Unusual Vietnam Hueys

Hmmm... good call Ray!

The ATM-84 is the training version of the Harpoon.  The live version is the AGM-84.  The forward fins on that orange missile look a little different, but not so different that it couldn't be an early test article.  The development period seems right, since the Harpoon hit the fleet in 1977.  

My only question is the size of the missile itself.  It may be too small to be a Harpoon, but I think we're on the right track!

Jon 

OK, I admit I don't know much about missiles, but I can learn.  To that end I have been looking around for the Mystery Missile in this pic:

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Currently, my favorite candidate is this little guy, the ATM 84A (an air launched version of the Harpoon):

[img]http://

Jon and Grandad both thought it ws an anti-ship missile, the ATM-84 is that.  It was first fired  in October of 1972.  Also, this variant only has two sets of fins unlike the ship launched version seen here:

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What I don't understand, though, is why you would ever launch a Harpoon missile from a Huey.  If that really is what the Myster Missile is then it is even more unusual than a hellfire.  Anyway, I could still be wrong, but at least I think I'm getting closer.

    Ray

No worries, Ray!

Comparing the size of that missile to the helicopter and to the size of a Hellfire, its considerably larger.  For some reason, I cannot remember the type of missile, but I believe it is some sort of anti-ship missile (not a Penguin, but something like it).  I'll see what I can dig up.  

As far as the prototype Hellfires, there were mockups made before the 1978 launching, but the first actual launch was the 1978 one.  

Jon
 

Jon,

  You got me there.  I don't know much about Hellfires. I just saw the pic and the caption and the  fact that there are two versions of the same picture labeled Hellfire2.jpg and the Redstone site listed it as such.  The date could be off I guess.  Could the rocket be a prototype designed to test the engine or some other component?  Don't worry, man, I don't start wars with military historians who have PhD's in this stuff!!!  Your word is good enough for me.  That's why I changed the post to exclude the date.  Tell me what the rocket is and I will change that too.

   Thanks,

           Ray
 PS: The timeline said the first Programmed Hellfire was fired Sept. 25, 1978.  Does that mean that there were no test firings of Hellfire prototypes or components before that date.  

Ray,

Not tryin to start a flame war here, but the link you provided from the Redstone Arsenal Hellfire project office says that the funding for the program wasn't even authorized until December 29 1972.  According to the timeline provided there, the bid for prototypes didn't go out until June of 1974.  It didn't become the Apache's primary point target weapons system until 1976 and the FIRST Hellfire wasn't fired until 25 September 1978.  

I'm not sure what that missile in the shot above is.  Definitely bears looking into, and as I said, you've stumped me!  

Jon

Thanks, Ray

UH-1M INFANT

Gunner's seat of the INFANT, more more info, see "HUEY" by Lou Drendel. Squadron/Signal, 1983. It was used in Vietnam, photo's are US Army

UH-1B TOW

"FLIR" equipted UH-1

And we shouldn't forget the CIA funded "Air America" 204B

Grandad,

  Here is the original YUH-1D before the tailboom extension:

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I thought you might like it as well.

  Ray
 

Ray

Thnaks for the picture's of the YUH-1D, lost them when my computer crashed.

Jon

Believe there are some photo's of the INFANT in Squadron's "UH-1 in Action" or one of thier other Huey books. Think the Museum would have some photo's somewhere

Jon,

   I agree about the fins, but I got the info from the Redstone site.  I assume they know what they are talking about.  Here is the caption for the pic:

  "3 October 72 The HELLFIRE Management Office (Provisional) was established to direct the program for the new HELLFIRE missile system and ancillary equipment."

  Here's the link:

  http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/chron4/1972.html

Here's another on the history of the Hellfire.  notice the timeline.  once again a Redstone site:

http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/systems/HELLFIRE.html

I really try to authenticate stuff before I post it here. My guess is that it is a very early prototype since it is being fired from a Huey.  However, Based on the jargon and military speak in the timeline, I am unclear as to whether a prototype was developed in '72 or whether the first prototype came later.  I edited my original post accordingly

  Ray
 

Interesting pic, Ray!  That's not a Hellfire though.  The Hellfire didn't exist until 1974 and the fin configuration is very different.  Of course, you've completely stumped me as to what it is!  I'm gonna have to figure that one out. 

I've been looking for pictures of the INFANT UH-1Ms, but so far no luck.  That's a weird configuration!

Jon

Thanks Ray.

Rockets!!! Wow, i thought it was some type of gun lol.

Andy

Check this pic out:

[img]http://

That's right, its a Huey firing a hellfire!  The Huey is a Charlie model.

   Ray
 

Andy,

  Here are two views of that bird:

[img]http://[img]http://

T he photo was taken on April 20th, 1965 at Redstone Arsenal in the great state of Alabama (same state as Ft. Rucker).  The ship is one of the YUH-1D prototypes.  You can see a seam where the tailboom extension was added.  Also, notice early style vertical air vents and gloss finish.  I think instead of trying to summerize the armament, I will just paste the explanation off of the Redstone site:

"January to March 63 During this quarter, the AMC Aircraft Weaponization Project Office provided MICOM with funds for an in-house research and development project on a rocket weapon system for Army helicopters. Although the 40-mm rocket system (the MICOM-40) concept was not selected by the Aircraft Weaponization PM for advanced development, in May 64 the Ground Support Equipment Laboratory was instructed to plan user demonstrations with the system, which had been renamed the Missile Command Automatic Weapon (MICAW)" 

Thus the weapon is a MICAW 40mm rocket. 

