MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD_Hel...-6_Little_Bird

The Boeing A/MH-6M Little Bird (nicknamed the Killer Egg), and its attack
variant AH-6, are light helicopters used for special operations in the United
States Army. Originally based on a modified OH-6A, it was later based on the MD
500E, with a single five-bladed main rotor. The newest version, the MH-6M, is
based on the MD 530F and has a single, six-bladed main rotor and four-bladed
tail rotor.

The OH-6 was started in 1960, when the U.S. Army issued Technical Specification
153 for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) that could perform personnel
transport, escort and attack missions, casualty evacuation, and observation.
Twelve companies took part in the competition and Hughes Tool Company's Aircraft
Division submitted the Model 369. Two designs, those submitted by
Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, were selected as finalists by the Army-Navy design
competition board, but the Army later included the helicopter from Hughes as
well.

The first Model 369 prototype flew on 27 February 1963. Originally designated
the YHO-6A under the army's designation system, the aircraft was redesignated
the YOH-6A under the Department of Defense's new joint system in 1962. Five
prototypes were built, each fitted with a 252 shp (188 kW) Allison T63-A-5A
engine, and delivered to the U.S. Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama to compete
against the other 10 prototype aircraft submitted by Bell and Fairchild-Hiller.
In the end, Hughes won the competition and the Army awarded a contract for
production in May 1965. The initial order was for 714 aircraft, but that was
later increased to 1,300 with an option to buy another 114. Seventy helicopters
were built in the first month.

This agile, unarmed helicopter is outfitted with outboard "benches" designed to
ferry up to three commandos on each side. There is also a gunship variant, the
AH-6. Painted black for nighttime operations, this small aircraft can conduct
rapid insertions and extractions of special operations forces into areas its
larger brother, the MH-60 Black Hawk, cannot.

Role
Light Observation Helicopter
Air interdiction
Forward air control
Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction

National origin
United States

Manufacturer
Hughes Helicopters
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
MD Helicopters

First flight
27 February 1963

Introduction
1980

Status
In service

Primary user
United States Army

Developed from
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse

Variants
Boeing AH-6

After the April 1980 failure of Operation Eagle Claw, it was determined that the
US Army lacked aircraft and crews who were trained and prepared to perform
special operations missions. (Marine pilots and Navy helicopters were used.) To
remedy this shortcoming, the Army began developing a special aviation task force
to prepare for the next attempt to rescue the hostages: Operation Credible
Sport.

Task Force 160

The United States Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne),
also known as Night Stalkers, is a special operations force that provides
helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and special operations
forces. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are
usually conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice.

The architects of the task force identified the need for a small helicopter that
could land in the most restrictive locations and could be easily transported on
Air Force airlifters. They chose the OH-6A scout helicopter, and it became known
as the Little Bird compared to the other aircraft in the task force, the UH-60A
and the CH-47C. As a separate part of the project, armed OH-6As were being
developed at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

The pilots selected to fly the OH-6A helicopters came from the 229th Attack
Helicopter Battalion and were sent to the Mississippi Army National Guard's Army
Aviation Support Facility (AASF) at Gulfport, Mississippi, for two weeks of
qualification training in the aircraft. When the training was completed, C-141
aircraft transported the aircraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two
weeks of mission training. The mission training consisted of loading onto C-130
transport aircraft which would then transport them to forward staging areas over
routes as long as 1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km). The armed OH-6 aircraft from
Fort Rucker joined the training program in the fall of 1980.

Specifications (MH-6)

General characteristics
Crew: 2
Capacity: up to 6 passengers for MH-6s
Length: 32.6 ft (9.80 m)
Rotor diameter: 27.4 ft (8.30 m)
Height: 9.8 ft (3.0 m)
Empty weight: 1,591 lb (722 kg)
Useful load: 1,509 lb (684 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 3,100 lb (1,406 kg)
Fuselage Length: 24.6 ft (7.50 m)
Fuselage Width: 4.6 ft (1.4 m)
Rotor systems: 5 blades on main rotor, 2 blades on tail rotor
Useful fuel capacity: 62 US gal (242 L) or 403 lb (183 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Allison T63-A-5A or T63-A-700 turboshaft, 425 shp (317 kW)
takeoff power (derated); 375 shp (280 kW) continuous power

Performance
Maximum speed: 152 knots (175 mph, 282 km/h)
Cruise speed: 135 knots (155 mph, 250 km/h)
Range: 232 nmi (430 km, 267 mi) at 5,000 ft
Service ceiling: 18,700 ft (5,700 m)
Rate of climb: 2,061 ft/min (10.5 m/s)

Armament

Guns: 2× 12.7×99mm (.50 BMG) GAU-19; or
2× 7.62×51mm NATO M134 Minigun

Rockets: ** 2× LAU-68D/A 7-tubes rocket pods firing 2.75 in (70 mm) Hydra 70
rocket projectiles
Missiles: ** Anti-tank guided missile: 2× AGM-114 Hellfire Anti-air missile: 2×
FIM-92 Stinger for self-defense

The armed variant is equipped with a lightweight universal mounting platform
which can accommodate two M134 miniguns, two M260 7-shot Hydra 70 rocket pods.
Alternately, the AH-6 can be armed with Hellfire anti-tank missiles, air-to-air
Stingers, Mk-19 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, or .50 caliber machine guns.



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