But, it would be interest to look over the data you’ve collected that brought you to your conclusions.
@@alallen694 It's old, and in some of the worst possible ways.
The 30mm was built to be used against hard targets, primarily infantry. However, it is shown to only barely be effective against T-62 tanks and their equivalents (T-55 and the like). Newer tanks will be all but immune to it's gun. Testing in a near perfect environment showed that. Imagine it in a stressful combat situation.
The A-10 tops the lists for both blue on blue incidents, as well as civilian casualties. This is despite the fact that the A-10A was upgraded to the C variant, which was supposed to address it's inability to accurately identify targets at range (something the Brits fell victim to far too frequently). People tend to think that the gun is more accurate and safer to use around friendly infantry than a missile. Funnily enough, due to how accurate guidance technology has become, the opposite is true now.
The A-10 was designed to be semi resistant to 23mm cannon fire, primarily from Shilka. The problem is virtually every peer nation has upgraded to at least 30mm cannons. Look at the Tunguska as an example of this. Those cannons have far better performance, and will render all that armor about as useful as wet tissue paper. Much like in Desert Storm, the A-10 will be relegated to operating in environemnts considered to be "safe", where it's service ceiling will be severely restricted. Much like Desert Storm, other planes will take the lions share of the kills, operating in much more hostile environments (like the F111, F-15, F-16, etc. did).
I could go on. I love the A-10, much like I love the original Jug. But, much like the P-47, I do not believe it to be a valid asset for any future conflicts with peer adversaries. I hesitate to even recommend it for current counter insurgency operations, given it's record.
Edit: I have gotten multiple return errors from TH-cam. I am assuming something in here is triggering it, causing it to delete my comment. Sources will follow, if TH-cam will let me post them.
@@Chopstorm. youtube doesn't allow links on comments these days, hence the deletion. With that aside, I mostly agree with you. It's a great machine, and has served its purpose well, but it doesn't stand a chance against more modern AA defenses. The reason USA can keep using them was because 1. their opponents were mainly insurgents with little to no AA defenses, and 2. they can neutralize ground-to-air defenses with other methods before sending in A-10s. The GAU-8 sure is badass, but it's already proven that it won't work against modern MBTs. Being relatively cheap to operate compared to other bombers/fighters was its main benefit, but even that's becoming questionable as A-10s are becoming more and more expensive to operate. With China being the main threat now, it's time to retire the A-10.
Currently there is nothing out there that can replace the Little Bird. As a former MH-6 driver with over 30 years flying military and civilian helicopters I have yet to come across a platform that meets or exceeds the special mission needs of the SOAR in the way the battle proven Little Bird has.
What's it like to Low Fly? I have always dreamt of becoming a pilot but chose an IT career path away from the military.
How many times did you fall out of the sky?
No mention of crash survivability? One of its best features. Thanks Howard Hughes.
absolutely, saved my life one day
Man; the little bird is so beautiful truly a work of art
So is the Apache
I can remember very clearly being introduced to these in Iraq, as a Brit we were used to lynx/puma/Dauphin's, then we met this little bastard and couldn't understand why we didn't have them. They do the lot. I can't see what would ever replace these and still be as effective, to me there a total win.
It's like the A10... you can't replace perfection.
I do not see the AH/MH being replaced
@@donnie6178 Lol the A10 is far from perfect.
The list of weapons options available would fill a crate big enough to hold TWO of these choppers! Mind boggling when you think about it.
@@largol33t1 yes sir. Whole lot of hate in a small package
In Vietnam they were designated as LOH (light Observation Helicopter) 6 A . We called them Loach. The pilots loved them.
Been working on 500’s, mechanic, for over 20 years and I can tell you their is nothing out there that can do what the fighting egg can do let alone replace it. LOVE IT!
It's like the A10 and b-52 always going to be replaced.
But there's nothing better to replace them with.
If it's not broken don't fix it.
The Little Bird is cool and all but it's hoplessly obsolete. Even civilian air ambulances now use titanium engine parts and composite bodys which are far stronger and lighter. Since improved materials are pretty much the only time in enigneering that a product can be improved without compromising in another area of the design I expect they will be replaced with helis that follow the exact same idea but even lighter and quieter just like they should had been about 15 years ago.
Do use a welder torch to repair it 😂
I wish our Military masterminds would remember, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!
Upgrades cost less than replacements.
No NO NO!!!!! The military mantra is "If it aint broke, keep fixing it until it is."
@@edwardschmitt5710 because these as*holes get kickbacks!
If people like you had your way, we would still be using the Phantom and M14. People hated the Eagle until it proved itself in Israeli service. People hated the Abrams until it proved itself in Desert Storm. Same situation with Bradley. M16 was considered a failure as well, and look where that stands today.
Virtually every single military vehicle gets lambasted by keyboard warriors and media alike. Virtually every time they are proven wrong and the new vehicle ends up being superior.
For Special Forces there are unique considerations. Just being C-130 transportable is hugely valuable. The agility and rotor diameter are valuable for many urban missions. The development of laser-guided 70 mm rockets has made light attack helicopters much more deadily as CAS assets as well.
You don't know the half of it until you see a semi truck trailer unfold to reveal 2 of these. things can be transported and deployed out of anything
@@carsonkouts just.. wow
Repent to Jesus Christ
““Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
Luke 16:10 NIV
J
@@Vel_D I myself believe there is something but these Jesus pushers do my head in . They are giving Christians a bad name just like madam Theresa(she was no mother to me )
The Allies wish they had these new helicopters back during WW1
I'm pretty ignorant, but I remember seeing helicopters like this, in my late teens (mid '70's) at air shows - performing in pairs and doing completely amazing flight patterns. To my memory, it was called (then) the Hughes 500D. I think a version without a tail rotor was developed (NOTAR) that used ducted gasses out moveable vents at the end of the tail boom to counter the torque from the main rotor. Love it.
The original Magnum P.I. (1980-88) was the Hollywood show that brought the Little Bird to the masses, although it was the civilian model shown every episode, the military version was shown several times in Vietnam flashbacks.
Love this chopper! If I wanna live and die in a "bird" it would be this one!
Small helicopters look usually kinda sad and lame, but Little Bird looks amazing and lethal.
What "small helicopters" are you referring to?
@@HighSpeedNoDrag Maybe the R-4 which was a WW2 helicopter with a total range of 130 miles. This helicopter can go 230 miles and carry more.
They used them to hunt down those renegade astronauts when they faked the Mars landing.
@@orlock20 Thanks as I am not a pilot of aircrafts.
Yes I recall the scenes in which the astronauts elected to "split Up" to increase their chances of survival.
I love the little bird. Black hawk down had these, amazing little machines.
My favorite military helicopter of all time, maybe just my favorite helicopter of all time.
The old movie “Birds of Prey” with David Jansen comes to mind. He plays a radio station traffic Reporter flying a civilian version of a Little Bird. He also was ( in the movie) a former Flying Tiger Pilot & there are a few scenes where he has a flashback of those days. Pretty cool movie for being from the early 1970’s!
Let's not forget TC's little bird from Magnum PI!
Remember that movie, the stunts were incredible in that. To bad about the ending.
@@probationbird9786 Also Larry Hagman in 'Deadly Encounter' Incredible start up in a small 'garage' then using the helo skid to 'kick' a tin can for a small lad playing nearby (not LH as pilot but credit to the real pilot)
How they’re able to fly within such close proximity of each other is insane to me
@wolfpacguy they are a hard helo to fly. No hydraulics and good Ol seat of the pants flying.
Training
Full metal balls
Rhey are flown by the 160th SOAR. They are the best helo pilots in the US military.
Tele lenses
The T63 is the smaller version of the Allison and was used in the early OH6 versions. It is rated at 317 hp, 420 hp, or 450 hp depending upon the model. The larger version of the Allison is the T703 rated at 650 hp. In fact the latest engines no longer carry the military designations. They are commercially certified through the FAA and sold to the military. The current engine is the Model 250-C47M (there maybe a minor change in designation since I was involved in the development of the C47M in the mid 1990s).
