Army Aviation Digest - Nov 1965

8/12/2019 Army Aviation Digest - Nov 1965

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UNITE

DIRECTOR OF ARMY AVIATION ACSFORDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

Brig Gen George P Seneff, Jr.

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COMMANDANT U S ARMY AVIATION SCHOOLMaj Gen John J. Tolson, III

ASST COMDT, U S ARMY AVIATION SCHOOLCol George W. Putnam, Jr.

EDITORIAL STAFF

Capt Frank A. Mariano Fred M. MontgomeryEditorinChief Editor

Richard K TierneyWilliam H SmithDiana G . Williams

GRAPHIC ART SUPPORT

H. G . LinnH. A. PickelD. L CrowleyA. lofe

USABAAR EDUCATION AND LITERATURE DIV

Pierce L WigginWilliam E CarterTed KontosCharles Mobius

RMY VI TION

1GESJ

6

Letters 1

Instant Engines, Brig Gen Durward E Breakefield 2

Army's New Sidearm, Capt Robert L Webster, Jr. 6

A Thing or Two from 8 Phase, 8Capt Albert Hervey

Helo High Water 10

Operation Knockout, William H. Smith 13

Camouflage and Dispersion of Chinooks, 19Lt John F Gallup

Flight Records Mechanization, 22Maj George N. Stenehjem

UH-l Power Checks, Capt Joe K Bell 24

Aviation Liaison Officer, 27Capt George W Jordan, Jr.

Pilot's Scrapbook 30

Crash Sense, Maj Chester Goolrick 33

Share It 47

Air Locks for Air DeliveryNew Instrument Trainers

Inside Back Cover

Back Cover

The mission of the U. S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST i to provide information of an operational ofunctional nature concerning safety and aircraft accident prevention, training, maintenance, operationresearch and development, aviation m dicine. and other r lated data.

The DICEST is an official Department of the Army periodical published monthly undcr the 8upervisiof the Commandant, U. S. Army Aviation School. View8 expre8sed herein. are not neces arily those ofDepartment of the Army or the U. S. Army Aviation School. Photos arc U. S. Army unle8s otherw

pecified. {aterial may be reprinted provided credit is given to the DIG-EST and to the author, unotherwise indicated.

Articles, photos, and items of interest on Army Aviation are invited. Direct c07llmunication i authized to; Editorin Chief U S Army Aviation Digest Fort Rucker Alabama

Use of funds for printing this puhlication has been approved by Headquarters, Department of theA TIlW. 29 December 1964.

Active Army units receive distributi(}n under the pinpoint distribution system as outlined in AR 3120 March 62, and DA Circular 31057. 14 March 63. Complete DA Form 124 and Bcnd directly toAG Publications Center, 2800 Eastern Boulevard, Baltimore, Md. 21220. For any chan//:e in distributiorequirements, merely initiate a revised DA Form 124.

National -Guard and Army Reserve units submit requirements through their state adjutants generaU. S. Army Corps commanders respectively.

For those not eligible for official distribution or who desire personal copie8 of the DIGE T, paid 8scriptions, 4.50 domestic and 5.50 overseas. are available from tbe Superintendent of Documents, U.

Government Printin//: Office, Washington, D. C 20402.


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;:: ;;ii::; ; y E=

Sir: serving as enlisted men in non-aeronautical positions in the Army. Perhaps anarticle concerning this waste will appearin your DIGEST and enlighten someoneat the top that good men are still waiting for the second call from the Armywhich saw fit to reject the pilot's initialapplication solely based upon his inability to pass the mechanical portion ofthe examination. Vietnam will be another Korea and the Army is going toneed mature pilots as well as the youngsters now at Rucker's flight school. I'dgladly reenlist today for a direct Warrant Appointment but the Army justgoes along on a one way track.

Cest La Vie

During the past year I have neverceased to be amazed at the fantastic coverage and reporting of the many facetsof Army Aviation's activities so adequately performed by your magazine.Being a professional commercial pilotand looking forward to a full and happyaeronautical career on the outside in thenear fu ture, I shall never forget thel Il3lny articles I found in the past dealingwah both rotary apd fixed wing aircraft.My initiation into the STOL-VSTOLcraft, I might add, not only began witho.ther professio,:al a e r o n a : - t i ~ a lmagazmes but also with your AVlatzon Digest.

~ is my intention to make your maga-zme a part of my professional reading You have a good magazine. I look for-material in the years to come. ward to receiving it every month.

Although I am a "Spec Four I stillwish to voice my appreciation to youand your staff for the wonderful performance in creating a truly thought

Sp /4 JAMES COCKRANE

provoking and imaginative magazine. Iwrite these words not as a Spec Four Under current policy, anyone whobut as a certified Commercial Airline seeks an aviator rating must attend aTransport Pilot with the usual accom- military training course even though hepanying aeronautical ratings. may have had previous civilian experi

ence. The reason here is that the indi-Interest in Army Aviation will most vidual involved needs to learn the Army

surely be captured by your Army Avi- application of aviation. So, the saving ination Digest. I am sure that your maga- training which accrues from prior cizine is most popular here at this end of vilian experience is limited even thoughthe world. there are provisions for accelerated grad-

t is indeed unfortunate that the US uation on a proficiency basis and attri-Army has bungled in not screening 201 tion among this group is low.files throughout the world for men like Although we do not have a proceduremyself just waiting for the miraculous established for screening records of allday when the Army decides to call all enlisted men for possible aviation qualipilots serving in various positions not fication, we do have a program underrelated to aviation for its flight program. which aviation experienced individuals,How much easier would it be to inte- both in the Army and civilian life, aregrate pilots such as myself into the pro- invited to apply for a direct appoint-gram and not have to waste valuable ment as warrant officers. This programtime in training the cadet to use "stick is announced in DA Circular 601-6. Byand rudder. There are at least six pilots this means, we hope to get the individ

uals who are interested in an aviation~ e r ewho hold p r i v a ~ eand c o ~ ~ e r c i a ]career as warrant officers without havinghcenses and are used m such pOSitlOns as t th fil f h h. --- - cr screen e es 0 many w 0 ave no -n l l ~ e . n y ~ n ecan. perform the tasks such qualifications or who may not bewhlch my Job requues, yet how many interested.pilots does the Army have?

Something should be done about thiswaste of private and commercial pilots

NOVEMBER 1965

L T COL JACK T. DEMPSEYExecutive Officer, EAA OPD

E=

~ t

Sir:It took courage for the DIGEST to

publish A New Kind of War in theJuly issue. It took even greater courageto give it the Monthly Award when youstated, The views and opinions expressed herein are the writer's and arenot to be considered as an official expression of the Department of Defense."

Who is this author who dares to suggest that Army Aviators are capable ofcommanding tactical units that can closewith the combat and enemy? How canhe ever believe the vested interests ofthe Infantry, Armor or Artillery ' wouldallow a major combat development totake the form of a destroyer troop usinghelicopters organic to the small maneuver element?

Fantastic yet, feasible.Let us hear more from this thinking

man's author.

