Loach Driver Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 (edited) I came across this photo yesterday. The aircraft configuration looks pretty clean so it could be a very early Task Force 158 photo. It looks like an MH-6B and might even be a photo from the training towards Honey Badger before that operation was called off. If it is a pre-Honey Badger photo, it is pretty rare! There is a seat in the rear compartment and it looks like they are refuelling from a jerry can so they might be out on a long-range desert navigation exercise. The caption to this photo on the OPSEC forum says it was taken in "Iraq" but I think it might be somewhere in the Nevada Test Range. There is no Omega box on the tailboom but it does look like there is a radio altimeter system fitted to the belly. A serial number is visible on the doghouse but isn't legible. I believe the copyright to this pic is held by Greg Coker. He might have a book coming out soon detailing his time as a Little Bird pilot! LD, Edited September 12, 2020 by Loach Driver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 (edited) This poster is for sale from Heliops. I am not promoting it, but a portion of the purchase price does go to the Nightstalker Foundation. It does have some interesting types featured. It has the usual collection of Little Birds that we all know and love but among the drawings is one of the EH-6E. It isn't fitted with a FLIR turret but does have a SATCOM antenna on the tailboom. Of equal interest are the drawings of the early Blackhawks and Chinooks, in particular the CH-47C+ and CH-47D+. Those early Chinooks have received very little attention from us here. I need to break out Floyd's decal sheets to see if they are included. There is the odd photo here and there on the web of the early Hawks and Hooks but it'd be nice to see a few more. https://www.heliopsmag.com/store/160th-SOAR-A-Special-Collectors-Edition-p227470874 LD. Edited August 16, 2020 by Loach Driver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 Good article on the Block 3 LB. https://www.google.com/amp/s/defence-blog.com/news/boeing-upgrades-special-operations-unique-helicopter.html/amp Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 (edited) Edit: In light of the comments below, it appears this LB might be in Iraq in 2003 or afterwards and is not a Gothic Serpent ship. Thanks to all the contributors below for adding their observations. LD. This appears to be yet another Gothic Serpent MH-6. "353" appears on the nose bubble frame so that indicates it is 88-25353. I don't know if this bird flew on October 3rd, but given that the rotors are spread and it's sitting out on the ramp, it is likely it flew on operations there at some point. One more GS Little Bird identified but no indication as to its call sign or its employment on the 3rd of October. LD. Edited August 26, 2020 by Loach Driver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 1 hour ago, Loach Driver said: This appears to be yet another Gothic Serpent MH-6. "353" appears on the nose bubble frame so that indicates it is 88-25353. I don't know if this bird flew on October 3rd, but given that the rotors are spread and it's sitting out on the ramp, it is likely it flew on operations there at some point. One more GS Little Bird identified but no indication as to its call sign or its employment on the 3rd of October. LD. Nice pic. Wonder what marking would have warranted being blacked out on the nose? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HeavyArty Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 (edited) If this is Somalia, it would have been after mid-October as the Bradleys in the background would have been from 24 ID and deployed in response to the 3-4 OCT battle. Edited August 25, 2020 by HeavyArty Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 I wonder did they deploy fresh 160th airframes too post-Oct 3/4? They'd have needed replacement MH-60s but not sure if they would have sent further Little Birds. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 I was told by a OGS pilot that the pic wasn't of Somalia. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 Was he able to say where this photo was taken? Iraq 1991 or somewhere else? LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 5 hours ago, Loach Driver said: Was he able to say where this photo was taken? Iraq 1991 or somewhere else? LD. Doubt it was 1991, they are wearing DCU's, not the older Desert Storm vintage "chocolate chip" uniforms. On the flip side, it looks like that MG is an M60, so that kinda rules out early OIF/OEF. That hangar in the background is massive. Might be worth checking out images of the Mogadishu Airport to see if something that big was present. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Tapsell Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 The Humvee parked against the hangar (extreme right) is carrying a spare wheel on the rear - highly unusual (almost unheard of) for an early 1990s US vehicle - much more likely on a post-2000 vehicle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HeavyArty Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 (edited) My bet is Iraq post '03. The gun behind the guy in a t-shirt looks like an M249 SAW to me, not an M60. They are also in DCUs as already stated. The Brads look like M2A2 ODS Brads w/ the rubber side stowage covers on the front as well. Edited August 25, 2020 by HeavyArty Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sarathi S. Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 That's not a SAW, it's definitely an M60E3 or E4. Given it appears to have some sort of reflex optic (I can't tell if it's an EoTech or not), what looks like a KAC suppressor and PEQ-2 on the M4 behind the guy lying down, and the fact that the guys around the helo are all wearing more modern-styled boots rather than issued kit, I'm leaning towards post '03 Iraq as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clinstone Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 On 1/26/2020 at 9:54 AM, Killing Stone said: I know no one who fired a stinger doesn't mean it didn't happen I know a lot of pilots wanted to fire one me included but I would say most likely we didn't fire one, the G model had provisions to fire a stinger (could carry two on a side) never even saw one mounted (stinger rails and/or stinger), the J model did not have provisions to fire a stinger (most likely cause we didn't need/use them), don't know what provisions are now. I flew the NOTAR I only remember a AH-6N I don't remember a MH-6N maybe same bird configured each way at different times to test each mission type, just because we were there didn't mean we got a chance to see everything going on we were all busy doing various things, pedals felt like the brakes on a car with air in the brake lines kind of mushy to me. I could see it as a good bird for police operations (lighter mission weights) but for various reasons just didn't work for us enough said. https://theaviationist.com/2020/08/25/exclusive-here-are-the-photos-of-the-mh-6-notar-flown-and-tested-by-the-160th-soar-a-night-stalkers/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sarathi S. Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 (edited) https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryPorn/comments/cc0h5v/devgru_gold_sqdn_hangin_around_the_mh6m_little/ Per this post and the comments, the picture of 353 looks to be during OIF. Would explain the M4, the new boots, and what looks like an EoTech on the M60. Edited August 25, 2020 by Sarathi S. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 15 minutes ago, Sarathi S. said: https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryPorn/comments/cc0h5v/devgru_gold_sqdn_hangin_around_the_mh6m_little/ Per this post and the comments, the picture of 353 looks to be during OIF. Would explain the M4, the new boots, and what looks like an EoTech on the M60. Interesting that the SEALs were still using the 60 at that point. I know they were partial to the cut down version but figured they would have moved on by OIF. I’d still like to know what was censored on the nose of the helo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sarathi S. Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 In my totally unscientific, wholly subject to user discretion understanding of SMU belt-fed choices, SEALs stuck with the M60 until the Mk. 48 came around, while Delta used the HK21, of all things. The Mk. 48 wasn't officially fielded until around 2003, so it's not a surprise that guys were still rocking pigs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hawkwrench Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 14 hours ago, Loach Driver said: Was he able to say where this photo was taken? Iraq 1991 or somewhere else? LD. No, just that it wasn't Somalia. They had big shipping containers in around the front of the hangar to protect them from mortar attacks. No containers in that pic. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 4 hours ago, Sarathi S. said: so it's not a surprise that guys were still rocking pigs. Lol... the pig.... my back still hurts thinking about them. The ones we had were beat to crap and should have been melted down for scrap metal years before. Long live the 240. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sarathi S. Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Haha fair, but you've gotta remember the cut down M60s were significantly lighter than M240s, and by virtue of being in SOF armories probably had CONSIDERABLE work done to them to ensure they functioned as advertised. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 (edited) 18 hours ago, Clinstone said: https://theaviationist.com/2020/08/25/exclusive-here-are-the-photos-of-the-mh-6-notar-flown-and-tested-by-the-160th-soar-a-night-stalkers/ Thanks for that link! Always good to see new photos of the H-6N. The article mentions two converted ships but so far I have only ever seen photos of -25356. Is that a USMC UH-1N in the background or USAF? LD. Edited August 26, 2020 by Loach Driver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sarathi S. Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Looks like USMC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clinstone Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 USMC based on the paint and the ALQ-144 mount. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sarathi S. Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Also the Modex. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Couple of pretty nice pictures I just came across: Is that tiny FLIR a new addition to the AH's? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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