I was a design engineer in the Model 250 design group from 1991-1997 and was heavily involved in the development of this derivative engine.
The C47M has an increased flow compressor giving it thermodynamic power of 803 hp which is flat rated to 650 hp for this application. That gives it tremendous hot and high performance.
We used this same core in the 250-C40B for the Bell 430. I redesigned the gearbox to use more of the thermodynamic power to provide a 715 hp take off rating. It was also capable of 820 hp for 30 seconds in a "one engine inoperative" emergency situation.
The same core also went into the 250-C47B used in the Bell 407 and the 250-C30R/3 used in the OH58D Kiowa Warrior.
The requirements for the OH58D dictated the ability to hover at 4000 ft on a 95° day at max gross weight. That usually meant a full armament load and a Special Ops squad. The compressor was designed to meet this requirement then was used in the other models.
The edits were to correct several typos. Sometimes Google's auto correct gets the best of me...
It stuns me how small the engine is for how much power is generates. I'm shocked nobody has attempted to swap one into a car.
@@GeneralLee131 it has been done several times.
Man that’s awesome !
The 250 is a great turbine!
dope
I LOVE the little bird and I don't think you can replace the egg's maneuverability
Legendary beautiful helicopter. Very effective at what it does. Hard to replace.
I had the privilege of a short flight on an MH-6 when I was stationed at Bragg with the 82nd 1st/504th. We had an ODA training near us and a guy who I was in BCT/OSUT with had gone onto the Q course and got tabbed. He was able to finagle a quick ride for me that I still remember to this day. Exponentially different than being in a Blackhawk, so much faster and agile and you really feel the experience flying.
Very good narration... enjoyed watching your video. It's like the A10 Thunderbolt 2 when you have such a great platform it's very hard to replace it, if at all.
HANDS DOWN my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE helicopter. Love everything about it. VERY nice & informative video. Thank you for the great work on it.
Amazing helicopter! So small so practical so simple and yet so friggin deathly! It's beautiful and iconic, with the Huey, some of the best helis of all times! Great vid man, thanks!
The MH-6 Little Bird is a beautiful helicopter, I want it to remain operational for many more decades, and never need to be replaced from the new helicopter.
I was lucky enough to get an "air recon" one Annual Training cycle when we had our AVN BN. My ride was an OH-6 with a CW3 Vietnam Vet on the controls. Man, what a ride!
for utilitarian the MH-6 is one of the coolest looking choppers of it's size and the fact it's been active for so long is impressive
If it still works like a little badass and fulfills its missions well, if it is still being upgraded and can be maintained reasonably, keep it in service. Unless there is a viable replacement that can do the job better and offers significant improvements in terms of mission function, cost-effectiveness, and can still be transported by C130 sized aircraft, and can be maintained/repaired in the field, keep using what works well.
i agree sir and there is nothing that can replace the Little Bird
I flew the original models of the little bird from modified OH-6s back in the mid 80s. The first mods included radio jamming equipment, flat black rough paint, NVG equipment and the bench seats, no armament, though it was wired for. There's nothing that can replace the maneuverability and reliability of that bird. No hyd boosted flight controls, all push rod manual controls. I had a lot of fun. I'd love to fly this version with all that engine power.
"all push rod manual"?! Does this mean direct mechanical control of those blades?
@@FlintF Yes. All mechanical. This is one reason pilots love to fly it because you get plenty of feedback in your hands.
@@moriver3857The first sailboat I helmed was like that. You felt exactly what the force of the water was doing to the rudder. I know exactly what you mean, thanks much for the reply!
Love this ! Learned auto-rotation on this back when it was the Hughes 500-D.
My dad was involved w Hughes back in LA in the 60s, did a bit of work on the blueprints. Immediately impressed w the design, performance and survivability. I flew 64A/D for most of my military career, still need to fly one of these.
By far the most fun helo to fly both in real life and virtually. The agility is unrivaled, allowing for a lot more unique maneuvers.
It’s called a helicopter not a helo.