Sir:

CAPTAIN JOHN A. G . KLOSEF Btry, 26th Arty

APO New York 09175

I am leaving governmental service togo into business for myself as an Educational Consultant. I have been verymuch impressed with the caliber of yourpublication, since i t does what I consideran excellent job of graphically dramatizing important teaching points.

It is for this reason I'd appreciatebeing added to your normal distributionof this fine publication .

I very much appreciate your consideration of this request and will look forward to 'receiving regular copies of U. S.ARMY AVIATION DIGEST as they areprinted.

ROBERT L JONES JR,5210 North Park AvenueIndianapolis, Ind. 46220

Our office does not handle personalsubscriptions to the U S. A R M Y AVIATION DIGEST : We are mailing you asubscription blank and an informationsheet which explains how to obtain theDIGEST.

We hope that you will continue toenjoy the publication.

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essential to the Army's overall mission, a rather big order. This includes overhaul, repair, modification, retrofit, modernization, andfabrication and maintenance insupport of the National InventoryControl Point (NICP) and fieldelements of the Army.

Additional missions are to provide:

Maintenance technical training base for on-the-job training ofofficers and enlisted men in aeronautical depot maintenance.

A mobilization base for required maintenance services andsupport during the initial phasesof a conflict.

Avionics maintenance andcalibration with receipt, test,

maintenance, calibration and specific on-the-job training requirements.

Processing of aircraft andcomponents for overseas shipment.Herculite shipping covers, loosegear boxes, and landing gearcradles have been designed andfabricated within the shops.

For the receipt, storage, andissue of certain NICP-owned inventory.

Engineering services and analytical support such as teardowninspection, crash damage investigation, revising work specifications, updating materiel requirements lists, developing performance and quality standards, andoil analysis.

The support of Project FLATTOP is another AADMAC responsibility. [See DIGEST, April65.] This floating aircraft maintenance facility USNS CorpusChristi Bay will be ready forworldwide operations by the endof this year. It will make possiblethe repair and maintenance ofmany aircraft engines and components on the scene so that theyneed not be returned to CONUS.

The biggest shot in the armin AADMAC's 4-year history wasinitiation of the Zero Defects Pro-

NOVEMBER 1965

gram on July 9 this year. Technicians and craftsmen realize thatit is up to them and have pledged100 percent to do their job rightthe first time. Emphasis on defectfree workmanship will providethe very highest possible qualityproduct for the defense of ournation.

Aircraft arrive at AADMAC byland, sea, and air. Upon arrivalthey go to the receiving/inspection shop where the work package is examined and evaluatedby experts. Each aircraft is thenstripped of all paint, grease andcorrosion , and components needing repair are removed and rou tedto specific overhaul shops. Allstructural repairs and applicable

modifications are accomplished incoordination between the airframe and fabrication divisions.

One hangar houses the finalaircraft assembly activity. Re-

paired airframes have installednewly overhauled power train,avionics, instrument and hydraulic systems. Every part-zero timed- goes back in the aircraft whereit belongs. After final inspection,the aircraft is painted, then turnedover to the flight test pilots andmechanics for acceptance.

The workload has steadily increased, and shows every sign ofcontinuing to do so. Maintenanceand repair functions totaledslightly over $23 million in FY1964. This past fiscal year thesame functions have zoomed toover $28 million.

Colone l F loyd H . Buch ,AAD MAC's commanding officer,has given close supervision to the

stepped-up maintenance and repair program. Paramount hasbeen his personal attention to updating the facilities, adding maintenance and testing capabilities,

AADMAC personnel centerline propeller to get a quality product


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Training soldiers is part of AADMA C s mission. Two mechanics make a finalcheck of T 5J engine which they have assembled.

Fitting an Iroquois with a reuseable Herculite shipping cover patterned and madeat AADMAC Cove r will protect highly corrosive aluminum and magnesium

parts from salt water when aircraft are transported topside.

and establishing firm lines of communication with other interestedagencies. To ensure continuedprogress he has instituted a 5-yearmilitary construction program, a5-year capital equipment program,and a 5-year overhaul program.

The overhaul and repair facility was originally Navy-owned andincluded some production andcapital equipment when transferred to Department of the Armyin 1961. Replacement value ofAADMAC occupied buildings andimprovements is now over 26million.

Good teamwork characterizesoperations between the Army ,Navy, and ir Force. Army interservice support agreements have

escalated from several thousanddollars for FY 1962 to over 2 million for FY 1966. Army planes usethe Navy's runways and numerousother facilities, like the all-weatherflight trainer. The Naval ir Station also offers many other advantages, such s the use of its


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Arllly S NewSidearlll

Captain Robert L Webster Jr.

IEUTENANT Never readycrawled from his burning air

craft and stared numbly at the

crushed useless limb danglingfrom his left shoulder. The sudden crack of a rifle snapped N everready back to reality. The enemywas closing in to finish himl

Overhead air cover was keeping most of the enemy away fromhim but one soldier undetectedby the air cover was crawling to-

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ward him. N everready jerked his.45 from his shoulder holster andfrantically attempted to chamber

a round by holding the pis tol between his bloody knees and pulling on the slide wi th his goodright hand. He was still pullingon his .45 when the grinningblack clad soldier slammed abayonet into his throat.

Obviously Neverready shouldhave had a round in the chamber

at takeoff time this morning .45hammer on half cock thumb safety on. Suppose he was so prepared.The enemy soldier charges in forthe bayonet kill Neverready flipsthe safety off thumb cocks the .45and fires hastily. Missedl andjammedl With one good armclearing the jam is out. Neverreadyvainly attempts to use his .45 likea club as the bayonet rips hisguts open.

U. S ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


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Army Aviation crewmembers are now author-

ized a revolver c ~ l i e r.38 special officialpolice 4 inch barrel. The new revolver re-

places the .45 caliber pistol now issued. Itwill be available soon on an exchange basis

as appropriate TOE and regulation changesare made.

Lieutenant L TBA (Lucky T oBe Alive), III ate his last emergency ration yesterday. Three days

ago he climbed out of the jungletrees that held his parachute (andhim) for 2 hours. Most of hissurvival gear was lost in the bailout. He is hungry. Four metersaway sits a grouse-like bird pecking at grub worms in a rotten log.Drooling, L TBA draws his .45and takes careful aim. f only hecould hold this .45 a little steadierlWham The grouse launches andL TBA curses. Twenty days laterL TBA is picked up, mumbling tohimself and picking grub wormsfrom a rotten log.

Exaggerated tales? Of course.But these little episodes illustratethe need for a more versatile anddependable side arm for aviators.The side arm is primarily for selfdefense, but at the same time theweapon should be equally adapta ble for use as a survival gun. The.45 is a very poor weapon for survival hunting. Granted, the aviator's side arm is primarily for mankilling, bu t we are looking for aweapon that can double as a survival gun without sacrificing any

Capt Webster s with the RotaryWing Suppressive Fire Branch Dept of Tactics USAAVNS FtRucker} Ala.

NOVEMBER 1965

qualities necessary for its use asa self-defense weapon.

