| "Dedicated to Aircraft Restoration for the Preservation of Aviation History" at | |
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Located just off the
I-215 Freeway at the Van Buren Exit in Riverside, California |
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The OH-6A helicopter above, serial number 68-17252, was built by Hughes and purchased by the US Army in Aug 1969 to the 25th Infantry, Vietnam. In 1971, it was assigned to "our brothers" of CharlieTroop, 1st of the 9th Cav, serving in combat in Vietnam. It returned stateside later in 1971 after accumulating approx 1,340 combat hours. During this time it was shot down 4 times and had 2 non-combat accidents. It was repaired and as of 1988 was still flying in the New York Army Guard. It was donated to March Field Air Museum in 2000 by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department . This historical helicopter is a rare find because of its significance to all Vietnam Veterans. It is a proud addition to the museum's collection. It is currently in restoration (non-flying) and is estimated to be completed late in 2001, with an estimated cost of approximately $6000.00. Donations to the museum for this worthy cause should be specifically marked with the words: "C/1/9 LOH Restoration". When restored, it will display the insignia and colors of the CAV and C/1/9, the last troop to fly her in combat. Demonstrating
the bond that exists among Cavalry "brothers" -
See
more photos |
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| History | Boeing
(McDonnell Douglas) (formerly Hughes model 369A) OH-6A, was designed
for use as a military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the U.S. Army's
need for an extremely maneuverable light observation helicopter (LOH
program). The Hughes OH-6A Cayuse was quite effective when teamed with
the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter as part of what were known as Pink
Teams. The OH-6A Loach would find targets by flying low, "trolling" for
fire, and lead in a Cobra, or Snake, to attack. |
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| Specifications |
Description
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Manufacturer:
Hughes Aircraft Division, Culver City, California Designation: OH-6 Version: A Nickname: Cayuse Type: Light Observation Accommodation: Crew of two and provision for two seated passengers or four equipped troops in rear of cabin. U.S. Army Serial No.: 68-17252 |
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Dimensions
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Length:
23 ft 1 in. Height: 8 ft 6 in. Rotor Diameter: 26 ft 4 in. |
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Weights
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Empty
Weight: 1,156 lbs. Gross Weight: 2,698 lbs. Max. Weight: 2,700 lbs. |
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Propulsion
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Power
plant: Single Allison T63-A-5A Turboshaft Horsepower: 317 hp |
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Performance
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Range:
380 miles Cruise Speed: 134 mph at sea level Max. Speed: 150 mph at sea level Ceiling: 15,500 ft |
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Armament
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None | |||||||||||||||||||
© Loretta Stager 2000-2005 All rights reserved. Duplication of any part of this web site is strictly prohibited.
This is a non-commercial site.
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