  Does that help?

   Ray

PS: Here's the link to the website: http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/chron4/1963.html
 PPS: MICOM is Missle Command

While im in the unusual huey thread, ive been meaning to ask for a while, But havnt got round to downloading and sorting the picture, its another UH-1D with external armaments, any idea what they are??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UH-1_Iroquois

Andy

Go on!! nice to see this thread moving again,

Great pic Ray, how dare you beat my napalm canister   100lb bomb huh!! ive got a pic here somewhere of a Huey carrying a Thermo nuclear bomb and banana firing minigun, though it might take me a while to locate it!

Great pic

ps

Grandadjohn you have superhuman weapon identifying qualitys lol

Andy

Grandad,

  You da man.  it is a 20mm. 

[img]http://  

     This ship belonged to the 116th and the photo is from 1966.  The ship was called BIG DADDY and the gun is a wing gun from an A-1 Skyraider.  It was originally mounted on a pintle, but that was a little awkward so they used a mounting bracket under the ship.  They had to put in a blast shield, though, because firing the gun blew out th chin bubble!  The twin 60's are kinda neat too.

    Ray
 

Here's another gem from the Chenoweth book:

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Anyone care to hazard a guess at the weapon mounted under this UH-1H?

  Ray
 

It's about time to rejuvenate this thread with a new pic or two.  Here is one you don't see every day:

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Andy posted a pic a while back of a napalm canister mounted on a Huey.  Well, I'll see your naplam and raise ya a 100 lb HE bomb!  This pic is from Bob Chenoweth's Army Gunships in Vietnam.  Photo is from 1963. 

Two other types of Huey's(B, D or H models) were also used. The first were the psyop's birds. They carried systems design to transmit live or recorded message's to VC/NVA troops on the ground. They had loudspeakers attached outside of the cabin ot in one door.

The second were maintenance/recovery birds, usually D/H models. They carried tools boxes and equiptment for slingloading. Usually carried standard armament sometimes one 60 would be replaced or augmented with a .50cal, in case work had to be done on a hot LZ

The Army used the CH-34 as while, primarially in Europe. I just mentioned those other types to show how much testing was going on. Some of those helo's did see service in Vietnam.

The Army also tested weapons on non-Army type aircraft such as the Sea King(non-Army markings)

Have to look for that book when I have a little spare cash.

Grandadjohn,

  There are pics of other choppers as well in the book, but since this is a Huey thread I thought I would stay on topic.  There are pics of CH-21's, an OH-13, ACH-47, AH-1s, OH-6's, CH-54, and an OH-58.

  Great book!

     Ray
  By the way, weren't all CH-34's Marine birds?  There is one photo in the book with VNAF CH-34's in the background, but no Army ones that I have seen.

I love the unusual armament setups, it would be great to see a picture of a UH-1D being tested with the nose mounted grenade launcher, Its says that they were equipped for use with them when they first came out over on the Tacom site, so i just hope someone took some pictures before they scrapped the idea. 

Andy

rotorwash wrote:

I just got through reading a awesome book which covers lots of early Army Hueys.   Warbirds Illustrated No. 47: Army Gunships in Vietnam, 1987, Bob Chenoweth, 72 pp. and 136 pics mostly BW.  ISBN 0-85368-854-0. Over half of this book is devoted to Hueys BEFORE 1965.  There are more pictures of A models than in all the other refs I have combined!  Also, lots of photos of unusual armamant systems and the history behind them.  This is a MUST have in my opinion for anyone interested in unique armmant systems and early Hueys.  I'll try to post a couple of pics in the next couple of weeks.  Get this one if you can.  You won't be dissapointed! Ray

During the latter 50's and early 60's the Army also tested different armament on the following type's of helo's that I am aware of: OH-13, CH-21, UH-19, OH-23, UH-25 and CH-34 in addition to the UH-1

Heres an unusual UH-1D setup, "vihnlong Bugship" from 114th AHC 1968, Armed with two miniguns and a 50 cal, the strange looking thing on the outside is a flare canister dispenser.

Andy

I just got through reading a awesome book which covers lots of early Army Hueys.  

Warbirds Illustrated No. 47: Army Gunships in Vietnam, 1987, Bob Chenoweth, 72 pp. and 136 pics mostly BW.  ISBN 0-85368-854-0.

Over half of this book is devoted to Hueys BEFORE 1965.  There are more pictures of A models than in all the other refs I have combined!  Also, lots of photos of unusual armamant systems and the history behind them.  This is a MUST have in my opinion for anyone interested in unique armmant systems and early Hueys.  I'll try to post a couple of pics in the next couple of weeks.  Get this one if you can.  You won't be dissapointed!

Ray 

Some early models were tested at Ft. Rucker and other Army post on the feasibility of arming them and which armament would be the most practical. The idea was disgarded in favor of using the C model since it was dedicated to being a gunship.

Found another picture of a UH-1D armed with forward mounted quad M60C's.

Its from the Tacom site of all places, seen it a few times but never noticed it was a D model.

It also says on the site that Early production UH-1Ds were equipped for use with XM3-24 tube rocket launchers, M5 40mm grenade launcher and M6 quad M60C machine gun mounts! but the decision was made during configuration reviews to designate the UH-1D primarily as a utility helicopter.

So there may be a few other early pictures of armed UH-1Ds out there somewhere.

Andy

Wow, an A model!  You don't see a lot of photos of those around here.  Nice pic Grandad!  Thanks!

   Ray