@@TH-camUpdatesKeepGettingWorse it’s a shortened abbreviation. Even the military calls it a helo sometimes.
Isn't it very vulnerable?
@@Verbindungs no
@@4skintim962 why they dont say heli
Saw a number of these little black helicopters while serving aboard an LHA. Picked them and some black-uniformed guys up in Okinawa. Saw them fly off just outside Chinese airspace and return hours later. Dropped them back off in Okinawa. Back in the early 1990s. They flew very low over the deck, below radar, and by night vision only.
Seals?
Those little lethal lovebirds are absolutely adorable. 🚁
QOBILTU.ALHAMDULILLAHIROBBIL ALAMIIN,ALLAHUMMA AMIIN.☆☆☆☆☆.@$.
Great video, love the concise information in a short video. Keep up the awesome vids.
A friend of mine owes his life to the little bird. He was a Loach pilot in Vietnam. The aircraft got shot down, but due to the "egg" design, he was able to walk (ok, fight) their way out.
This is in my top 3 favorites. The civilian version is the MD 500 and they are just as awesome, even the notar!
I did an interop with the 160th up at Knox about 10 years ago and they brought two of these(I think 4 total but they only used two)along with several other platforms. We never trained directly with them(we used the 47’s and 60’s) but got a demonstration during our FTX at the end. The level of control these guys have over these defies what my brain thought was possible. I’ve seen many “j-turns” by multiple different platforms but, this was something different all together. Imagine the “bottle cap challenge” that went viral, just with a lethal helicopter. Unreal. We did another round at Campbell but nothing like what we saw at Knox. Our pilots just have exponentially more stick time. Whenever someone confidently that “so-and-so country” has the best pilots, I just smile and nod.
Small, light, cheap, easy to maintain, loved by those who work with it and a LONG history of proven performance and reliability. These little helicopters have quite a bit of life left in them.....
Can't we bring this beauty to DCS already? I want my fast mini Huey 😁
Just like the A-10, when you find the perfect tool… don’t jack with it.
I couldn't imagine this thing not being in the inventory.
Loved flying the little bird …so maneuverable,good power, fast …a sports car..
The buzzard !!
Knew someone would say that
MH-6: The killer egg
MD-500D Defender: The cooler Killer Egg
Wow! Small but lethal.
This is what we need for mass production
There is something to be said for retaining a tool that works as required. Upgrade the hell out of it but retain the brilliant airframe design that made it so useful in the first place.
But then Boeing and Raytheon miss out on a lucrative contract! We can have that.
Irreplaceable machine one of the best deer recovery helicopters. Super fast and manoeuvre able 👌🏻💪🚁
All based around *MY* all-time favourite light helicopter, namely the H500. It's incredible this platform is still in operational use with US forces, and to me it should have been adopted by other NATO allies as its pedigree is second to none. And I *LOVE* flying the Cowan MD500E in X-Plane in VR - it's what PC flight sims are all about.
Es un helicóptero increíble, desearía que éste en el B.A.V.E de Chile, aprovechando que tiene contratos con Estados Unidos
Even MAGNUM PI used it.
These things are awesome. Great TH-cam Delta tribute video of a little bird skimming just over rooftops in Iraq raids hauling ass around 3 digits fast. And such an awesome feeling of being in that seating platform flying that fast over their heads knowing doing something that only an extremely very few get the privilege to do so having so much pride and feeling of awesomeness.
Always amazing how much "stuff" they were able to hang on it.
BF2 Armored Fury flashbacks!
I've never played any vehicle as well as the littlebird. Love it.
And yeah - we did =SF= team insertion and enemy suppression, just like the real ones!
When u see those coming towards u in formation and landing in unison u know they mean business
Great helicopter. I remember going through the transition course in Carlsbad Ca. NSDQ!
*Great video! Thanks for sharing!*
It comes with two large titanium composite armor cups for the pilots.
Lol... funny.
I’ve piloted one of these for years in battlefield 4, I fully understand where the captain is coming from. Unless you’ve been behind the control stick of one you wouldn’t understand.
