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In 1960, the US Army came to the realization that it had no real scout helicopter: the OH-13 Sioux could operate effectively in the role, but it was aging and its slow speed made it vulnerable to ground fire. The O-1/L-19 Birddog was a good scout aircraft, but it did not have the mobility of a helicopter. With this in mind, the Army issued a requirement for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH). The new helicopter needed reasonably high speed, good visibility from the cockpit, and be not too expensive. Bell, Hiller and Hughes all developed prototypes; in 1965, the Army chose Hughes' Model 369 as the OH-6A Cayuse, and placed an order for 1300 helicopters.
The Army was then presented with a problem. Hughes did not have a large factory, and was run by the mercurial and unpredictable Howard Hughes: there was a real concern that Hughes could not deliver the order. Moreover, the Army learned that Hughes had deliberately undercut Bell's and Hiller's bids to win the contract, and as such was taking massive losses on the OH-6. The Army then reopened the competition, and Bell's OH-58A Kiowa won this time: the Army would use both helicopters. As for Hughes, the company would later make up the losses by marketing the OH-6 as the Model 369 and later the Model 500.
The OH-6A entered service in 1966, and was sent to Vietnam soon thereafter. Though given the name Cayuse (as part of the US Army's tradition of naming helicopters after native tribes), this name never stuck: instead, the helicopter was nicknamed Loach, after the LOH project name and its buglike appearance. Loaches were quickly armed with field modification kits to carry machine guns, and were usually paired with the also newly-arrived AH-1 Cobra as a "Pink Team." The job of the Pink Team was to scout ahead of the UH-1 "slicks" carrying troops: the OH-6 would come over at low level to see if it drew ground fire. If it did, it would then call in the AH-1s to attack the enemy position and clear the landing zone. This hunter-killer team proved very effective, if dangerous to the OH-6 crews: of 1420 OH-6s built, 842 were shot down over Vietnam.
Because of the heavy losses over Vietnam, the scout role after the war was gradually taken over by the OH-58A, which was cheaper to buy and easier to maintain. OH-6s began to be passed on to Reserve and National Guard units, but got a new lease on life after 1980: the Army still needed a small helicopter that could land in places the OH-58 or UH-1 could not. The OH-6 was the only aircraft that fit the bill, and several dozen were seconded to Task Force 158 in preparation for an operation to free the American hostages in Tehran, Iran. The hostages were freed by the Iranians themselves in 1980, but the Army recognized the need for an elite force trained in night operations, and renamed the unit Task Force 160--known to its crews as the "Nightstalkers."
TF 160 proved its worth during Operation Prime Chance, the United States' undeclared naval and air war against Iran in 1988, and the OH-6s were redesignated MH-6 (for transport OH-6s) and AH-6 (for armed versions). Nicknamed "Little Birds" by their crews, TF 160 worked closely with the elite and secretive Delta Force, most notably in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, where they were the only gunships available to the beleaguered Army forces in the Somalian city. The standard OH-6 has been retired from Army units, but the MH-6 and AH-6 remain in service. The Cayuse also remains operational with Spain and Japan, though in both cases it is being replaced.
Unfortunately, I can find no information about this OH-6A Cayuse on display at the Minter Field Air Museum in Shafter, California. When we visited, the museum was closed due to coronavirus restrictions, but I was able to get a picture of 69-1153 over the fence. From the museum's Facebook page, the helicopter is in excellent shape, and may still be flyable. It is on a trailer because it is often taken around the Bakersfield area to promote the museum. 69-1153 may be a Vietnam veteran; it is painted in the markings of a Loach assigned to Southeast Asia.
Limitation of Atma (self)-Realization
To what extent does ãtmã-realisation actually help at the time of death?"
Shriji Mahãrãj replied, "When faced with the task of crossing a river, one who knows how to swim can cross it, whereas one who is unable to swim will be left standing. However, when faced with the task of crossing an ocean, both require the aid of a ship. Similarly, a river - in the form of the dualities of cold and heat, hunger and thirst, honor and insult, happiness and misery - may be crossed by a person with ãtmã-realisation; death, however, is like an ocean. In that case, both a person with ãtmã-realisation and a person without it require the help of a ship in the form of faith in God. Therefore, only the firm refuge of God is helpful at the time of death, whereas ãtmã-realisation alone is of no use whatsoever at the time of death. For this reason, one should firmly cultivate faith in God."
Vachanamrut Gadhadã I-61
Our Daily Challenge: Heavenly
This was taken at the Self Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens in Encinitas. It is a very peaceful spot that I return to often. It is beautifully situated high above the Pacific Ocean, about 25 miles north of downtown San Diego. The temple and gardens were established by swami Paramahansa Yogananda in 1937, but the temple itself was built too close to the cliff edge, and was torn down in 1942 to avoid it tumbling into the ocean. This shot is at the steps which once lead to the original temple. You can see a picture of the temple on the plague near the bottom of this image..