The revolver, double action,

has many good points to considerin selecting a good, dependableside arm for aviators. Generallyspeaking, revolvers can be obtained in a lighter weight andsmaller size than the standard .45pistol. A miss fire in a revolver iscleared by merely pulling the trigger again, and the cylinder revolves to the next cartridge andfires. I t is not necessary to take arevolver apart for cleaning, and ajammed revolver is so rare that itis not a realistic consideration.

For its aviation crewmembers,the Army is adopting the .38special which is used by the USAF,USN, and USMC pilots. Ball,tracer and birdshot rounds areavailable for the .38 special. (TheSpecial Air Warfare Center, EglinAFB, Fla., has tested .38 flareammo, .45 flare ammo, and "pengun" type flares and found .38flare ammo to be the most satis

factory.) The ball round has ample power to kill a man and thetracer round can be used in lieuof a signal flare at night. The 38special birdshot round is excellentfor shooting small game at closerange, and this capability wouldtremendously increase the weapon's use in a survival situation.

Those who might prefer aweapon of their own other thanthe .45 or .38 special, might con

sider the .357 magnum revolverwhich is available for private pur-chase. I t fires any .38 specialround of ammunition withoutmodification or damage to thepistol. Like the .38 special, it hasthe power to kill a man and is excellent as a survival weapon. Using the .357 magnum round ball,the magnum revolver easily killsdeer, wild pigs, and similar sizedanimals. I personally prefer thisweapon over the .45 or .38 specialand will be carrying i t when I flyover remote or hostile areas.

Lieutenant Neverready pulls hisrevolver from his holster, fires,misses and pulls the trigger again.Ivl issfire He c o ~ f i d e n t l ypulls thetrigger again and the cylinder revolves a third shot that fires,dropping the black clad soldierin his tracks.

Lieutenant LTBA places a .38

special birdshot round in his revolver, takes unsteady aim at agrouse 4 meters away and squeezesthe trigger. Whaml The grousetopples over as the wide birdshotpattern covers up for L TBA'slousy aim. Twenty days laterL TBA is picked up, mumbling tohimself and eating roasted grouse.

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Here's a reminder tor those desk types whose tour is almost up:Before you go making like the ce of the b se recall

Thingor wofrom B haseCaptain lbert Hervey

'M TOO SMART for this to happen to me.That's what one aviator said he kept thinking

over and over again as he crashed a Beaver whileon approach to a strip under near ideal conditions.

The funny part of this sad tale is that he wasright. He was too smart to pull the stunt that gothim in trouble. Back at Fort Rucker he was one ofthe top students in his class. His instructor described him as a natural born flier.

Furthermore, he had many other abilities thatmade him a good officer. Enlisted men seemed totrust him implicitly, indicating he was a goodleader. And his natural administrative ability madehim much in demand for desk type jobs.

The result was that after graduation he was keptvery busy doing everything but flying. In three yearshe logged less than 300 hours of flight time, mostlyin carrying his superiors from one big field toanother. The tightest strip he made an approachto was something on the order of Dulles International or Greenum Common.

Then camethe

daywhen our aviator friend had

to make a landing on a little dirt strip way backin the boondocks.

In school he had gone in on much smaller onesin much worse condition, and he didn't worrymuch about it. But his grades in flight school andhis successful military career up to this time nowplayed him foul. He became overconfident. He hadforgotten many of the little things the instructorhad told him. The sharp edge of his training hadbeen dulled by lack of use. This otherwise perfectsoldier crammed himself doing something thatshould be natural to all Army Aviators.

But, you ,say, our friend got 100 hours of flyinga year, which is far more than is considered necessary to remain proficient. And i t is. But the troubleis he, like most of us, didn't use his flying time toits best advantage. When we take an aircraft up on

Capt Hervey is a flight instructor with the Ad -vanced Contact Flight Div, Dept of F jW TngUSAA VNS, Ft Rucker Ala.

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a routine traInIng flight we should consider ourselves students again and practice, practice, practice.

An old adage written many years ago should beevery desk type flier's motto: It's not the hours youput in that count but what you put in the hoursthat counts.

Of course every aviator who takes up an aircraftpractices the things he learned in A phase. f hedidn't he wouldn't get the airplane off the ground.But most neglected are the bread and butter techniques of Army Aviation found in B phase, especially operations in and out of short, unimprovedfields and strips. As desk jockeys, this is the thingwe must practice over and over again i we are toremain proficient Army Aviators.

Let's then review the techniques involved in thismaneuver. Let's use an imaginary character-a Captain Gobel. He is much like our first friend in thathe finds himself mostly be-hind a desk. He has little

time to flybut

manages toget off every two or threeweeks to keep his flight paycoming.

Captain Gobel is smartenough, though, to realizethat he is not as good anaviator as he would liketo be. Because he flies soIi ttle he may not even beas good as when he first gotout of flight school.

He guards against over

confidence by going to asafe al ti tude and practicing some slow flight or evena few turns, varying the bank and number of degrees turned. He gets an idea of his own limitationsagain and also gets the feel of the aircraft.

Now he's ready to practice landing at a strip. Tobegin with, he picks one that appears to have littlechallenge. Here he can afford to overshoot his



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touchdown point a little while he gets back in theswing of the power approach. Later he'll try somestrips with a little more challenge built in.

s Captain Gobel comes in for his first landinghe remembers his flight school days. Back then hehad an instructor to guide him in. Now he hasnone but he can still hear his instructor saying,

There are really no rules except to do it the easiestway possible.

After making two or three practice landings ourhero goes out to look for something a little harder.While he's flying around, the wind changes to lightand variable. The new strip he selects has an up-slope to the north, high barriers on the south end,and what looks like a ditch or two on the sides ofthe strip. There is even a hole in the center.

The easy way to land on this one is hard to find.He must do everything possible to reduce hisgroundspeed. What wind he has is still out of thenorth. He will land against this but not depend on

it to slow him down. He also takes into considera-tion the fact that he will need an unobstructedentrance.

Along with these problems he must also giveconsideration to a preplanned method of getawayin case something goes wrong. I t must allow him toget out or land with room to roll out.

No, Captain Gobel doesn't take bets with himselfthat he can land the first time. Nor does he becomedetermined that if the first approach doesn't work,he'll get in on the second, regardless. He wellknows tha t such foolishness can end with the wingwrapped around a tree. He knows that with condi-tions as they are, he may not be able to land at all.The barriers may be higher than he thought or thewind may shift or change.

Captain Gobel has long since found that the dif-ference between a 2 knot headwind and a 2 knottailwind can be more than 4. It can be the dif-ference between a successful approach and buyingthe farm.

The takeoff is evaluated by Captain Gobel simplyin the safest direction, which could be differentdirections by different aviators and still be correctas long as they are safe. His first consideration is toclear any obstacles with a groundroll which will notbe hampered by bushes, holes, ditches, or animals.

Of prime importance to Captain Gobel in makinglandings on short strips is his ability to makepower approaches. These must be made with slowairspeed and at all times in full control of the air-craft. Full control means he can make an accurate

landing on or very close to a predetermined pointwith immediate response on the controls whenneeded. To get this combination, Captain Gobelwill take a few minutes out of each of his flying

hours arid practice, preferably, at a good safe field.This is not all that Captain Gobel practices dur-

ing his training time. But if he can perfect these it'sa safe bet that he will be considered an Army Avia-tor and not just .a pilot flying from one big fieldto another. .......

