AH-6C, MH-6 photos from AH6C-SIP-PICS ARE BACK!

[BrittMac]

I've got some personal photos but no way to scan them.

Hey GIranger. This sounds simplistic, because it is, but you can go to WalMart or a pharmacy with one of those digital photo kiosks. The machine usually has a scanner. Not the best quality probably, but it will help you out immensely. If not to post here, but to put your photo's on CD's so you can store them for yourself. It is an easy and safer way of keeping your photo's around.

HTH,

Brandon

[DPD1]

Love your post as I too love the Little Bird. Found your site from Military Photos.com I started out back in 91' in 2/75th Rangers and as a 13F(Forward Observer) we jumped into Ft Cambell to do some training with 160th. We did a week there calling in Little Birds (at the time very secret). I've got some personal photos but no way to scan them. After I left the Army in 99 I worked for MD Helicopters which at the time had the rights to the LB. After a few years there I became a Tech Rep for MD and was put in charge of the LB project. I worked closely with 160th on issues and even visited them again (this time as a technical rep). Got a few pics then also. After MD I was hired by L3 Communications and was in charge of production (retrofitting) of the Little Birds. I have a ton of personal photos and others that I acquired while working there (dont work there anymore). I have no way to upload them all and can only do a few. I have a ton up close and personal as I was planning on making an AH/6M from one of those 1/12 scale (i think) Little Birds. Never got as far as I wanted to as my kids got older and their sports took over mine LOL Will try to get some pics here in the near future......

I'm sure many people would like to see your shots if you ever get the chance.

Dave

www.TheNorthSpin.com

Dedicated to Aircraft Flight Test for the Aviation Enthusiast

[GIranger]

I've only got a few that are on photo paper, problem is I cant host them all on photobucket or whatever, it would take me a year to upload them all. any suggestions?

[rotorwash]

I've only got a few that are on photo paper, problem is I cant host them all on photobucket or whatever, it would take me a year to upload them all. any suggestions?

Did you get the PM I sent you from Military Photos?

Ray

Edited October 4, 2009 by rotorwash

[DPD1]

I've only got a few that are on photo paper, problem is I cant host them all on photobucket or whatever, it would take me a year to upload them all. any suggestions?

As mentioned, there should be a place near you somewhere that can scan film and prints and put it on a CD. Then you could send that CD to whoever can host them for you. If the stuff is mostly test related, which sounds like it is, I'd be happy to do a page for you on my site if you ever feel inclined.

Dave

www.TheNorthSpin.com

Dedicated to Aircraft Flight Test for the Aviation Enthusiast

[11bee]

I've only got a few that are on photo paper, problem is I cant host them all on photobucket or whatever, it would take me a year to upload them all. any suggestions?

GI,

Pictures of Littlebirds (especially the earlier versions) are so rare that even if you can only post a small portion of your collection, it would still be greatly appreciated. Sounds like you have some pretty interesting photos in your collection.

Regards,

John

[AH6C-SIP]

I know this is an OH-6 (and the AH-6C has the exhaust cover), but if you guys wanna build it with the engine compartment open, here's some pics that may be useful...

HTH,

Austin

When Ray and I started exchanging photos, he asked if he should blur the images of the folks for OPSEC reasons. But having gone back and looked at the early photos, and since Rooster (Doug) is a member now, perhaps Ray can re-publish the photo of me and Doug in front of the first T Tail to be outfitted with gun and rocket pod. This is the one, Ray, with Doug in jeans and some silly hat, standing next to me in front of the T Tail at MCAS Yuma. Yuma82.004.jpg I'm not sure if this is before or after he and Jim Bandy flew into the ground at MCAS. :D

I really wish there was someone out there that would want to do a book...I know I lived four life times, and well, Doug can't talk about his other life after the Force. But let Doug tell you about those things.

Night Stalkers Don't Quit and Six Guns Don't Miss! NSDQ/SGDM

GT

[AH6C-SIP]

GI,

Pictures of Littlebirds (especially the earlier versions) are so rare that even if you can only post a small portion of your collection, it would still be greatly appreciated. Sounds like you have some pretty interesting photos in your collection.