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Towards the end of the Korean War, the USAF came to the realization that their transport fleet was becoming obsolete. The C-46 Commandos and C-47 Skytrains in service were no longer adequate, while the C-119 Flying Boxcar was having difficulties. In 1951, the USAF issued a requirement for a new tactical transport, an aircraft that would need to carry at least 72 passengers, be capable of dropping paratroopers, and have a ramp for loading vehicles directly into the cargo compartment. Moreover, it must be a “clean sheet” design, not a conversion from an existing airliner, and the USAF preferred a turboprop design. Five companies submitted designs, and six months later the USAF chose Lockheed’s L-402 design—over the misgivings of Lockheed’s chief designer, Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who warned that the L-402 would destroy the company. Little was Johnson to know that, fifty years later, the L-402—designated C-130 Hercules by the USAF—would still be in production, and one out of only five aircraft to have over 50 years of service with the original purchaser.
The C-130 was designed to give mostly unfettered access to a large cargo compartment—the ramp forms an integral part of the rear fuselage, the wing is mounted above the fuselage, and the landing gear is carried in sponsons attached to the fuselage itself, while the fuselage has a circular design to maximize loading potential. The high wing also gives the C-130 good lift, especially in “high and hot” situations. The Allison T56 turboprop was designed specifically for the Hercules, and has gone on to become the most successful turboprop design in history.
After two YC-130 prototypes, the Hercules went into production as the C-130A in 1956, to be superseded by the improved C-130B in 1959. In the 50 years hence, the basic C-130 design has not changed much: the C-130E introduced underwing external fuel tanks, while the C-130H has a slightly different wing. Even the new C-130J variant only introduced new engines with more fuel efficient six-bladed propellers: the basic design remains the same. Lockheed also offers stretched versions of the Hercules, initially as a civilian-only option (the L-100-30); the British Royal Air Force bought this version as the C-130K and it was later adopted by other nations, including the United States.
The basic C-130 is strictly a transport aircraft, but the versatility of the aircraft has meant it has been modified into a dizzying number of variants. Besides the United States, there are 67 other operators of C-130s, making it one of the world’s most prolific aircraft.
The “Herky Bird,” as it is often nicknamed, has participated in every military campaign fought by the United States since 1960 in one variation or the other. During Vietnam, it was used in almost every role imaginable, from standard transport to emergency bomber: as the latter, it dropped M121 10,000 pound mass-focus bombs to clear jungle away for helicopter landing zones. It was also instrumental in resupplying the Khe Sanh garrison during its three-month siege. Hercules crews paid the price as well: nearly 70 C-130s were lost during the Vietnam War. In foreign service, C-130s have also been used heavily, the most famous instance of which was likely the Israeli Entebbe Raid of 1976, one of the longest-ranged C-130 missions in history. C-130s are often in the forefront of humanitarian missions to trouble spots around the world.
As of this writing, over 2300 C-130s have been built, and most are still in service. It remains the backbone of the USAF’s tactical transport service; attempts to replace it with the Advanced Tactical Transport Program (ATTP) in the 1980s and to supplement it with the C-27J Spartan in the 2000s both failed, as the USAF realized that the only real replacement for a C-130 is another C-130.
The standard C-130H transport is represented in the Malmstrom Museum’s model collection by an aircraft belonging to the 120th Fighter Wing (Montana Air National Guard), based at Great Falls International Airport. This aircraft was initially assigned to the 120th FW in 1988 as a support aircraft for the wing’s F-16A(ADF) Fighting Falcons, but only remained with the unit for about a year as it was deemed unnecessary. It is camouflaged in the standard C-130 scheme of the time, Europe Two, with overall two shades of green and gray. It also carries the 120th’s distinctive buffalo-skull-and-mountains motif on the tail, identical to that carried by the F-16s at the time. Ironically, the 120th FW would reequip with C-130s in 2014 to become the 120th Airlift Wing.
Yeah I have heard this phrase too. If only people thought about what they say, or write it out perhaps. That might bring them to the realization that ENGLISH SUCKS.
This isn't the point of my picture though. The boy on the right in my brother. The "boy" on the left is the brother of a very good friend of mine. As you might have noticed, they have quite different views of the world. I tried once to bend down and walk through a crowd... being short would suck. I am 6'2''. I don't understand what it's like to have to jump up or use a stool to reach the top of my cupboards, or have to walk around a wire fence rather than over. I do know how hard it is fit into a smart car, and try to sew your torn shoe together with fingers as big as a brat...
Everyone is different. What if we were the same? Would there be anger? Would there be awkward moments.....amazement, rich/poor.....or love?
I have been in a philosophical mood lately...most of that due to the new Blue October CD that was released. Music can make me feel any emotion, even the ones I try to forget.
Don't let the differences between people be the reason you hate or bully. Make it be the reason you love and learn. That just sounds like a better use of time doesn't it?
This picture was taken about 2 years ago!
It's so crazy too, cause I remember exactly what was going
on in my life at that time!!!
It really makes me realize how thankful
I am to have the certain ppl I have in my life now!!
...somewhere along the line i've turned into my grandpa. How did this occur? i'm not ready to grow up yet...
SOTD: Jump Then Fall - Taylor Swift
"I like the way your hair in your face, you got the keys to me, I love each freckle on your face. Oh I've never been so wrapped up, honey. I like the way you're everything I ever wanted. I had time to think over and I can say is come closer."
recently I've come to the realization that almost the only important thing is to be there. everything else comes down to aesthetic.
this is Kate, one of the many wonderful people around here.
of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability,
one can build a better world.
Dalai Lama