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elo igh WaterReprinted from APPROACH magazine, September 1965

HIS IS THE survival storvof a helicopter pilot w o s ~

CH-34 went down in a flood swol

len river while on a photo-reconnaissance mission. The aircraftstruck an uncharted telephonewire strung across a river betweentwo tall trees. Only the pilot survived.

I t was the morning after Christmas. Copilot crewchief and pilotbriefed and preflighted departing

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the carrier for an airport in theflood area in support of civii be-fense for flood disaster relief. At

the field the crew was given ageneral briefing and told to awaitassignment. At 1115 they weregiven a priority photo missionwith a photographer and spotterassigned to the flight. The missionwas briefed with no particularflight route assigned other than toproceed to areas of devastationand to return to base no later

than 1400. For a quarter of anhour they flew around the localbay area and took photographs of

the flood damage. The spotterthen told the pilot the worst damage was along the river. They flewup the river taking photographsas they went.

The pilot spotted a group ofpeople with a highway patrolmanwaving at the helicopter andlanded. He was told that severalpersons needed to be evacuated.



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not many Army Aviators. ~ - - - ~ r i e n c e da water ditching. But the

mstances attendant to this mission could

befallen an Army type. This personalexperience by one o f our Navy cousins should be filed

r the category Boy, am glad read this "

He informed the highway patrolman that he was on a specific mission, but that he would stop onhis way back to evacuate thesepeople in about 20 to 30 minutes.

Continuing on up the river, thecrew spotted a man with a distresssignal laid ou t -an H in clothon the ground. He was picked upand transported to a farmhouse ahalf-mile up the river. The helowas unable to land near his housebut arrangements were made toevacuate him along with his family from an open field a half-milefrom his home. The pilot recorded his position and told himanother helo would be out. The

three elderly people at the farmhouse where the helo had landedsaid they wanted to stay but theyneeded food. The pilot left thema case of C rations.

At this time the weather wasbeginning to deteriorate, withrain , 300- to 500-foot ceilings, andvisibility Y mile.

The helo took off and proceeded

NOVEMBER 1965

back by the same way it had come.Abou t a mile along, two childrenwere waving in front of a houseon the side of a hill above theriver. A man and woman appeared at a window, waved andgave a thumbs up to the hoveringhelo. Assuming the family was allright, the pilot moved off downthe river.

We were approximately 50feet and 75 knots when askedthe copilot to take control ofthe aircraft so could mark thelocations of the three previouslymentioned houses, the pilotstates. I had put an 'X' for thefirst place when heard three or

four loud bangs from the mainrotor.The pilot immediately took the

controls and tried to add power.The aircraft felt as i it was

losing lift and about to fall out ofthe air, he recalls.

Corrective measures failed. Thehelo flared slightly and hit thewater.

Before leaving the cockpit, thepilot states, I put my hand outtowards the copilot's side bu feltnothing. remember that priorto the crash my side windowwas opened fully and the copilot'swas approximately three-quartersdosed. On liftoff the crewchiefwas in his seat, the photographerwas two or three seats back on theleft side, and the observer waso.longside the photographer.

I experienced little difficultyin my egress from the cockpit exc.ept for my radio cords. removedmy ND-IO helmet and inflated mylife vest. estimate was 20 to

5 feet underwater.

When came to the surface,saw a part of the aircraft bobto the surface and then almostimmediately it sank again. sawno other survivors. Debris was inthe water all about m e - a clamshell door, two hardhats, one ofwhich was mine, the horse collar,a large waterproof bag containingmy sleeping bag and air mattress,


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elo igh Waterand a cardboard box of blankets.As the waterproof bag floated by,I gra b bed it. It seemed to bebuoyant so I put it between mylegs.

As I floated away with theriver current, I continued to lookat the scene of the accident but 1saw no signs of survivors. Theinner current was so swift that Iwas unable to get out of themiddle.

I had been in the water forabout 35 minutes when I finallyspotted a man on the left bank.I yelled at him but was swept on.Shortly thereafter a helicopter

flew over but the pilot did not seeme. I took off my gloves and triedto ignite a day distress signal butmy hands were so cold that Icouldn't manipulate the D-ringreadily. In my haste I pulled it offand dropped the signal. Before Icould attempt to light my secondone, the helo was gone. I attempted to retrieve my gloves,which I had put in one of thelower pockets on the flight suit,only to find them missing alongwith a pencil flare gun which Ikept in the same pocket. I alsolost my survival knife and switchblade knife from an open pocket.

A few minutes later I spottedseveral people on the far southside where the north and southforks of the river meet. They sawme and said they would try to gethelp. About five minutes later alight civilian plane circled me and1 managed to ignite the night endof my distress signal but he didnot see me.

About a mile further on therewas a large tree trunk sticking outinto the river. Since the force ofthe current was somewhat decreased in this section, I managedto grab the tree and pull myselfup onto the bank of the river. Atthis time the cold temperature of

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the air and water became extremely penetrating and I began toshiver uncontrollably.

Ten minutes later, this samechopper-an Army helicopter-returned downstream, spotted meand landed on the upper bank. Iused a white-backed map to attract their attention. Two pilotscame down the bank and carriedme up to a place where the chopper could land. I was taken fromthere to the hospital

The survivor had a cut forehead,a broken foot, a sprained ankleand knee, and severe bruises oftwo ribs.

Despite the fact that the survivor was immersed in extremelycold water, 42-44 0 F., with an airtemperature of 55 0 F., he was ableto function adequately for betterthan an hour before he began toexperience the effects of exposurein the form of uncontrollable shivering, the investigating flight surgeon reports. There is no doubtthat this is directly attributable tothe use of the winter flying sui tthe two-piece liner for the Mk-4antiexposure suit. The pilot alsowore two pairs of swea t socks anda high-to p ski sweat shirt. His antiexposure suit liner contributed tohis buoyancy.

I t would appear, the flightsurgeon continues, that the difficulty encountered by the survivorin igniting his distress signals wasrelated somewhat to a lack of complete understanding as to theproper method to be used . . .

However, the environment andcircumstances could hardly be considered ideal and the combinationof numbing cold, turbulent watersand duration of exposure couldaccount for . . . apparent discrepancies. The loss of the pencilflare gun from a pocket of theflight suit was indeed unfortunate,since conceivably with it the pilot

could have attracted help fromthe air earlier and, thus, couldhave been rescued sooner. Perhapsa more stable lodging place, suchas a pocket on the Mae West,would have prevented the loss ofthis valuable survival item.

The flight surgeon had somecomments on the survival equipment and training aspects of thisaccident:

Efficacy of flight clothing:This pilot'S experience utilizingonly the liner of a Mk-4 antiexposure suit (despite his loss ofgloves and hardhat) suggests theneed for some re-evaluation ofrecommended flight cloth ing, especially as it applies to helicopterpilots in flights over water in coldweather. The lack of the antiexposure suit itself does not appear to have been a deciding fac-tor in this particular pilot'S survival while the liner by itself appears to have contributed someadditional buoyancy.

