Veterans, Favorite Helicopter?
For me it was the Loach. (Little Bird.) Super manueverable, very fast. Did quite a bit of Aerial Photography/Recon. attached to a "Chicken Strap," while standing out on the skid. (84 Bravo/Combat photographer.)
Liked the Skychief, for the same reasons.
Huey's okay.
Blackhawks, just coming in to Service, when I ETS'd. Limited flight time.
Brother, an 11 year Combat Blackhawk pilot with the 160th SOAR, 101st. Obviously, extensive flight time.
The very first Blackhawk pilot to go through the 101st "Air Assault," ground school.
Flying hot rodded Medevacs, out West now.
Would have/and tried to re-up for Helicopter Flight school, but found out my eyes were screwed. (20/20 when I went in 5 years previous.) Exposed to too many chemicals. 54 Echo (NBC) as well as my primary MOS.
Quite coincidentally, a helocopter flying over, just now.
What were your favorite choppers/birds to fly on?
Please share, if you would.
Liked the Skychief, for the same reasons.
Huey's okay.
Blackhawks, just coming in to Service, when I ETS'd. Limited flight time.
Brother, an 11 year Combat Blackhawk pilot with the 160th SOAR, 101st. Obviously, extensive flight time.
The very first Blackhawk pilot to go through the 101st "Air Assault," ground school.
Flying hot rodded Medevacs, out West now.
Would have/and tried to re-up for Helicopter Flight school, but found out my eyes were screwed. (20/20 when I went in 5 years previous.) Exposed to too many chemicals. 54 Echo (NBC) as well as my primary MOS.
Quite coincidentally, a helocopter flying over, just now.
What were your favorite choppers/birds to fly on?
Please share, if you would.
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OH-58D Kiowa Warrior (Bell - Textron)
Bell AH-1Z Viper
MV-22 Osprey
UH-1Y Venom
MQ-8B Fire Scout
Mike0 -
I'd have to say a Huey Med-Evac myself after having personal experience with one long ago 
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mrmike08075 wrote:OH-58D Kiowa Warrior (Bell - Textron)
Bell AH-1Z Viper
MV-22 Osprey
UH-1Y Venom
MQ-8B Fire Scout
Mike
Thanks Mike. (Kiowa Warrior, is the Skychief I have extensive flight time on.)
(Have you flown on those birds?)
MV-22 Osprey, does nap of the earth, flying over our holler, headed towards the small regional airport about 4-5 miles away from my house, in order to do "touch and goes."
I understand the small regional airports Directors Son is a MV-22 Pilot. They utilize the area regularly. I do not know where they are based out of. I still like seeing them. Very impressive. Very distinctive sound.
How many here, can correctly identify what type of helicopter, (previous to seeing it,) by sound?0 -
Junkballer wrote:I'd have to say a Huey Med-Evac myself after having personal experience with one long ago
Glad you made it back Brother.0 -
I didn't fly them, but worked with helicopters a lot. In our "spook" missions, we were supported by Air Force N-model Hueys -- twin engines, twin GE mini-guns -- flown by Special Ops Green Hornets. The Vietnamese guys doing actual team inserts and exfils flew H-34 King Bees. They were extremely good and fearless in those things. 0 -
Rocky Raab wrote:I didn't fly them, but worked with helicopters a lot. In our "spook" missions, we were supported by Air Force N-model Hueys -- twin engines, twin GE mini-guns -- flown by Special Ops Green Hornets. The Vietnamese guys doing actual team inserts and exfils flew H-34 King Bees. They were extremely good and fearless in those things.
I've read most/all of your posts for over 15 years now Sir.
Mad RESPECT.0 -
If I had to pick a favorite it would be Huey.Never been around an Osprey and I think it is a great idea,but they scare me.Anything that changes from a helo to a plane,seems there would be a few seconds during flight that it was neither. 0 -
buddyb wrote:If I had to pick a favorite it would be Huey.Never been around an Osprey and I think it is a great idea,but they scare me.Anything that changes from a helo to a plane,seems there would be a few seconds during flight that it was neither.
Hence the extensive test flight fatality record, on this aircraft.
Program almost cancelled, repeatedly.
Now that the bugs have been worked out, a boon to our Spec. Ops Troops.0 -
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Smitty500mag wrote:
Is that for you Knoxvillian Special Forces?
