Hughes OH-6A – Foto e Video

Le Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (soprannominato "Loach", dal nome dell'acronimo loH — Light Observation Helicopter) è un elicottero leggero monomotore con rotore principale a quattro pale utilizzato per il trasporto del personale, le missioni di scorta e attacco e l'osservazione. La Hughes Helicopters sviluppò anche il Model 369 come elicottero civile, e lo Hughes Model 500, attualmente prodotto dalla MD Helicopters come MD 500.

fonte: Hughes OH-6A su Wiki

Le Hughes OH-6A Cayuse is a single-engine light helicopter that was designed and produced by the American aerospace company Hughes Helicopters. It was developed for the U.S. Army’s Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program in the 1960s and entered service in 1966. The OH-6A has a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that provides excellent visibility and crashworthiness. It is powered by an Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft engine that drives a four-bladed fully articulated main rotor. The OH-6A can perform various roles such as personnel transport, medical evacuation, escort, attack, and observation. It can also carry a variety of weapons such as machine guns, rockets, and missiles.
Le OH-6A was widely used in the Vietnam War, where it earned the nickname “Loach” from its acronym. It was often paired with the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter in “hunter-killer” teams to locate and destroy enemy targets. The OH-6A set several world records for speed, distance, and altitude in 1966. It was also license-produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan and exported to several countries. The OH-6A was the basis for the civilian Hughes MD 500 helicopter and the military variants such as the MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird and the McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender.