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

[Loach Driver]

GT, thanks for those replys. Once again, there is probably more new info on the EH-6B in your post than has been previously available. No more questions for now. Thanks a million.

LD.

[11bee]

GT, thanks for those replys. Once again, there is probably more new info on the EH-6B in your post than has been previously available. No more questions for now. Thanks a million.

LD.

Interesting stuff. I think the EH-6B is such a curiosity because of the complete lack of pictures of this version. Kinda like the infamous Sea Spray helos. They may have been completely unremarkable but since there have been zero pictures ever released, it makes folks really interested in them.

I had good luck filing a Freedom of Information request to get some pictures of the cockpit of the AH-6C, maybe I'll file a similar request for the EH-6B. I'm guessing at this point, there can't be any classified about this helo.

John

[Loach Driver]

I had good luck filing a Freedom of Information request to get some pictures of the cockpit of the AH-6C, maybe I'll file a similar request for the EH-6B. I'm guessing at this point, there can't be any classified about this helo.

John

This sounds like a good idea. It would be interesting to see if the Army will release a photo of this helicopter. Probably the main reason there are so few photos of the EH-6B and E is because there were only a handful of airframes converted. Let us know if you have any luck with the DOD. Thanks.

LD.

[AH6C-SIP]

Interesting stuff. I think the EH-6B is such a curiosity because of the complete lack of pictures of this version. Kinda like the infamous Sea Spray helos. They may have been completely unremarkable but since there have been zero pictures ever released, it makes folks really interested in them.

I had good luck filing a Freedom of Information request to get some pictures of the cockpit of the AH-6C, maybe I'll file a similar request for the EH-6B. I'm guessing at this point, there can't be any classified about this helo.

John

Interestling enough, John, you wouldn't know a Sea Spray helo if you saw one. They are all civilian models! They don't have any military versions. Don't ask John, I just know. A good reference on this is "Killer Elite" . This is the best book on how we got to where we are today. It highlights the genesis of when we split from the TF/ FOG (Field Operations Group was the name of the element that was tasked to put together planning for the second Iran rescue mission) elements to when the Agency saw the need to have their own "airforce." But, back to one of the questions here, way back then, as the TF'rs were supporting FOG, we thought we would be getting the T Tails first, but Longhoffer and the string pullers gave them to Sea Spray. We got ours later. GT

Edited February 7, 2010 by AH6C-SIP

[11bee]

This sounds like a good idea. It would be interesting to see if the Army will release a photo of this helicopter. Probably the main reason there are so few photos of the EH-6B and E is because there were only a handful of airframes converted. Let us know if you have any luck with the DOD. Thanks.

LD.

Folks,

I submitted my FOIA Request today for any available pictures / documents pertaining to the EH-6B. The last time it took ~ 3 weeks to get a response from the army. For whatever it is worth, this service was invaluable for my Littlebird build and if anyone else is looking for hard to find info for a project, the process is very basic.

For Army special ops / Nightstalker related topics, go to:

http://www.soc.mil/FOIA/foia_home.htm

It's a one page form and email. That's it.

Regards,

John

[11bee]

Interestling enough, John, you wouldn't know a Sea Spray helo if you saw one. They are all civilian models! They don't have any military versions.

Hi GT,

I know you are correct on this and all of the available info out there states that they flew civilian painted helo's and aircraft. Just didn't know if they had any external modifications that would make for an interesting build. I remember reading somewhere that a "civilian" MD500 with rocket pods was shot down in Nicaragua during the early 80's while attacking a port. One article claimed that it was actualy a Seaspray (or whatever the unit's current codename was at the time) helo.

I second your recommendation on "Killer Elite". It is a great book with much info on this topic.

Regards,

John

[Loach Driver]

Hi GT,

I know you are correct on this and all of the available info out there states that they flew civilian painted helo's and aircraft. Just didn't know if they had any external modifications that would make for an interesting build. I remember reading somewhere that a "civilian" MD500 with rocket pods was shot down in Nicaragua during the early 80's while attacking a port. One article claimed that it was actualy a Seaspray (or whatever the unit's current codename was at the time) helo.

I second your recommendation on "Killer Elite". It is a great book with much info on this topic.

Regards,

John

First off, apologies for hijacking this thread with a Seaspray post but here is a photo of an alleged CIA MD500.

http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/5th-SFGA/abj

It looks like an MD500E armed with the weapons plank from an AH-6J/M. No markings and definitley not a 160th Little Bird.

It was mentioned on another thread that a pair of MD520Ns fitted with "People Planks" were spotted in a Seaspray hangar at Fort Eustis in the early 1990s. It looks like the first 500s operated by Seaspray were T-Tailed and first used in 1980 and that means the 500D. The E and F models didn't fly till 1982. If the first helicopters used by Seaspray were bought from Hughes and not from the second hand market, then they might have had one of two types of standard Hughes paint schemes at that time.

Coloured top and bottom over white:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Hughes-500D...7b27cb0fb837cf5

or Magnum, P.I. striped finish:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Hughes-500D...7b27cb0fb837cf5

This is all guess work on my part but it is possible. So a 500D with early MH-6E-style people planks and extra aerials would pass as an early Seaspray helicopter. (Sorry for hijacking your thread, GT, but please let me know if I'm getting warm with my guesswork.)

LD.

[AH6C-SIP]

First off, apologies for hijacking this thread with a Seaspray post but here is a photo of an alleged CIA MD500.

http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/5th-SFGA/abj

It looks like an MD500E armed with the weapons plank from an AH-6J/M. No markings and definitley not a 160th Little Bird.

It was mentioned on another thread that a pair of MD520Ns fitted with "People Planks" were spotted in a Seaspray hangar at Fort Eustis in the early 1990s. It looks like the first 500s operated by Seaspray were T-Tailed and first used in 1980 and that means the 500D. The E and F models didn't fly till 1982. If the first helicopters used by Seaspray were bought from Hughes and not from the second hand market, then they might have had one of two types of standard Hughes paint schemes at that time.

Coloured top and bottom over white:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Hughes-500D...7b27cb0fb837cf5

or Magnum, P.I. striped finish:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Hughes-500D...7b27cb0fb837cf5

This is all guess work on my part but it is possible. So a 500D with early MH-6E-style people planks and extra aerials would pass as an early Seaspray helicopter. (Sorry for hijacking your thread, GT, but please let me know if I'm getting warm with my guesswork.)

LD.

You might be having a "Ta Da" moment here LD. The first 160th T Tails all had these beautiful Magnum paint jobs under the reflective paint. Wouldn't be hard to "dress" a civilian version up for whatever you wanted to do covertly. So, yes the FEVA boys would have had 500D's.

Here I am at the Hughes Plant early on for my "transition."

Edited February 8, 2010 by AH6C-SIP

[Loach Driver]

Thanks for sharing your latest photo. Was it taken at Culver City or Palomar? As far as I know, N5000N is still flying today in Hawaii with the Honolulu Police Department. You can't keep a good bird down!

LD.

[AH6C-SIP]

Thanks for sharing your latest photo. Was it taken at Culver City or Palomar? As far as I know, N5000N is still flying today in Hawaii with the Honolulu Police Department. You can't keep a good bird down!

LD.

The pictures were taken at Culver City. I know it might be a little off thread, but I did get some stick time in Blue Thunder in "Whisper Mode."

[Albert Moore]

Where's JAFO????? Cool photo!

Cheers,

Alby

[Loach Driver]

The pictures were taken at Culver City. I know it might be a little off thread, but I did get some stick time in Blue Thunder in "Whisper Mode."

GT, don't worry about going off topic. It's your topic, after all! Was that photo taken at Culver City as well? I had read that Hughes Helicopters had converted the Gazelle into the "Blue Thunder" helicopter but I guess this confirms it. If you have any more stories or photos from Culver City, I'd love to hear and see them. Thanks.

LD.

[AH6C-SIP]

GT, don't worry about going off topic. It's your topic, after all! Was that photo taken at Culver City as well? I had read that Hughes Helicopters had converted the Gazelle into the "Blue Thunder" helicopter but I guess this confirms it. If you have any more stories or photos from Culver City, I'd love to hear and see them. Thanks.

LD.

Yes, this was also in Culver City at the "MGM Studios", can't recall. But they had all these neat aircraft. They also had the Corsairs that flew in the Pappy Boyington series about the Marine Corps "Black Sheep" squadron. What a beautiful aircraft.

GT

[Livio]

hello

I would be interested in some photos of the Blue Thunder cokpit to verify my model you can see on the site

www.helikitnews.com Model Gallery, select images to view, search Livio

thanks

Livio

[AH6C-SIP]

hello

I would be interested in some photos of the Blue Thunder cokpit to verify my model you can see on the site

www.helikitnews.com Model Gallery, select images to view, search Livio

thanks

Livio

Wow, Livio, that's quite an impressive model, however, I'm sorry I don't have any other pictures for you.