Indoctrination in ditchingprocedures: The plight of the oc-cupants who did not escape fromthe aircraft serves as a reminderthat ditching procedures, particularly for those riding in the belly,need to be a part of every preflightbriefing (as it was in this particular flight).

Proper use of survival equipment: I t is not enough simply tobe aware of the physical presenceor to have received indoctrinationin the use of survival equipment.The establishment of an activeprogram of practical testing of

survival techniques (is required)including such items as the properuse of distress signals manipulations wearing wet gloves, maneuvering in the water in a life vest,and determining where items suchas a pencil flare gun can mostefficiently be secured (for retention by) helicopter pilots.



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Here s a good account o f the

help aircraft can give troops

in blocking avenues o escape

agle 1 was airlifted into

LZ 1 at 4 5


16/52

O PERATION Knockout wasa real lulu. It contained allelements of a sophisticated battleand many of the other little trickspossible in a guerrilla affair.

On Thursday morning welearned that a Viet Cong battalion

was located in a small villagenearby. The VC had come up theriver at night, bypassed an out-post, captured the villagers andmoved into their homes. The vil-lagers had been taken to someother spot, probably a woodedarea about a mile away.

Naturally the local ARVN(Army Republic of Vietnam) di-

vision commander was boilingabout this latest outrage. He saidhe was going to do everything

possible to see that the commu-nists responsible were punished.He wanted to take immediate()ction against the Viet Congo

We got together with theARVN and came up with a planthat we felt had a good chance ofsucceeding. We would use ourairmobile forces to block allavenues of escape from the villageand then proceed to work overthe reds. The problem was to getthe blocking forces into positionwithout the VC knowing it. I fthey learned of our little plantoo soon they would escape, andthe old story would be repeated:all we'd find would be emptyhouses and deserted mangroveswamps.

To surprise the Viet Cong wedevised a deception. On two occa-sions in the past 45 days a ba t -talion of AR VN troops had goneto resupply the outpost the redshad bypassed south of the presentVC concentration. After resupply-ing the outpost the battalionmoved south by boat to reachanother outpost and resupply it.

In the deception a battalion ofinfantry would be sent to the out-post, presumably as a resupplyagent. Arrangements would bemade in a nearby town for boats.

14

The ARVN C 2 felt that someonein the town furnished informationto the communists.

On the morning the operationwas to start, the battalion wouldmove as if to go down river bu tactually land on the west side of

the river and go north. Whilethey were doing this the RangerBattalion would arrive at the out-post and start north on the eastside of the river.

Meanwhile, two other infantrybattalions assigned to the divisionwould seal off the escape routes int he north. The 2d Battalionwould seize object ive 5 (see map) ,continue down the road to link upwith the 3d Battalion at objective3

From there it would go downthe river on the west bank andwith the 1st Battalion seize ob-jective 2

As reserves, four Eagle ForcesOPERATION KNOCKOUT,,,,,

~~ 5

EAGLE 11415 HR

A EAGLE 2LZ 1 15 5 HR ,1 1 il lll l i l l i , J l i l l l

III,. N

I It,\Ii/ lilli',

cY s:;: ,

.tllll Ili/IIII f\\1/1

- - - - -C O N T A C T112 HR


17/52


18/52

Operation nockoutcigarette he suddenly started talking. He said he was glad to betalking to us. We weren't as badas he was told. The helicopterrode nice, the cigarette was good,and he was happy to stop fighting.

To my question about the VietCong, he said that most of themwere in the village. The rest hadfound things too crowded and hadmoved across the river to a smallwooded area objective 2 .

According to him there was awhole battalion of them, butwhen I asked about numbers hisanswers indicated there were fewermen than what we would call a

battalion.I asked him about the defensesand he quickly pointed to severalfortified areas on a map and eventold me what type weapons werein each.

Then came a flood of wordsthat I could only interpret to bea denial that he personally haddone anything wrong to the inhabitants of the village. And likemost captives, he never had beena communist, just one of thoseforced to fight for them.

While we were engaged withthe prisoner, two OV-I Mohawksmade a reconnaissance of the area.Photographs made by them showedtwo good landing zones LZ) forthe Eagle Forces. One was to thenortheast of objective 1 and theother southwest of objective 2.

The photographs also confirmedthe fortifications. To seize objective 1, the rangers would have toassault these dug-in-positions. I twas decided to use air strikes tosoften them up before the rangersgot there. Three A-IE Skyraidersof the VNAF Air Force Republicof Vietnam) were selected to dothe job.

While all this was going on inthe south, the two infantry battalions in the north were proceed-

16

ing wi th their part of the operation. The 2d Battalion didn'tmeet with much resistance in theinitial part of their advance. Occasionally a sniper would fire anddisappear into the woods. Thebattalion took objective 5 with no

trouble and proceeded down theroad.The 3rd B attalion met some de

termined resistance in the vicinityof objective 4. After a 15-minutefire fight the VC withdrew andthe battalion was able to take objective 4 and move to objective 3.

About noon the Ranger Bat.-talion reached the enemy fortifiedarea. Several assaults were made.However, the Viet Cong were welldug in and repelled the attacks.

Con t in u i n g their reconnaissance, the Mohawks discoveredsome communists were slippingout through LZ 1 to the northeast.Fearing that some of the higherranking reds might escape, thedivision commander decided touse his Eagle Forces to plug upthis hole. This maneuver wouldhave the added advantage of relieving the rangers in the south.

Eagle 1 was airlifted into LZ 1at 1415 with the mission to attackwest to the river, then south onthe east side of the river and linkup with the Ranger Battalion.

Viper armed platoon was as-signed the mission of providingsuppressive fire support to theEagle Forces. I went along to helpprovide suppressive fire while thetroop-carrying helicopters were onthe ground. As soon as the troopcarriers had landed their menthey headed back for more.

Two helicopters from the thirdarmed platoon had a strange mission, or at least it was strange forour gun ships. They were to keepthe Eagle Forces supplied withammunition. As soon as the troopslanded, the two armed shipswould come in, dump boxes ofammunition and other suppliesand take off for more.

U. S. ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


19/52

NOVEMBER 1965

This proved to be a highly successful maneuver. In some of ourother operations the Eagle Forceshad complained that they werealways afraid they would run outof ammunition and as a resultthey curtailed their firing sometimes unnecessarily.

The two armed helicopters keptup such a steady supply of ammunition that at one time theEagle Forces asked them to layofffor a while as there was moreammunition on hand than couldbe carried.

While helping Eagle thegun ships had to pass over thevillage. They received heavy firefrom the houses which were in along thin line of trees and scrub

vegetation. Four Hueys took turnsrunning down the long axis of thevillage. Both .50 caliber machineguns and 2.75 inch rockets wereused. After the expenditure of 43rockets and innumerable .50 caliber the reds stopped firing andthe s rike was called off.

Eagle 2 arrived at 1505 hoursand landed. Once linked up EagleI and 2 attacked the VC to theirfront and reached the river. Theybegan receiving flanking automatic weapons and mortar fire fromthe west side of the river whichkept them from advancing further.

