#1207 OH-6A Loach
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Description
Squadron Prints Lithograph No. 1207 - OH-6A Loach, 69-16011 (G-OHGA), 20th Transport Company \"Aero Scouts\".
The OH-6 was designed for use as a military scout during the Vietnam war to meet the US Army’s need for an extremely manoeuvrable light observation helicopter. In 1961, twelve companies submitted proposals to meet US Army requirements for a four-seat, turbine-powered, light observation helicopter (LOH). After evaluation, three designs were selected and five of each, the Bell OH-4A, the Hiller OH-5 and the Hughes OH-6, were ordered for trials by the US Army Aviation Board. Hughes Tool Company Aircraft Division submitted their Model 369 – a helicopter capable of performing a number of secondary duties including escort, attack and casualty evacuation duties. This helicopter was chosen by the US Army over the proposals of a number of other helicopter manufacturers, designated the OH-6A which entered service in 1965. The Army initially ordered 1,438 Hughes Model 369s, OH-6A Loach (Light Observation and Combat Helicopter). Helicopter OH-6A 69-16011 was manufactured in 1969 and was number 470 off the production line. The aircraft was shipped direct to Vietnam where it served in the 20th Transport Company. The technical records show that at 250 hours from new on 17th August 1970, whilst serving in this Unit, the helicopter was on a recon mission and came under fire at a flight level of 100 feet at a speed of 80 knots in South Vietnam and took 11 hits from small arms and automatic weapons. The majority of these hits were on the underside of the aircraft causing damage to the fuel system and some aircraft components. Luckily the armour plating proved effective, protecting the flight crew and out of the three crew on board, only one was wounded in action. Returning from Vietnam, our helicopter carried out National Guard duties including work with the Drug Enforcement Agency, before being auctioned off on 4th May 2004. It was then purchased by a helicopter dealer and put into storage for a number of years in Seattle. Phil Connolly found the unit in Seattle and, having conducted the research with the aircraft records regarding the battle damage, he decided it would be the ideal fit into his helicopter activities and business in the UK. Phil’s decision at this time was to return OH-6A 69-16011 to its original livery. When the civilian paint scheme was removed it unveiled all the battle scars from its early life in Vietnam, displaying a multitude of bullet holes and patches. The work started in the summer of 2008, taking several months and involved stripping the aircraft back to bare metal, applying new paint, removing civilian interior and replacing with military interior and sourcing various ex-military components to be refitted to the machine to restore the authenticity.