GT

[Livio]

thanks

Livio

[11bee]

Folks,

I submitted my FOIA Request today for any available pictures / documents pertaining to the EH-6B. The last time it took ~ 3 weeks to get a response from the army. For whatever it is worth, this service was invaluable for my Littlebird build and if anyone else is looking for hard to find info for a project, the process is very basic.

For Army special ops / Nightstalker related topics, go to:

http://www.soc.mil/FOIA/foia_home.htm

It's a one page form and email. That's it.

Regards,

John

Just received an acknowledgment of the FOIA request for pictures of the mythical EH-6B. They said to expect a full response in approx 20 days. If anything comes of this, I will be sure to share with all.

John

Edited February 13, 2010 by 11bee

[rotorwash]

Just received an acknowledgment of the FOIA request for pictures of the mythical EH-6B. They said to expect a full response in approx 20 days. If anything comes of this, I will be sure to share with all.

John

John,

Thanks for your efforts. I should send your other AH-6C pics back to you. I ran across them the other day while cleaning up. seems I have quite a few photos lying around these days!

Ray

[Loach Driver]

Just received an acknowledgment of the FOIA request for pictures of the mythical EH-6B. They said to expect a full response in approx 20 days. If anything comes of this, I will be sure to share with all.

John

John, thanks for letting us know. Hopefully they will have some good stuff to send you and it will be amazing if they will release some photos as well.

LD.

[Loach Driver]

Just received an acknowledgment of the FOIA request for pictures of the mythical EH-6B. They said to expect a full response in approx 20 days. If anything comes of this, I will be sure to share with all.

John

Hi John. Is there any update on the FOIA request? Thanks.

LD.

[11bee]

Hi John. Is there any update on the FOIA request? Thanks.

LD.

Hi LD,

Nothing as of today.

If they were not going to release the pictures or they just couldn't find any, I'd like to think they would have informed me of this by now. Hopefully in this case, no news is good news.

If/when anything comes in, I will get them posted ASAP!

Regards,

John

[Loach Driver]

Thanks for your efforts on this one, John. Hopefully the info or photos will arrive shortly. Sooner or later someone is going to track down a photo of the EH-6B Little Birds! Thanks.

LD.

[AH6C-SIP]

Thanks for your efforts on this one, John. Hopefully the info or photos will arrive shortly. Sooner or later someone is going to track down a photo of the EH-6B Little Birds! Thanks.

LD.

Hi LD, good to know you are still out there. Don't know if the any forthcoming info will show anything, as our original EH-6B aircraft were only fitted with a SATCOM radio. Nothing really sexy, but... Externally, you would only see the SATCOM antenae mounted aft of the pylon and on top the Tail boom. Looks like a triangular "graduation hat."

Hope all is well with you and your Robinson flights. I'm still jealous that you have access to a six. Best regards, GT

[Loach Driver]

Hi GT. Thanks for the info on the EH-6B. If it's not classified, can you say what type of SATCOM Radio was fitted in the EH-6B and where was it mounted in the airframe (i.e. on the floor in the rear compartment or on a modified instrument panel)? Did the EH-6B normally have a radio operator in the back or was it just two guys up front? Also, did it usually fly with all the doors on or off? Sorry for yet more questions.

Not much flying lately, in the Robbie or the Six. Hoping to rectify that in April, though. I hope you are getting some occasional stick-time as well! Thanks.

LD.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Loach Driver

[11bee]

Hi John. Is there any update on the FOIA request? Thanks.

LD.

Bad news gents,

Just returned from a couple of weeks in sunny SC and found a letter from Special Operations Command waiting for me. Unfortunately, I am informed that the search generated by my Freedom of Information request has turned up no pictures of the mythical EH-6B. Sorry folks, after lucking out on the request for AH-6C pictures, I struck out on this one.

Maybe one day something will turn up. As GT mentioned, it doesn't sound like this helo was that unique, at least externally (although I thought someone posted that it carried an early model FLIR) but it looks like we may never know.

If any of you require information / pictures on obscure topics like this, you really should give this request a shot. You never know what you may get back. Just go to:

www.soc.mil/FOIA/FOIA%20Request%20Form.doc

Regards,

John