rotorwash Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) I have finally finished scanning and editing a awesome set of images provided by Graham Stevens (AH6C-SIP). These are the best early photos of littlebirds i think you will find. I know John needs the AH-6C stuff for his build so I'll be posting those first, but the MH-6 pics will follow shortly. If any of the moderators are looking, this thread might be useful enough to qualify for pinning although I know there some discussion about the number of pinned threads. At any rate, please join me in thanking Graham for making these available to us mere mortals! Ray Edited August 30, 2017 by rotorwash Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) Edited August 1, 2009 by rotorwash Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avus Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Ray you're the real HRC (Helo Resource Center)! Thanks for sharing those interesting pics! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) Christmas has come early. A set of brand new AH-6C Photos! It doesn't get much better than this. Ray and Graham, a big thanks for posting these. And you say there are MH-6 photos to come? Can't wait. LD. Edited August 1, 2009 by Loach Driver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark S. Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Gents: That's one of two AH-6C's on Wolfpak Decals sheet no. 72-022 that will be on sale on August 19, 2009 along with several other 160th SOAR helos. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 Here come the MH-6's. Note the early style plank system with the rounded bottom. Once again, many thanks to Graham once again. Enjoy! Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JakubJakepilot Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Great pics !!! What should i use for the Gulf war era helos ? I know that 160th SOAR had some birds there, but the info and pics are not so widely available .. Any suggestions ? Thanks. Jakub Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avus Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Again great pictures! I just noticed that the MH-6 have five bladed main rotor and the T-shaped tails; so I guess they aren't MH-6C, but MH-6something-else. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 Again great pictures!I just noticed that the MH-6 have five bladed main rotor and the T-shaped tails; so I guess they aren't MH-6C, but MH-6something-else. Klaus, Good eye. I assume that the designation would be MH-6J just the planking was different, but since I wasn't absolutely certain, I put "MH-6" in the subject line. I'll ask Graham to stop by and comment on that and Jakub's Desert Storm question. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NightStalker191 Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Klaus, Good eye. I assume that the designation would be MH-6J just the planking was different, but since I wasn't absolutely certain, I put "MH-6" in the subject line. I'll ask Graham to stop by and comment on that and Jakub's Desert Storm question. Ray Ray, no, the first MH’s were just MH-6’s. Just as the they have MH60s and MH47s. The difference is the early original six AH-6C were the first useage of a “shot peened†transmission gears that allowed for the additional C20B engine, and increased horsepower. The designation for the AH-6J’s took place as T Tailed aircraft began to be configured for AH use. Remember that the original T Tails were straight off the Hughes production line and from repos. Underneath that flat paint they had some great paint jobs. But the original six gun birds were vanilla OH-6As rebuilt. Your calling the people pods “planks†threw me for a sec. We just called them “the pods.†They were held up by a quick release pin and just flopped down. Today's version do look like planks. Don't have info on ODStorm GT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NightStalker191 Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Again great pictures!I just noticed that the MH-6 have five bladed main rotor and the T-shaped tails; so I guess they aren't MH-6C, but MH-6something-else. Correct, MH-6s were five bladed Hughes 500s. The original six four bladed Little Bird Guns were vanilla OH-6As converted to AH-6Cs. Hope this helps. GT Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I think a lot of sources describe the helicopter in these latest photos as the MH-6E and it was based on the Hughes 500D helicopter, which came off the production line for civil use. They were then converted specially for the 160th. 23636 was later converted to AH-6J standard, according to one of the online sources. Maybe the 160th SOAR never used the designation of MH-6E for this heli, but Graham can probably clarify that point. Once again, thanks for posting these photos. Some of the photos are marked "Loveboat". Is that the nickname for that helicopter? Thanks. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 (edited) Graham - thanks so much for sharing these pictures and thanks again for your service to the country! Those are some of the coolest and most detailed pictures I've ever seen of early model TF-160 helos. It's also quite nostalgic looking at the groundcrew in the old OD fatigues and that MAC C-141 in the old-school white and grey high-vis markings. Ray - as always, thanks for taking the time to post some very, very unique pictures. In looking at the AH-6C pix, it becomes apparent that even back then, there was some decent variation between aircraft. Especially with those avionics boxes on the tail boom and under the nose. The helo pictured in the snow (0-17298) has repositioned boxes under the tailboom as compared to the aircraft that Graham posed with (0-17191). 