Regards,

John

John,

Everything I have, picture wise, I have given to Ray. Doug, will, I'm sure follow up with more. Anecdotely, I saw a bit yesterday about two twin bothers that had flown P-51's in Europe during WWII, and the aircraft they flew were at the Oshkos Airshow. These twins were reunited with the a/c they flew in 1944-45. This is what you modelers keep alive. The knowledge that there were unusual a/c that have contributed so much to our nations defense. You also have to know how much blood went into what we have today in the 160th.

How did they get ther name: Way back when, Maj Michael Grimm asked us to come up with a name for our new unit. I remembered the old Davin McGavin "Nightstalker" series, and so I suggested we be called "Night Stalkers", and so it was. All the assets for the TF158/160 came out of B/229th of the 101st Abn Div.

Like any unconventional force, the 160th trains and goes where convenional force can't! This is the same today as it was when we started in 1980. So, your efforts give life to all that gave their lives, and I could go on, but know that "we" who carry the banner of the Nightstalkers are most appreciative of you efforts.

Thanks to all of you who keep the legasy alive!

NSDQ/SGDM

GT

[11bee]

John,

Everything I have, picture wise, I have given to Ray. Doug, will, I'm sure follow up with more. Anecdotely, I saw a bit yesterday about two twin bothers that had flown P-51's in Europe during WWII, and the aircraft they flew were at the Oshkos Airshow. These twins were reunited with the a/c they flew in 1944-45. This is what you modelers keep alive. The knowledge that there were unusual a/c that have contributed so much to our nations defense. You also have to know how much blood went into what we have today in the 160th.

How did they get ther name: Way back when, Maj Michael Grimm asked us to come up with a name for our new unit. I remembered the old Davin McGavin "Nightstalker" series, and so I suggested we be called "Night Stalkers", and so it was. All the assets for the TF158/160 came out of B/229th of the 101st Abn Div.

Like any unconventional force, the 160th trains and goes where convenional force can't! This is the same today as it was when we started in 1980. So, your efforts give life to all that gave their lives, and I could go on, but know that "we" who carry the banner of the Nightstalkers are most appreciative of you efforts.

Thanks to all of you who keep the legasy alive!

NSDQ/SGDM

GT

GT,

I'm very honored that you and Doug have seen fit to share your story with the folks on this forum.... You guys are hero's but it is unfortunate that so much of what you did was kept quiet for all those years.

I spent some time a few days ago showing my wife and two daughters the Littlebird model I am working on and explaining what was special about it and about the guys who flew these back in the day. They usually don't pay much interest in my models but this time was different.

On another note, thanks for explaining what "SGDM" meant in your previous post. I was curious about what it meant but didn't want to pry.

Regards,

John

Edited October 11, 2009 by 11bee

[rotorwash]

When Ray and I started exchanging photos, he asked if he should blur the images of the folks for OPSEC reasons. But having gone back and looked at the early photos, and since Rooster (Doug) is a member now, perhaps Ray can re-publish the photo of me and Doug in front of the first T Tail to be outfitted with gun and rocket pod. This is the one, Ray, with Doug in jeans and some silly hat, standing next to me in front of the T Tail at MCAS Yuma.

GT,

Of course i can! I even cropped it so that you and Doug would show up better. I believe this is the one you wanted. Thanks again for trusting me with these and I look forward to seeing what Doug has!

Ray

[AH6C-SIP]

GT,

Of course i can! I even cropped it so that you and Doug would show up better. I believe this is the one you wanted. Thanks again for trusting me with these and I look forward to seeing what Doug has!

Ray

Yep that's the one! :unsure: Doug has aged somewhat, however, I still look just like the dashing NightStalker in the picture... until I look in the mirror! :lol:

GT

[11bee]

Cool picture (not sure about the hat though :unsure: ). I assume that this would an AH-6 F model? If so, is that the type of Littlebird that flew in Prime Chance?

John

[AH6C-SIP]

Cool picture (not sure about the hat though ). I assume that this would an AH-6 F model? If so, is that the type of Littlebird that flew in Prime Chance?

