Thought I would add another Seasprite, this one is from HC-1 flying off the USS Coral Sea in 1972. Mark

Bad Lady, Little Annie Fanny.

 

Just had an "Annie Fannies" pilot in my office today! He's gonna see about getting me copies of his pics. He flew Hueys in Nam and Hawks in Iraq!

 

 

Mark, nice Charlie-model Sprite there!

Zippo,

Jon's a big Annie Fannie's fan so you made his day. What I really like the twin M60A rig on a UH-1H. Not a common rig unless you flew in RAAF bushrangers. Very cool!

Mark,

Thanks for the Sprite pic.

 

OK, I'm getting behind in my posting I see. Let's continue the OH-6 theme with a few pics from Robert Brackenhoff (174th AHC).

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, here's a pic of the OH-6 prototype. check the fat tailboom:

 

You can see alot more of Little Fannie in Vietnam 117th AHC

 

Here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16417750@N00/...57604300844573/

You can see alot more of Little Fannie in Vietnam 117th AHC

 

Here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16417750@N00/...57604300844573/

 

 

Oh MAN!!! Where can I get those Zippos??!!

Jon's a big Annie Fannie's fan so you made his day. What I really like the twin M60A rig on a UH-1H. Not a common rig unless you flew in RAAF bushrangers.

 

ESAF Hueys also used a twin-60 setup. There was a brand of juice there that came in a can that was perfectly sized to fit the feed chute bracket, and they usually had the belts rolling over those cans instead of using the feed chute, a technique we copied because of the increased reliability until wind in the cabin pulled enough of a belt out of the can that it started feeding itself out the door...figured once was a fluke, but after losing a second belt out the door we started using the chutes again.

 

And Little Annie's Fanny's left seater doesn't look to have been shot at yet...

And Little Annie's Fanny's left seater doesn't look to have been shot at yet...

 

 

Yeah, he's definitely up in the nose bleed seats.

I've always liked this image, 2-20 ARA Snake

Cool! Thanks for the pic. Looks like a slick Huey so I guess that would be a "purple team." Here's some more early pics of the 118th AHC.

Ray

 

Only shade in town! Both have the M-16 system (quad M60Cs with XM-157 7 shot rocket pods). Early high vis markings and an M1 leaning in the cabin door! I love these two shots.

 

 

 

UH-1B slicks. Note the early swinging Sagami mount in the door for the M60A. Big ugly H-37 in the background.

QUESTION: Can anyone refresh my memory about VN Red, White, Blue, Pink and even PURPLE Teams?

 

I do recall that Red was two Cobras (or not?)...and MAYBE Blue was two Hueys slicks. Was WHITE composed of Laoches only?

 

And Pink and Purple were mixtures...but how many of which?

 

This came up in discussing with a friend the organization of the current TRANSFORMATION Air Cav Troops. They apparently do not use the above sort of internal organization, nor do they have an organic BLUES Aero Rifle Platoon. Friedn thinsk the Troop may have just four each of OH, AH and UH's, period.

QUESTION: Can anyone refresh my memory about VN Red, White, Blue, Pink and even PURPLE Teams?

 

I do recall that Red was two Cobras (or not?)...and MAYBE Blue was two Hueys slicks. Was WHITE composed of Laoches only?

 

And Pink and Purple were mixtures...but how many of which?

 

This came up in discussing with a friend the organization of the current TRANSFORMATION Air Cav Troops. They apparently do not use the above sort of internal organization, nor do they have an organic BLUES Aero Rifle Platoon. Friedn thinsk the Troop may have just four each of OH, AH and UH's, period.

 

 

UH-1D/H slicks- Blue

 

AH-1 and i think UH-1B/C gunships- Red

 

OH-6 and OH-58- White

 

Red+White= Pink Team

 

Red+Blue= Purple team

 

I hope that helps.

Ray

 

Jon will be along shortly to correct me if I made any mistakes. He's the Vietnam gunship guru after all.

So far so good -- but how many of each? Did each Platoon have the same allotment of teams/types, or was one platoon one color or...? I recall the aviators carrying on about "pure" teams/platoons, i.e a Guns (red) platoon.

Unless you were in 7/17 Cav (in the early years). Scouts were Red; Guns were White.)

Unless you were in 7/17 Cav (in the early years). Scouts were Red; Guns were White.)

 

I confess that's a new one on me. I never say never though.

Check this digital copy of Vietnam Choppers by Dunstan. start at page 127. This is my understanding of the color terms. Maybe the Cav did things differently.

Ray

Vietnam Choppers

 

Here's "D Troop 17th U.S. Cavalry The Shield of Deterrence 1972-1973 Unit History" which also clearly lists 2 OH-6A's as a "White Team"

 

D Troop 17th Cav

 

Edit: Well dang, this might help!

 

Air Cav Unit Makeup-Vietnam

 

Hopefully, Cobrahistorian will be along soon to clear all this up.

Cool deal! Ray and CptCav have pretty much covered it. I'm a bit intrigued at the TO&E that Cavhooah presents. Doesn't seem to have enough aviators for the number of birds alloted, especially on the Cobra end of things.

 

A team is usually two aircraft. Pink team would be a Loach and a Snake. Purple would be a Snake and a Huey. A heavy team would be 3 aircraft (usually 3 Cobras). A Section was usually two teams.

 

Current TO&E (at least in an attack helicopter battalion) 2 birds is a team, 4 birds is a platoon, 2 platoons per Company. I currently have 3 AH-64As assigned to my platoon. We'll go full TO&E when we get Deltas.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Jon

Unless you were in 7/17 Cav (in the early years). Scouts were Red; Guns were White.)

 

Sorry, I see I misunderstood your post initially. You were saying the guns were white in the early years, correct? I just misread it the other way around. Unfortunately, I can't edit that last post now.

Ray

Rocklin Lyons, W02, 145th AVN BN 1970 ~ Check the paint scheme on this one.

Rocklin Lyons, W02, 145th AVN BN 1970 ~ Check the paint scheme on this one.

 

Snake36,

Thanks fro the pic. I've either seen it or one like it before, but can't recall where so it's good to see that scheme again. Here are a few more of my dad and 190th birds from 68-69.

Ray

 

Crewchief:

 

 

 

Dad:

 

 

 

Dad and 334th Playboys cobra:

 

 

 

 

The beer wagons of Vietnam.

 

92nd AVN

92nd

The one that started it all?

92nd Side Kick Guns

Budweiser

Other pod art

 

American Woman flew with the 135th

Make Love and War, 101st Soc Trang T-birds