The 2d and 3d Infantry Battalions had by this time reachedobjective 3. Brushing aside theminor resistance found there thetwo battalions turned south toward objectives 1 and 2.

Eagle 3 was airlanded in LZ 2

at 1545 on the west side of theriver with the mission of flankingthe reds fighting the 1st Battalion.As soon as they had neutralizedthese they were to turn north andwith the 1st Battalion attack thesouth side of the red concentration in objective 2.

Once Eagle 3 began its attackthe reds broke and ran. Somewent back to objective 2 and others took off across the clearedareas between LZ 2 and objective2.

Eagle 4 was airlanded in LZ 2.The mission was to move directlytoward objective 2 cutting off theretreating reds. Even though thearmed helicopters kept a steadyfire the reds in objective 2 man-

aged to hi t one of the troop-carrying helicopters during the land-ing. The hit was not a serious onehowever and the helicopter continued to fly.

With the landing of Eagle 4 theViet Cong in objective 2 foundthemselves being attacked fromthree sides. The river was ofcourse on the fourth. Their position was hopeless and some triedto escape. The .50 caliber fireteam made several firing runs onthem as they ran across the fieldand rice paddies.

With objective 2 taken EagleForces I and 2 were no longer subject to fire from across the riverand were able to continue theiradvance on objective 1.

As soon as objective 2 was takenthe 1st and 2d Battalions turnedtheir attention to objective 1.

The gunships received heavy fire fromthe houses wltich were in a long thin

line of trees and s ~ r l t bv e g e t t i o ~. hree

ueys stopped the fire with 2 75 rockets

and 50 calibre machineguns

17


20/52

Operation nockout} rom my vantage point I couldsee them lobbing one mortar shellafter another over the river intothe VC fortified area and the nowalmost destroyed village.

All this fire reduced the numberof defenders of objective 1 to amere handful. As soon as it gotdark these fled across the ricefields and vanished in the swamplands to the east. By 2100 hoursthe fighting was over.

All aircraft were released at1930 hours. The next morning thetroop-carrying he 1 cop t e r s returned to the area to pick up theEagle Forces. Their most important mission was to transport theEagle Forces and to furnish coverand suppressi ve fire.

One armed platoon was keptflying over the operational area allthe time, giving the reds no restfrom this quarter. At 1730 hourswhen Eagle 4 was being airlandedtwo armed platoons were in theair.

Two .50 caliber armed heli

copters were flying over the areaall the time and were availableto the ground forces wheneverneeded. These helicopters proved

to be exceptionally useful whenthe reds attempted to flee.

During the operation an 0-1 FBird Dog flew high overhead tofurnish the much needed radiorelay. I t also carried an observerwho furnished visual reconnaissance.

And, of course, there were thetwo Mohawks that picked out t ~LZs and furnished other information.

Because of intensive fire fromground weapons in the operational area, the helicopters received many hits but none wereput out of action. All were repaired and ready to fly again ina few days.

One armed platoon had 17 hits

in five of its aircraft. In this sameplatoon one gunner sustained afragment wound and one aviatorwas cut from flying plexiglasswhen his aircraft was hit. Anotherplatoon received 19 hits in five ofits aircraft and three pilots sustained cuts from shattered plexiglass. The third armed platoonsaw much less action than theother two and received only onehit and one gunner was woundedin the toe.

At the critique we learned that27 AR VN soldiers had been killed.l\10st of these died assaulting thefortifications. The number would

ine seriously wounded were evacuated to a hospital by ambulance helicopters

have been much higher if theranger platoon had run in to thefortifications blind.

Sixty-two friendly troops werewounded. Nine of these were considered serious and were evacuated to hospitals by the ambu

lance helicopters. Six Americanadvisors were wounded in action,none seriously.

In searching the area 115 deadViet Cong were found. At thetime of our critique we had notreceived information as to thenumber of wounded. Only threeof the enemy were captured oneof them being my sniper.

All kinds of weapons and equipmen t was found. Among thesewere three 7.62 antiaircraft machineguns which probably ac-counted for the hits our helicopters had to endure. Othermajor items found were 2 machineguns : 8 BARs, 38 rifles, 5 SMGs,3 60-mm morta rs, and 2 AmericanPRC-IO radios.

We used up 53,500 rounds of7.62 ammunition 389 2.75 inchrockets, and 17,000 rounds of .50caliber ammunition.

The old man told us at the

critique that this operation was agood example of the help aircraftcan give troops in blocking oftavenues of retreat. In this particular case it would have been impossible to block the Viet Congretreat by any other method.

t also proved the value of aircraft in a s pply mission. TheEagle Forces used all the ammunition they needed and were able tokeep up a steady pressure on theenemy.

f you are wondering abou t thepoor villagers, we found them hiding in a nearby woods. AR VNsoldiers helped them rebuild theirdemolished homes and they returned to their former life as ifnothing had happened - exceptthat now they know why Vietnamis fighting.



21/52

CaJInouflage and

Dispersion of Chinooks

C AMOUFLAGE is an oldgame. Ever since our aboriginal ancestor first popped a bushon his head to elude predatoryneighbors it has been a techniquefor combat survival.

But the introduction of helicopters to the tactical environment has created new problems incamouflaging. This article is concerned with the most appropriatemeans and methods for camouflageof the CH 4 7 Chinook.

In 1958 the U. S. Army Engineers Research and DevelopmenLaboratories conducted tests dealing with camouflage of aircraft intemperate tropical, desert anelarctic terrain. Four observer-targetsituations were used: air-toground ground-to-ground air-to-

NOVEMBER 1965

Lieutenant ohn F allup

air, and ground-to-air. These testsconcluded t h a t ~

Bright markings and glossyfinish of the present standardpaint scheme defeat camouflage,as do anticollision markings.

Grey paint on the tops ofmain rotor blades defeats camouflage.

Paint is the best camouflagematerial particularly for helicopters, as the weight is less whencompared with nets, drapes, etc.

Nets will be discussed later.) The best color for camouflag

ing aircraft with the least logistical burden is lusterless olive drab.

Combination designs usingmore than one color add onlymarginally to the effectiveness ofcamouflage. f two colors are t

be used the field pattern wouldbe more effective, if the secondcolor is black.

To be effective, any camouflage paint scheme must be supplemented by other measures.

Increased training is neededon basic camouflage principles inthe field.

Weight is an important consideration where camouflage ofany aircraft is involved and imposes stringent limitations on artificial materials. Additionally theconcepts of future warfare impose further limitations on theavailability of such materials.

When he wrote this a r t i c l e ~LtGallup was with Co ~ 228th sltSpt Hel 11 th ir Assault

i v i s i o n ~Ft e n n i n g ~Ga

19


22/52

Thus, it can be seen that paintoffers the best camouflage potential for aircraft.

Little difference exists betweenthe cost of permanent and temporary pain s, and the time andlabor involved in preparing andpainting the aircraft is equal.Temporary paint can be removedif desired, but i t also requires considerable spot painting if it isneeded for prolonged periods. Removal requires considerable timeand expense, and the scrubbingrequired in repeated removal oftemporary paint results in heavywear on the topcoat. This oftennecessitates permanent-type painting.