Looks about appropriate.0 -
chinook
huey0 -
Not a vet myself but I have always loved the Huey from Nam. One of my best friends was a pilot on one during 68 and 69. The V22 osprey is cool . They do regular touch and goes at a local airport I hang around at . The birds are based out of Camp Lejune nc 0 -
.
Mike0 -
From Wiki:
"From late 1970, the UH-1N re-equipped the USAF 20th Special Operations Squadron in Vietnam, replacing the single-engined UH-1F and UH-1P. Armed with miniguns (or 40 mm grenade launchers) and rocket pods, and painted camouflage with no US markings and only a Green Hornet insignia, the UH-1N supported Special Forces reconnaissance missions from Cam Ranh Bay.[6]"
The "no US markings" mentioned is true. The mission we flew was counter to the US official position that we had fully withdrawn from Cambodia by 1971. While it was true that we had no ground troops there, we very secretly flew OVER it. I was part of that operation and we flew unmarked Cessna O-2s in plain clothes, carrying no ID. We received the real "Mission Impossible" speech stating that if we were shot down we would not be rescued and our existence would be denied. I learned years later that had I been lost, the official story would have been that I had defected and had apparently been flying drug smuggling missions. I can admit that flying solo 130 miles deep in Cambodia was at times sobering, to say the least. My only chance at rescue (official briefing be damned) was by the Green Hornets. They'd have busted ass.0 -
UH-1N. My pops flew SAR in them from 78-81 when we lived in China Lake Ca. 0 -
Rocky Raab wrote:From Wiki:
"From late 1970, the UH-1N re-equipped the USAF 20th Special Operations Squadron in Vietnam, replacing the single-engined UH-1F and UH-1P. Armed with miniguns (or 40 mm grenade launchers) and rocket pods, and painted camouflage with no US markings and only a Green Hornet insignia, the UH-1N supported Special Forces reconnaissance missions from Cam Ranh Bay.[6]"
The "no US markings" mentioned is true. The mission we flew was counter to the US official position that we had fully withdrawn from Cambodia by 1971. While it was true that we had no ground troops there, we very secretly flew OVER it. I was part of that operation and we flew unmarked Cessna O-2s in plain clothes, carrying no ID. We received the real "Mission Impossible" speech stating that if we were shot down we would not be rescued and our existence would be denied. I learned years later that had I been lost, the official story would have been that I had defected and had apparently been flying drug smuggling missions. I can admit that flying solo 130 miles deep in Cambodia was at times sobering, to say the least. My only chance at rescue (official briefing be damned) was by the Green Hornets. They'd have busted ass.
I was originally looking at going in as Crew on OV10-Broncos. Wish I had.
Sounds like you were carrying yours around in a wheelbarrow.0 -
I posted a longer reply but don't see it.
Chinooks do everything better, higher, faster, cheaper
Flying for over 50 years.
Bring back the Chinook gunship.0 -
JasonV wrote:I posted a longer reply but don't see it.
Chinooks do everything better, higher, faster, cheaper
Flying for over 50 years.
Bring back the Chinook gunship.
Spent some time on Chinooks also.
One thing Chinooks do Not do very well, is avoid RPG's at low altitude.0 -
About the cajones, Ken: nonsense. I was trained to do a job and I did it. The same as you and everyone else who ever took that oath. Was it dangerous? Yes. But so is being a cop, a garbageman, or a crab fisherman, just to name three of hundreds. 0 -
Rocky Raab wrote:About the cajones, Ken: nonsense. I was trained to do a job and I did it. The same as you and everyone else who ever took that oath. Was it dangerous? Yes. But so is being a cop, a garbageman, or a crab fisherman, just to name three of hundreds.
You downplay you bravery Sir.
You put your ass on the line day after day after day. While being told "If you should get in trouble, you are on your own."
That takes cajones Sir.0 -
I have ridden the pod on a little bird many times, fast roped off of them and even shot my rifle from them.
But I like a Huey, there is just something about them.
Least favorite is an HH53.
Most fun was the old CH-54 Tahre, We used to jump from them both static line and halo. What a blast!
Best all around is probably the Chinook but the Blackhawk is a good bird too.0 -
Sam06 wrote:I have ridden the pod on a little bird many times, fast roped off of them and even shot my rifle from them.
But I like a Huey, there is just something about them.
Least favorite is an HH53.
Most fun was the old CH-54 Tahre, We used to jump from them both static line and halo. What a blast!
Best all around is probably the Chinook but the Blackhawk is a good bird too.