I’ve taken mine into many urban environments like flood zone providing support for my fellow service members.
😂 this comment is lit
Bf3 veteran here, can confirm she’s a joy to fly.
@@shenaniganshop3309 always nice to meet another service member.
What maps are you usually stationed in?
Back in the 80s I flew the original version of the modified OH6, that became the Litte Bird, attached to the 101st. Black paint, NVG setup, radio jamming equipment, 450 SHP engine, minigun, and the 2.75 rocket pod, troop seats on both sides. Awesome to fly, and even more awesome that it still around, though on some serious steroids.
If I could fly any helicopter, THIS is the one I'd pick, hands down! Agile and deadly when equipped for bear, and loaded with operators to kick ass and take names when required. Or just kick ass.
Great bird!
Amazing Helicopter, I wish I saw it irl
Boeing also produced a remote piloted version of this to work as a wingman for an Apache.
I use to watch the AH-6 crews fly up into the mountains west of Colorado Springs. You always knew when there were guys strapped out onto the outward benches of that helicopter that they meant business. Special Forces training business.
Howard Hughes was a pretty awesome engineer.
I seriously hope they don't cancel these!! I just ordered two!
It seems like a modern helo made to check the same boxes will be extremely awesome. Make it out of titanium and carbon fiber, build in stealth features including making it very quiet, powerful and efficient motor(s), put some armor in critical areas, update the flight system, sensors, and weaponry.
I’m truly amazed of this chopper, first time I saw it in Blue Thunder movie as the adversary. It moves even better than that fictitious blue thunder gunship.
Best ride into work I ever had. I hope to be able to ride on one of them again, even as a civ.
If it works it works. Upgrade them, enhance them and realise that they serve a specific function. Not sure if the NOTAR version of the little bird would be the way forward meaning are they viable replacements??
I saw this in bahgdad fly over greenzone every day
Lift versus rotation and drag. What a drag for the enemy
Don't retire this badass egg!!! What a wallop in such a small package!!
The AH-6 was the first attempt at a "stealth" helicopter during the Vietnam conflict.
Ah, I remember when we went on very dangerous mission to evacuate some workers of oil rig, then going to save a hostage held in a fort. We were deployed there by this litte bird, accompanied by several raptors. Still in awe to see them flying so close as they firing their missiles away. RIP my dearest mate, Ghost :((
lmao. mw2 reference, nice.
@@LevaniaMeyanofinally someone got it!! Been waiting for you, man 😁
@@akmalfirdausibrahim7285 I don't play video games, so I thought you were on meth.
Then you up in a bowl of cornflakes.
This is one of those designs that just doesn't get old.
"The MH6 made its way into popular culture with the movie Blackhawk Down"
I would have thought that was Capricorn One, but those two astronaut-hunting ringwraiths were Hughes OH-6 helicopters - a close relative.
Man, those were some memorable villains... I'll always hear Jerry Goldsmith's soundtrack for that film in my head whenever I see those machines.
I read somewhere that you don't simply fly this helicopter, you strap it on like a jet pack and it goes where you think it's that damn good of a machine.
This helped remind that I had to rewatch Black Hawk Down for the 22nd time.
All these years and there still isn’t anything capable of replacing it.
Amazing how much they've advanced. Even with stuff they're not showing us. And the gun turrets mounted below .. sweet what took so long?
Best light copter ever. You'll never hear any rotor guy bash them. I seriously doubt it will go. There really isn't anything else comparable currently, and a unit like 160 through SOCOM, has a lot of political pull. They'll get what they want.
Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm Bo 105
@@Balthorium It's German. Not gonna happen.
@@1slotmech It's also bigger, slower, older, and carries less passengers
From 2013-2022 I’ve flown over 150 missions in these guys and have nothing but praise for them. I wouldn’t want any other machine to fight in when flying over San Andreas
Magnum PI, the Helicopter was one great parts of that show.