John

Hi John, no this a/c is actually one of the MH-6's we borrowed from A Company, and used as a test platform. We went to Yuma Proving Grounds (picture is at Marine Corp Air Station Yuma) and used the ranges at YPG to test not only the mini and rockets ,but the Hughes 7.62 ChainGun. In that case the cyclic rate of fire wasn't enough, roughly 750 rnds/min. About the same as an M-60 machine gun or todays SAW's. When you need to put steel on target you can't wait around plinking at them, you need 4000 rnds/min, then get the hell out of there.

This particular a/c had to be specially wired to fire the rockets as it had no intervelometer or rocket managment system. It was literally, as the first batch of helo's that A Company acquired, a civilian Hughes 500D painted with our black low radar reflective paint. Since I was one of the only Instructors at the time that was rated in both a/c I got to do the test.

As a side note, when I pushed the rocket button to fire #1 tube, they all fired sequentially, which got my attention quickly. Talk about yaw! But to answer your question, it would probably be called the very first F model. I think Ray has some shots of the ChainGun and the rocket shots in his collection.

Doug sent some picture to Ray of two AH6's firing off San Clemente Island. One, according to Doug, is a G and the other is an earlier F model.

Jump in here Pooh if my memory is not recollecting right.

GT

[Loach Driver]

Hi Graham. Thanks for all the great info on the early history of the Little Bird. I have two more questions for you though.

1. Was MCAS Yuma and the Yuma Proving Grounds all part of the one military complex or were they two seperate military establishments located in the Yuma area?

2. Were all the Hughes 500Ds converted for use with the 160th bought from civilian owners on the second-hand market or were any bought factory-fresh from Hughes by the Army?

Thanks.

LD.

[AH6C-SIP]

Hi Graham. Thanks for all the great info on the early history of the Little Bird. I have two more questions for you though.

1. Was MCAS Yuma and the Yuma Proving Grounds all part of the one military complex or were they two seperate military establishments located in the Yuma area?

2. Were all the Hughes 500Ds converted for use with the 160th bought from civilian owners on the second-hand market or were any bought factory-fresh from Hughes by the Army?

Thanks.

LD.

No, MCAS is Marines and YPG is an old time Army Testing Ground. The Apache trainers used YPG in the 70's and I taught NVG's to Cobra guys that would be doing the OT2 test against the Apache in 1979. Let me tell you, doing autorotations in the Cobra under goggles, is not for the faint of heart.

Second, the initial buy to get us going were all straight 500D's off the assembley line. You even had to start the thing from the left seat, which is not where the PIC sits. Some were probably repo's and the rest were new. God, you should have seen the wonderful paint jobs that got spray painted over.

The new ones even had power booster injectors for when you need extra power, and an engine out light the tried to restart the engine if the rotor/engine rpm fell below a certain rpm. Another story there as well. Whoa!

GT

[11bee]

I'm thinking of ways to add some interest to the interior of my Littlebird model. Out of curiosity, did you guys carry any kind of sidearms during an operational mission (besides pistols) and if so, where in the cabin would they have been mounted? I thought I read somewhere that the early 160th crews carried MP-5's. If so, I might try to scrounge up a couple from an old model kit (if I can find one online) and add them to the interior.

Regards,

John

[AH6C-SIP]

I'm thinking of ways to add some interest to the interior of my Littlebird model. Out of curiosity, did you guys carry any kind of sidearms during an operational mission (besides pistols) and if so, where in the cabin would they have been mounted? I thought I read somewhere that the early 160th crews carried MP-5's. If so, I might try to scrounge up a couple from an old model kit (if I can find one online) and add them to the interior.

Regards,

John

I'll have to defer to Doug for later years, but all I carried was a 9MM and a .45. I do think that later crews were outfitted with MP5's, but I don't know where they carried them. If it ain't on your body when you egress, it will probably be left behind.

In Vietnam, I carried an folding stock AK-47 as CAR15's were hard to come by, and put it on my left by the collective.

Now if you want to be cool, you can put three 5 gallon gas cans, like the ones on the back of jeeps, in the back and strap them down. That's how we exteded our range when gas stations were not available.

GT

Edited October 13, 2009 by AH6C-SIP

[11bee]

I'll have to defer to Doug for later years, but all I carried was a 9MM and a .45. I do think that later crews were outfitted with MP5's, but I don't know where they carried them. If it ain't on your body when you egress, it will probably be left behind.