Since camouflage helicopterswould be required for periods inexcess of 3 months permanentcamouflage paint would be lessexpensive.

The optimum color scheme forall helicopters, except those usedin arctic terrain, is solid color lus-

20

terless olive drab, shade number613, using lusterless black, shadenumber 37038, for required markings and yellow color number33538 for required caution mark

ings. This color scheme has further advantage in that it can easilybe modified to a field pattern idesired. Small caution marking;;may be used where required without materially affecting the camouflage scheme. However, suchmarkings should be reduced to anabsolute minimum, i.e., radio callnumbers and small caution markings.

White in winter and olive drabin all other seasons are the optimum colors for arctic terrain.

Nothing precludes camouflagepainting of helicopters (minusmain and tail rotor blades atorganizational, direct support, ordepot level. Vertol has stated thatthey do not recommend paintingof the main rotor blades at lowerthan factory level.

TB AVN 7 Painting andMarking of Army Aircraft, requires that the lower surface ofall main rotor blades be finishedlusterless black, shade number

37038, and that the upper surfaceof all metal blades be finished lusterless olive drab, ANA shadenumber 613. This TB furtherstates that authorization to paintArmy aircraft lusterless camouflage colors rests with the theatercommander.

While there is general agreement that aircraft fuselages canbe painted at organizational level,it is recognized that there will bebetter control and a more uniformly finished product if thepainting is accomplished at thedirect support level or higher,where more equipment andtrained personnel are available.

Some things to be considered inpainting are the time involved,the amount of material necessary,and the equipment and place to



23/52

perform the painting. Throughpast experience it was found thatthis painting can be accomplishedoutside providing it is not in adusty area and not raining. Theequipment necessary is just aspray gun and a compressor.

Approximately 4 to 5 gallons ofpaint, which is used with 12 to 15gallons of paint thinner, are needed to paint a CH-47. The time involved is 45 manhours, from thetime the aircraft is received untilit is ready to return to this unit.This time includes preparationand painting the Chinook. Theapproximate figures are necessitated by paint loss in various windconditions and because paint thinner evaporates faster when paint-

ing outside.As a point of interest theamount of paint used weighs approximately 42 pounds. This hasno effect on the weight or balanceof the aircraft.

Since forward and aft rotorblades must be painted at factorylevel and to avoid confusion andestablish uniformity, it is highlydesirable that the entire camouflage painting be accomplished atthis level with colors and types ofpaints to meet U. S Army specifications. Trained personnel andproper equipment would be available to accomplish the job withfar better results than what mightbe attained if accomplished atunit level.

Though paint is considered themost practical this is not the onlymeans of camouflaging aircraft.Some thought has been given tothe use of camouflage nets of thetype used in World War forfixed wing aircraft.

The size of the Chinook and itsweight limits any ground hand-ling under tactical conditionsafter landing. Therefore, the netswould have to be draped over theaircraft after the blades hadstopped turning. This would bevery time consuming and almost

NOVEMBER 1965

impossible due to the limitednumber of personnel within aChinook battalion. It is also notpractical as the overall dimensions of the CH-47 are 100 feet inlength and 55 feet in width. This,as you can imagine would meana number of nets of a size thatcould be handled.

The size net we will select fordiscussion is 29 feet by 29 feet andweighs 46 pounds. It would takeeight such nets to cover the aircraft which also means that thesenets have to be transported withthe aircraft at all times under tactical conditions. f we look at theweight from the standpoint of abattalion, it means 17 664 poundsadditional weight to be trans

ported. These are bu t a few of thedisadvantages in using nets as theprimary method of camouflage.

From a tactical standpointcamouflage of helicopters duringthe testing stages is highly desirable to lend realism to the situation. I t would be even more advantageous to a unit deployed inactual combat operations.

Though camouflage is the mainthing we are interested in wemust not forget that some dispersion is required. In dispersing theCH-47 an area of 150 feet by 100feet is required for parking. Toproperly disperse the aircraft in abattalion, an area of 1 square mileis the minimum. Combined withcamouflage painting, and as thetactical situation might dictate dispersion of these helicoptersshould be along the tree ines orin fields with some small under-growth.

There must be new and increased emphasis on training ofpersonnel in the principles ofcamouflage and dispersion in thefield. This emphasis must comefrom the commander.

f we are to exploit the Chinookto its fullest we must not denyit such a basic combat tool asproper camouflage. .Jiiiilr

WHYCWO ohn G Foley

ANY OF US can remembernot too many years ago

:when the only way for an aviatorto obtain a protective helmet wasto scrounge from the Air Force orNavy. After a few severe head injuries R D obtained the forerunner of the APH-5 ran testsand found that these new-fangledhardhats were in reality a usefulitem. They became mandatoryissue to all aviators and crewmen.

This was a step in the right direction. Let s pursue the subjectof protective clothing for airmen.The other services provide theiraviation personnel with flight suitsand jackets gloves and boots.These items are designed for safety and comfort not to mentionaccessibility to hard to reach objects. Who among us doesn t recallwearing a shoulder harness over apair of starched fatigues and theneed to reach something in a shirtpocket? Has the pitch stick evercaught on a part of the regular GIgear you have worn in the cockpit?

How many of us have worn theNavy issue gauntlet type flyinggloves and wondered why wehadn t had them before? No

woolen n s ~ r t sthat just make fora bulky unfeeling hand, but thinand tight just as we want.

We have an exposure rateamong the highest of any profession. Is it too much to ask that webe allowed to use clothing andequipment specifically designedfor pilot and crew safety?

21


24/52

INr 'IlVIDUAl fLIGHT RECORD ARMY AVIA TOR

A A M f

4

C . N M t : -

A l l

I EMOC' R t f

H EY SAM, WHAT in blazesis this new form? Capt OrtHardland asked Lt Sam Jones.Captain Hardland had just returned from a tour overseas and

had been assigned to the operations division as a replacement forLieutenant Jones, soon to departfor Vietnam. The form he referred to was USAAVNC (759)(Mech) 6 July 64.

That's your individual mechanized flight record, LieutenantJ ones stated laughingly. I t rep]aces the former manual DAForm 759 here at Rucker.

Why? Captain Hardland asked flatly. I f the old 759 is goodenough for everyone else, whyisn't it good enough for FortRucker?

Well, Jones countered, firstof all we're bigger, with morethan 2,000 individual records tobe maintained. Also, we have over800 aircraft which are maintainedand refueled by civilian contrac-

22

A 9 - b 4

Maior George N tenehiem

tors. This requires a lot of recordkeeping.

So, what's that got to do withthe price of eggs? Hardlandasked.

Mechanization, man, Jonesreplied. This form is used witha computer to record and maintain our flight records.

Computer? Mechanizat ion?Come on, Sam, remove the cloudformation.

O.K., Jones commented, suppose I just fill you in on some ofthe growing pains.

Shoot, Captain Hardlandstated, his interest visibly showingnow.