298 also has what looks to be radar warning receivers under the nose. Not sure if these pictures were taken at different times or the early Littlebirds really had that much variation from airframe to airframe. I'm gonna go blind studying these pictures trying to figure out how to build my model. The black paint doesn't help either , it tends to mask all those small little details. For instance, what the heck is that little plate type thingie that appears to be attached to the rear of the fuselage navigation light housing? Couple of other general observations, in that second set of AH-6 pix, it almost looks like they are rolling those Littlebirds out of a garage and getting them ready to fly. That would make a pretty cool diorama. An old WW2 style motor pool garage with a mean looking Littlebird with folded rotors stuffed inside. Also, I wonder who those athletic looking guys in civies sitting in the back of those MH-6's are? :) Thanks again for sharing those wonderful pictures. John Edited August 2, 2009 by 11bee Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DPD1 Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Cool shots... Are those garages in the photos the famous secret section of the base where they first started training from? Kind of looks like it. I dig the low band antennas off the tails. Dave www.TheNorthSpin.com Dedicated to Aircraft Flight Test for the Aviation Enthusiast Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 I'm glad to see everyone enjoying these photos. I was truly honored that Graham trusted me with the originals. You guys didn't think I was done though, did ya?! Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Loach Driver Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Graham and Ray, thanks again for sharing these photos with us. The two of you have single-handedly increased the available references on the first-generation Little Birds by a factor of about 100! It's great to see that there are some decals coming as well for a 1/72 AH-6C. It looks like the year of the AH-6C! Thanks again. LD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Floyd S. Werner, Jr. Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Remember if you are building a 1/35th scale one you'll need a new Minigun. Wonder where you can find one of those? Hmmm. LOL www.wernerswings.com By the way, great photos. It is about time that we can actually see them in the light of day since it has been 20 years. Floyd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Remember if you are building a 1/35th scale one you'll need a new Minigun. Wonder where you can find one of those? Hmmm. LOLwww.wernerswings.com By the way, great photos. It is about time that we can actually see them in the light of day since it has been 20 years. Floyd Got the minigun, I can vouch that it is a great little piece o' resin. Hey Floyd, you did such a great job on the Kiowa Warrior walkaround, what about working that same magic on the Littlebird series? John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arkhunter2002 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 These pictures ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks! Take care, Austin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Floyd S. Werner, Jr. Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Got the minigun, I can vouch that it is a great little piece o' resin. Hey Floyd, you did such a great job on the Kiowa Warrior walkaround, what about working that same magic on the Littlebird series? John Thanks John for the kind words on the book, You know I would love to do the walk around on the Little Birds but these pictures have taken 20 years to get out and you can imagine what fun it is to get stuff nowadays. I actually went to Ft Campbell to visit friends who fly for TF-160th and pay my respects to an AH-6M pilot I knew as a LT, Major Matt Worrell, who was shot down and killed in Iraq. They had a hard time letting me take a picture of the memorial with his name on it which is not even facing the flight line let alone a picture of any of the aircraft. Now I know of an AH-6C that is in a certain law enforcement flight detachment with a certain famous author now retired Police Sergeant pilot, but I'm sure that it is very much changed since its days of use and probably doesn't even look like a Little Bird anymore. Of course there is always the one in the museum which is hard to see let alone photograph. I may be able to pull together some photos for an OH-6A but that is about it and even that would be difficult to do a whole book on. I may even be able to cobble together something on the early AH models but definitely not enough to make it worth while. Even my friends who fly them for TF and Blackwater (Xe now) won't share photos for security reasons. The internet is still your best source. Try Prime Portal. Floyd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avus Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Once again thanks for sharing your picture repository with us Ray! And thank you NightStalker191 for adding info to the pictures. Remember if you are building a 1/35th scale one you'll need a new Minigun. Wonder where you can find one of those? Hmmm. LOL I got a "Loach" by Italeri/Dragon, a set of subdued decals by Cobra Co. and an exposed, weird gun with six barrels by a company I can't recall . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 I just learned about a service where I can upload ZIP files for free and you guys can access them. Soooo, here's the link to the best of the AH-6C shots at much higher res. Just click the link and download them. The link expires 09/03/09. If you guys really use this, I'll be happy to put up more of Graham's shots. Ray AH-6C photos Quote Link to post Share on other sites
centaur567 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 (edited) Really nice pics Ray. Did they dump out the civilian in that one set? :o LOL.Are they painted drk green with OD letters ? Also do you know where the loach was when infront of the B-47 ? Gary Edited August 3, 2009 by centaur567 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 Really nice pics Ray. Did they dump out the civilian in that one set? :o LOL.Are they painted drk green with OD letters ? Also do you know where the loach was when infront of the B-47 ? Gary Gary, Graham should probably be the one to comment on the MH-6 shots, but the birds themselves are painted black. I'm not sure exactly what color the stencils are, but they look kinda CARC green to me. The AH-6 pic with the B-47 was photographed at China Lake. Incidentally, black helicopters with black interiors make lousy, if interesting, subjects for photography! I spent quite a while trying to pop the details in these images and I'm still not totally happy with my efforts. Oh well, they are still some of the best AH-6C shots you'll ever see thanks to Graham. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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