In Vietnam, I carried an folding stock AK-47 as CAR15's were hard to come by, and put it on my left by the collective.

Now if you want to be cool, you can put three 5 gallon gas cans, like the ones on the back of jeeps, in the back and strap them down. That's how we exteded our range when gas stations were not available.

GT

Hi GT,

thanks for the info... you mentioned the 5 gal cans before and I was thinking about installing them. I assume that they went in between the pilots bulkhead and the front of the avionic's box. Were they upright or stacked sideways, on the floor? I may have some clearance problems with my model and may not be able to fit them. I'll try to scrounge a gas can from an old armor model and see if I have the room in back.

Pretty cool idea, though I'm not sure that the safety police would approve of it these days Were they OSHA approved, NFPA stamped, crash-worthy fuel cans?

Didn't know you were a Vietnam vet, double thanks for your service in that case. What did you fly in Vietnam?

John

[AH6C-SIP]

Hi GT,

thanks for the info... you mentioned the 5 gal cans before and I was thinking about installing them. I assume that they went in between the pilots bulkhead and the front of the avionic's box. Were they upright or stacked sideways, on the floor? I may have some clearance problems with my model and may not be able to fit them. I'll try to scrounge a gas can from an old armor model and see if I have the room in back.

Pretty cool idea, though I'm not sure that the safety police would approve of it these days Were they OSHA approved, NFPA stamped, crash-worthy fuel cans? :)

Didn't know you were a Vietnam vet, double thanks for your service in that case. What did you fly in Vietnam?

John

John,

I’ve attached a jpg (thanks to the wizardry of PhotoShop) of your model, showing how we placed the three cans, not stacked and secured by a cargo strap cinched down across the back. We’d undo the strap and refuel by using a standard “donkey dick†military flex filler neck. Then we’d strap them back in and off we’d go for another hour or so. Remember, the six only carries 63 gallons internally, so an extra 15 gallons could go a long way.

I flew Cobra’s in RVN, 69-70, and 72-73. All told, I’ve some 3000 hrs AH-1 time and around 1500 OH/MH/AH time, the rest of the time was UH-1s. A,B, C, D, H’s, with 1500 of that logged as combat time.

Regards, GT

[rotorwash]

While perusing a bunch of photos I had scanned from the Army Aviation Test Board I found these three pics that I had previously overlooked. Even though they aren't GT's I figure they belong here. A couple of curious things. Note the test boom on the skids, pink forklift, and little girl in a bathing suit! Some of these things just don't seem like they go together. Anyway, these are some nice shots so I thought I'd share em.

Ray

Oh yeah, check the guy with the rolled up jeans, now that's one stylin' fellow right there!

[thatguy96]

The other guy in jeans is wearing flipflops too. Good working "shoes" ;)

[Albert Moore]

While perusing a bunch of photos I had scanned from the Army Aviation Test Board I found these three pics that I had previously overlooked. Even though they aren't GT's I figure they belong here. A couple of curious things. Note the test boom on the skids, pink forklift, and little girl in a bathing suit! Some of these things just don't seem like they go together. Anyway, these are some nice shots so I thought I'd share em.

Ray

Oh yeah, check the guy with the rolled up jeans, now that's one stylin' fellow right there!

Must have been 'Bring your daughter to work day' and 'Casual Friday'! :D

Cheers,

Alby

[arkhunter2002]

or "bring your daughter to work on casual friday and let her pick the color of the forklift" :D

take care,

Austin

[Loach Driver]

Hi Ray. Thanks for posting these test-bird photos. Very interesting indeed.

Does anyone recognise the airport where the photos were taken? Thanks.

LD. <_<

[Winnie]

THe pink forklift may be an attempt to prevent theft...

At the Robinson Safety course, the 'loaner' headsets (I never did bring my helmet) they had PINK David Clarks...

AH6C-SIP

The engine out system you are mentioning is the automatic relight, similar to the system in the Jet Rangers, altho I have heard the system in the 500 is much more effective, and have made "fun times" for peoples...

Cheers

H.