Loach Driver

Here are two recent articles on the Little Bird and its future. It looks like it will be around for another while yet. No surprise really. Nothing can replace a Little Bird! I'm looking forward to seeing what the Block III Little Bird looks like. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/little-bird-helicopters-future-laid-out-in-new-night-stalkers-aviation-plan Here is a piece on the plank-mounted machine gun. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/check-out-the-mh-6-little-birds-plank-mounted-machine-gun-setup LD.

This is an interesting topic and the replies are very interesting. My love of aviation doesn't start in quite as exotic a manner as for some here! My awareness of aviation started as soon as I became aware of my surroundings as a young boy. Everyday, almost every hour during daylight hours, a Britten Norman Islander, belonging to Aer Arann, would fly over my house, either coming or going to the Arann Islands just off the coast of Galway, here on the west coast of Ireland. I was intrigued by this machine as it disappeared over the horizon on the way to the islands or as that dot on

No is the answer in relation to the OH-6A airframe. It was retained as a trainer airframe for quite a few years by the 160th after they were removed from front-line duty. I think the last MH-6C (the designation given to the OH-6A-based training airframe) was retired by the 160th in October 2009. LD.

Nice work so far. LD.

What is the story behind the green CH-53E? Is it a machine held in reserve for test work or is it an active duty airframe? Would make an interesting model. LD.

Great model and a really nice level of weathering! LD.

👍 LD.

If anyone can assist with this query, I'd be obliged. Were any of the early-production TAT-102 Cobras fitted with a right-side tail rotor instead of a left-side one? I am considering entering a Group Build over on Britmodeller for Matchbox kits and they have an early TAT-102 Cobra in their range that I'd like to build. I am interested in building it as a Stateside test ship similar to Bearcat 15. I found a photo of the actual BuNu that features in the Matchbox kit but it has a left-side TR while in Army service (according to that photo) and then, when it is transferred to NASA, it is seen with

The transmission looks pretty impressive. LD.

Whirlybirds in the UK have or had an HH-3E in resin. That might be a good place to start but for added finesse a modern SH-3/ Sea King kit would probably be no harm. LD.

That is an impressive build with just the right level of weathering. The high-viz markings are a great choice too. LD.

That was the conclusion I came to at the time but on viewing this photo and the Somalia FARP photo, and comparing both to the "Little Bird on a Boeing" photo, the one thing they all have in common are twin blade antennae under the forward belly and the Satcom Batwing antenna on the tailboom. I am now inclined to believe that all are FCD 530Fs and that the 530F that appeared on the Spiral Wing website is also an FCD 530F and Spiral Wing were possibly contracted to provide flight instruction specific to Special Ops in the Little Bird. Again, this is only my guess as to what is going on in these

That's another great photo. And yes, I'd have to agree that this probably is being flown by the same unit that flew the 530Fs in Mogadishu. My guess is Flight Concepts Division. LD.

Lots of work went into that model and it shows. Nice H-34. LD.

That is an incredible level of detail you have crammed in there! LD.