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I know it is now only used on the left side but does anyone have any info or pics of it on the right side. Floyd's book has a great Bell pic of the armament on pg 6. where it was "used". Barring any technical data or pics, does anyone for see any issues with just copying the left side placement and setup. I think just removing the attachment lugs on part D46 and placing them on part D45. Adding the 6 bolts on the other side and that should do it, right?

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I know it is now only used on the left side but does anyone have any info or pics of it on the right side. Floyd's book has a great Bell pic of the armament on pg 6. where it was "used". Barring any technical data or pics, does anyone for see any issues with just copying the left side placement and setup. I think just removing the attachment lugs on part D46 and placing them on part D45. Adding the 6 bolts on the other side and that should do it, right?

You got me I know that it was doable but not sure how they did it. I'm assuming it is the exact same set up. Maybe the gun was turned to allow the feed chute to be more straight. That was the problem with the gun on the pilot's side, the gun would jam because it didn't feed correctly.

Floyd

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You got me I know that it was doable but not sure how they did it. I'm assuming it is the exact same set up. Maybe the gun was turned to allow the feed chute to be more straight. That was the problem with the gun on the pilot's side, the gun would jam because it didn't feed correctly.

Floyd

Well darn, I guess its up to Ray to pull out one of those great pics he probably has. If not, plan B it is.

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The problem would be the mounts for the ammo box. There are no mounts for it on the right side of the aircraft. I am not sure about the wiring configuration either, it may be an issure too.

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Well darn, I guess its up to Ray to pull out one of those great pics he probably has. If not, plan B it is.

Well gee, Tank, with a buildup like that I guess I better come up with something good. How about this one. OH-58D from Operation Prime Chance. Looks like a 50 cal on the right side to me!

Ray

4-17desertstorm0037.jpg

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Well gee, Tank, with a buildup like that I guess I better come up with something good. How about this one. OH-58D from Operation Prime Chance. Looks like a 50 cal on the right side to me!

Ray

4-17desertstorm0037.jpg

Thanks Ray, I knew you would have one.

What about the ammo can? Where does the gun get it's ammo? :thumbsup:

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Back in the day when i use to to instruct on weapons, the M-2 can be internally set to feed from the right or left. If there is a feed problem, it had to be in the way it was mounted to the A/C

I recall the feed tray having a lever but IIRC there was another part that was needed to make it work from the opposite side.

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Thanks Ray, I knew you would have one.

What about the ammo can? Where does the gun get it's ammo? :thumbsup:

I was sorta hoping Floyd might chime in on that one. I got nothin' there I'm afraid. Here's a pic of the same bird taken 8 days later from the left, but all those guys are kinda obscuring the view!

Ray

4-17desertstorm0038.jpg

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Nice shot of the prime chance bird, but I'm still puzzled as to how the ammo is getting from the box to the gun. I do not see an ammo box on the aircraft, at least on the right side. If it is on the left where the mounts are how is it getting to the other side of the aircraft. You can mount the gun on the right and fly it, but does it work? 8 years with KW's and I have never seen it. I know in the Prime Chance days there where many unconventional means of operating, as they set the stage for the KW as it is today.

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  • 5 years later...

I found these two interesting photos of a Prime Chance TF118 OH-58D Kiowa armed with two 19-shot rocket pods and this thread seemed the best place in which to post them. These photos came from facebook and appear to have been posted by a gentleman by the name of Geoffrey Whittington. The helicopter is pictured on the deck of the USS La Salle. The La Salle hosted the 160th Little Birds earlier in this operation before being replaced by Task Force 118 Kiowas.

USSLaSalleGeoffWhittigton_zps46a30782.jpg

USSLaSalle_zpsacece5c9.jpg

Presumably this Kiowa worked with a standard MMS Kiowa during night for target acquisition. It also appears to have been fitted with radar detectors/reflectors under the armament mounts where they exit the fuselage.

LD.

Edited by Loach Driver
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Presumably this Kiowa worked with a standard MMS Kiowa during night for target acquisition. It also appears to have been fitted with radar detectors/reflectors under the armament mounts where they exit the fuselage.

LD.

Great pics LD! Quite the heavy load, especially in such a hot climate. Didn't think the OH-58D could lift that much , even with the MMS removed. Pilots must have just used early model NVG's to fly and attack.

As far as those radar detectors you mention above, I thought I read somewhere that some of these helo's were fitted with radar altimiters. Could that be what is in those boxes?

I'm hoping that as time passes, we'll see more pics of aircraft involved in sensitive operations being released. Love to see some more early 80's TF160 stuff.

Edited by 11bee
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Hi John. I am not sure we will see any photos of the TF160 Little Birds from this mission, other than the single, small, photo in the AH-6C thread above. There are quite a few photos of the Kiowas on the TF118 page on facebook and there is an album of photos of the grey MH-60As on the net but nothing of the Little Birds. I guess all the Navy guys were under strict instructions not to photograph the LBs. Maybe something will surface in the future but I can find very little at the moment.

LD.

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I just talked to one of our instructors that was there. He said the ammo boxes for the right side were inside the aircraft when they were configured dual .50 cal. I didn't want to press him for any more info as he was preflighting one of our Kiowas at the time and was a bit busy doing that.

KiowaFixer

Edited by kiowafixer
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Thanks for the info. If you get the chance, can you ask about what mods were made to the door to allow this as it is not readily apparent to me how they did it.

Using Eastern's build door as an example.

51947-82076-52898644-m549x500-ufcf25.jpg

Taiwanese 58D with modified intake. Not sure how much the door could/would have changed for this version.

cwc_317.jpg

cwc_772.jpg

cwc_309.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks for the info. If you get the chance, can you ask about what mods were made to the door to allow this as it is not readily apparent to me how they did it.

As yet I have not seen this pilot again. With the aircraft being phased out, all to often lately the last time I talk to some of our crew actually does end up being the last time I talk to them. Couple of weeks after last seeing them, I will find out they retired or moved on to their next aircraft's school. Just didn't want you to think I had forgot about this. I'm just as curious as you are as to how the guns were fed on that side.

KiowaFixer

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  • 2 months later...

As of yesterday, 18 Nov 14, all but one of the OH-58Ds have left Rucker. The last one is slated to be moved over to the Army Aviation Museum to be put on display.

KiowaFixer/Now an Apache Fixer

Man, that just makes me sick. I am glad the Museum is getting one, but I really believe this is the dumbest move I have seen by the Army yet. How many folks really think flying AH-64Es/UAVs will actually be a cost effective replacement for the OH-58D?

Ray

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