I was crew chief on an OH-6A in the Highlands, and always felt that the best use of them was that: an OBSERVATION helicopter: come in low and hot, mark the targets, let the Cobras deal with it. Thank goodness I was out-country before they started adding the weight of armaments and took away the mobility. And yeah, I know they upgraded the T63 and got more power out of it to handle that, but that took time. Meeting one of my pilots back at Fort Eustis gave me the chills when he told me how fellow pilots in those underpowered early "gunships" turned into cowboys and got themselves cut up going into places and making bad decisions trying to be Cobra pilots. Would be nice to see/fly in one of the more modern models, but it creeps my memory to think what happened when they got ahead of the curve. You'd be crazy to put miniguns on O-1s...but probably some units did.
Know your tool.
I've always loved the little bird. I didn't know it was that deadly though. Very impressive, they should just keep making new ones rather than try to kill it like they're trying to do with the A10 Warthog. The new helicopters might be fancy but they're too big and probably heavy. You need lightweight, highly maneuverable for dodging 12.7mm rounds and incoming rpg's
Operated with AH-6 Little Birds in the Persian Gulf in 1987. They normally operated with our SH-60 Seahawks (LAMPS). They owned the night.
I think that even in 2022 the Little Bird still looks so cool, there's something appealing to a small, maneuverable heli with big guns and rockets strapped to it
Not many people know this, but when the US Army wanted a new light utility helicopter, Hughes offered their 500 model, and Bell offered their 205 option. Hughes won the contract,Bell modified their design for civilian use and called it the Jet Ranger. The rest is history, and there is now a military version of the 205. EDIT ( see the additional comments and substitute 206 for 205. Thanks for the correction.)
What I heard back in the day was that Hughes pissed someone off and the Army was pretty loyal to Bell. The OH-6 was better than the OH-58 for sure.
Alan, you actually meant to say the 206. The 206 is a Jet Ranger and the 205 is a "Huey"
You are quite correct. I must have been daydreaming, particularly as I maintained, flew in and also got to fly a 205 operated by the Bahrain Public security service in the 70’s. It is of course the civilian version of the military Hueuy.
@@alanwhitfield1907 Nice! 205's are awesome. And to do that in Bahrain would be extra special.
There is not always a better way of doing it. Some things age well.
Those things were supposed to be headed to retirement back in 93 when I got to Ft Campbell
I was in OH-6's and I gotta' tell you it's like a little sports car with great visibility all around (except for straight behind). If you ever saw bees or hummingbirds flying, stopping, zigging, zagging, etc. That's what those little things could do. If it's not overloaded in this version as a weapons platform, it's gotta' be a killin' little bitch.
132 bullets per second of hot love
@@gregorycoker8215 So long as they put it on-target.
@@yepiratesworkshop7997 We don't miss! SGDM!
*MW2 flashbacks
I was a crew chief on a oh-6 in Vietnam in 71 & 72. It was one of the safest helicopters the army had and easiest to work on, I love this copter. Even thou it was used as sniper bate. To get rid of it would be one of the biggest mistakes our government can make. I made a picture video of my time there called (Vietnam 1971 & 72 101th Airborne Camp Eagle ) hope you can watch and give a thumbs up and share
My nephew flew the OH-6A Loach (unarmed) for the Army Engineering Corps in Nam. Of all the different birds he flew, THAT was his favorite.
As a veteran os countless of sorties deep in the south american jungle the maneuverability of this chopper is unmatched. Specially when your trying to insert a team and need all the advantages to conceal the mission. The LZ adaptability also is unmatched. Anyways the DOD needs to think very deeply before phasing out an effective weapon in its inventory. Also long before Blackhawk Down the initial variant of this chopper was made famous by the show MAGNUM P.I.
Look up the movie, Birds of Prey starring David Janssen...it really showcased the little bird. Larry Hagman did another movie with it. I don't recall the name but the stunts were off the charts...
1:11 with as fast and mechanical reliability those operate, and esp the explosive discharge is of the rounds themselves is incredibly incomprehensibly fascinating
1:20 those rockets and missiles are incredibly fast
1:30 those projectiles are effective at that enormous range??? Wow AND so amazing how fast they all arrive in target before the sound gets there.