Was waiting for your reply/contribution Sir. Thank you.
Never spent any time on a HH-53, Or a CH-54 Tahre.0 -
The 53 is also called a Pave Low and is used by the USAF for SAR and SpecOP. They fast and can carry a load, they have inflight refuel capability but they leak Hydrolic fluid everywhere are noisy and are generally just not too fun to ride in. I was in one that had a tail rotor strike and it was not a fun trip.
The 54 or Sky Crane were these huge helos used to life big loads by slingload. But you could put a conex under them and rig it for jumping or even just holding a bunch of guys. They were really powerful and quite fast. I believe the held the record for time to altitude, I know we got a pilot to go straight up a few times and it pulled several G's. They use them for fire fighting too.0 -
Familiar with the Sky Crane, never knew their designation. (CH54-Tahre.)
Never flew on one.
Never even knew they were utilized for Airborne drops.
Learn something new everyday.0 -
This made me start thinking, dangerous I know.
Helicopters I have flown multiple times in
Hughes 500, pilots American, Aussie, Kiwi
MD 530, my pilot had been a Loach driver in Vietnam and was he ever fun to ride with.
SA 315 Lama, pilot a Canadian who flew scientists out of Churchill for Arctic projects before he came to the jungle.
AS 350 " Squirrel " various ships with various pilots, mostly Aussies and Kiwi's
SA 330 Puma, Indonesian pilots
MBB Twin tail boom ship, we only used for two flights, it didn't suit our daily needs.
Various UH-1 "Huey's ", pilots from all over
Bell 412, American, only flew these on North Slope of Alaska in and out of Deadhorse.
Bell 206 Long Ranger, Pilots all Kiwi's and all ex deer hunters in New Zealand, great stories
BV 107 / CH 46 several of my pilots flew in Vietnam, others were Dutch, Aussies that worked their way up to heavy lift
Boeing 234 / CH 47 " Chinook", one pilot was a Vietnam vet. others were Dutch and Aussies that transitioned from the 107 to the Chinook
Russian
Mil MI-8
Mil MI-4
Helicopters I used but never got to ride in
Russian Ka-32C Kamov, but we called them "Camels", neat ship, has stacked counter rotating rotors, wicked rotor wash
Russian Mil Mi-26, this thing is a monster for heavy internal loads, rotor wash is tremendous from a single rotor, much worse than a Chinook
To all you Veterans, Thank you for your service.
Mule0 -
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Mike0 -
I don't know how far you are from Ft Campbell KY but they have a very nice Helo museum on post.
Speaking of Russian Chopers I watched one, a MI-26 pick up a CH-47 way up in the mountains of Afghanistan back in 02 or 03. It was a 160 bird that was flying in support of Anaconda. That MI-26 was Huge!0 -
Aware of the Sikorsky S-97 Raider. My next door neighbor is good friends with the General (who I have met.) in charge of the flight worthiness/testing of that program. [Photos of him flying it, in a bright orange jumpsuit, so they could easily locate his body.] (We exchanged unit crests, mine Site R/Raven Rock, [not easy to come by.] his a multiple star crest.) A very impressive spec sheet/capability.
Will re-set the known capabilities/parameters of Attack Helicopters, as we know it.
A Bad Ass Rig.
You see that guy, in the bright orange jumpsuit, in the cockpit dont you?0 -
My favorite was the one they flew me off the Helo Deck in when they thought I broke my arm at out at sea. We were a small sub rescue and had no real doc on board or x-ray. I was more afraid of the helo ride then the arm.
Also the only one I've ever been in.0 -
You know the story behind the nickname "Yellow Peril" don't you???
And I might be slipping but do I recall a pave low or super sea stallion or Chinook being outfitted with mini guns and belt fed grenade launcher or Ma Deuces - almost the equivalent to puff or spooky - true flying gun platforms???
Some real extreme example totally loaded more bigger guns than possible...
I remember reading about some B17's that had all bomb racks removed and bomb equipment gutted - and instead of .50 cals they had 20mm orlikans or 40mm bofors placed everywhere I'm special reinforced mounts...
Flying anti fighter traps in disguise.
Somebody somewhere must have tried mounting cannons or howitzers or AA guns on larger helos eve if just to test the concept.
And there were at least half a dozen tilt rotor prototypes and test mules in the 60's and 70's...
We now have the tech to make them work...
Anybody got the specs for the marine gunships I'm avatar or the drop ship in aliens???
Mike0
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