Well, began Lieutenant Jones,when I was first assigned to the

school in April 1964, the mechanized system was in its infancy.Like any sys tern, there were someearly problems. However, everyone concerned simply got theirheads together and ironed themou . I t takes a powerful lot of co

A

ordination and teamwork to makea complex system like this work.

I t didn't take long, he continued, to prove that the biggestresponsibilities rests with you and

me, the aviators. We must recordaccurate and readable information on the -12s and -13s - ourname, serial number, mission codeidentifiers, discrepancies, POL,and time flown. Then this information will be punched onto electronic accounting machine (EAM)cards for the computer to recordthe data and provide us with accurate flight records.

Two features really stand outin this mechanized system. Thefirst involves a term I heard once-- GIGO-which means 'garbage in-garbage out.' In other words, ifyou put garbage or incorrect data

Maj Stenehjem s Program Co-ordinator and Assistant Comp-troller for the USAA VNC andUSAAVNS, Ft Rucker Ala



25/52


26/52


27/52

R ECENTLY I made a surveyof Iroquois drivers, maintenance supervisors, and platforminstructors. None of these professionals were familiar wi th makinga complete inflight power checkon the DR-1 helicopter. Are you?

This lack of familiariza tion wasnot caused by lack of interest. Theproblem, it seems, lies withTM 55-1520-211-10 and -20 - nocomplete instruction. It is recognized tha t few of us will kick thetire, light the fire and blast off.At the present that is about thestory on the DR-1 Iroquois.

Aviator and mechanic alikemust realize that each engine hasits individual characteristics andoperating limitations. Information on a particular engine can befound in the historical records.Data necessary to perform powerchecks will be found in the enginehistorical records, table I, and thefuel control bias curve. Table Iwill give the N 1 speed at whichthe manufacturer guarantees ratedpower. The fuel control bias curve

ill allow for temperature correction.

Firs t let s go through a powercheck under field conditions. Information gathered here will bethe average power which all engines are capable of producing. Itwill be found in terms of maximum torque pressure under operating limits of the engine.

T o make this check, enter a fullpower climb at about 60 knots.On substandard days, make thischeck at sufficient altitude to prevent overtorque. Do not exceed50 psi torque for DR-IB and -ID

and 34 psi for the DR-IA. tVithmaximum power applied (thatis at that point where additional power application wouldcause loss of N 2 rpm) observe and1ecord the torquemeter, torque

Capt Bell s the Operations Train-ing f f i c e T ~Dept of MaintenanceU S V N S~ Ft R u c k e r ~Ala

NOVEMBER 1965

pressure, out-side air temperature,and pressure altitude. (A practicerun through a selected altitudewill assist in accurate temperaturereading.) Assuming that the observed condi tions for the powercheck were torque pressure, 47

psi , OAT, 170

C, pressure altitude1,500 feet, the power availablecan be checked by use of thepower availability chart, figureIII. (A similar chart can be foundin section II, chapter 14 of the-10.)

Enter the chart at the test OAT17 0 C) and proceed vertically to

the pressure altitude (1,500 feet)and then horizontally to the corresponding altitude scale on the

right hand side of the chart. Fromthis point, move vertically to thetorque pressure scale at the bot-

tom for maximum torque available. Since the reading is 46 psitorque for the average engine, thetest engine exceeds the guaranteedpower.

For a more accurate performance check, refer to table I from

the engine historical records,figure I. This data will provid ethe maximum performance recordof your particular engine. Toperform this check, enter a fullpower climb and pull the maximum N 1 power available by application of collective pitch until anN 2 rpm drop is observed. CheckN 1 speed and increase collectivepitch until approximately 200 lessN 2 rpm is obtained. I f the N 1speed has remained the same (besure to use the vernier N 1 dial),the engine is operating at itsmaximum N 1 speed. Record maxi-

Figure 1. Power availability charts...-=-

~ - ~ ~ - 4__ ~~ - F- 4_ _ - S+~_~~S_~HI~~ /~ ~ / + +~ LTIN Es ro rFJ rh H H H ;1 ...d 'I I-- I 1 ~ f ;...-- -

f I R ~ ; . . ; - r - ....... ~f

f

I

~ ~- O . ~ ,,\.1 . ~

~ ~ s r r... ~ ~ f .~ f1 . 1 ~ ~O l l . t : . s s~ I I

-+ - I 1 J.....-'Ir - - - , - , ~ _ ~ ~ f: - -

AfEJ , , \ . 1 ~ LI R t : .~ I J.---

- - r . . - t t:. 1t:.\.~ ~ ~ s v \ . ;~ R t : . S S ~.,:;.;r-

~ I IJ 1

- 10 0 to

I I I

........ ~v

..... ..-.,......-

~

-- ' ~,...-

-20

---....-

........~

30

TS3-L-9 / 11 ENGJNESOI PHI

I ILINESOF POWERREO

- 10 0 10 20 30 20 30 ) 50

OUTSIOI AlIt TEMP . _ C TORQUE READING - PSI

~ ) ; .

GRAPH a. GRA, n.~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~


28/52

TAB LE 1

~ L _ 9 ENGINE SI NLEO 6 1 2 3

THIS ENGINE WILL PRODUCE GUARANTEED _ T A K E O_F_F_ RATED P.OWERAT_ c....;.c:... %NI SPEED WTH A_ -,--=--=.-=.O o F EXHAUST GAS

TEMPERATURE UNDER STANDARD DAY SEA LEVEL COND iTiONS .

THIS EN GINE HAS SATISFACTORILY DE MONSTRATED COMPLI ANCE WTH THE PERFORMANCE

REQUIREMENTS OF TIlE FINAL RUN AS SPECIFIED BY MODEL SPECIFICATIONI04 . 2 2 B

ON _ _ 1_4 _ _6_2 DA T E )

,., TEST EptGINEER

8 15 - 62

mUD1 N 1 speed and OAT a t thetest conditions.

Consult table I and find thetakeoff power N 1 speed for standard day conditions and record thisvalue (exaD1ple, 97.1 percent)since test data was other thanstandard D1axiD1um N 1 96.9 percent at + 7 0 OAT) consult thefuel control bias curve, figure 2,and apply the teD1perature factor.Figure 2

DATE

To apply teD1perature factors,enter the bias curve at the recorded OAT + 17 C) and proceed vertically to the takeoff N 1curve, then horizontally left toobtain the deviation in regulatedgas producer speed -0.2 percent)

Figures referred to are from Bell Heli-copter Company's publication KnowYou r Iroquois.

II

TA2 FUEL CONTROLT53L5, L9, L9A -

DEVIATION IN REGULA TED GAS PRODUCER SPEEDVS

COMPRESSOR INLET TOTAL TEMPERATURE

nl" ' 25,150

PERCENT

.050

.0.0 - ~

.030

.020

i 'or---...- .....HMILITARY AND TAKEDFF .......................

c .010

, .

............~ .....


29/52

T EMPO IN INFANTRY Battalion Operationswas clearly up at half past midnight. Fatigueinduced by the long day had suddenly vanished andall personnel were operating with cool, professionaldispatch. Major Gerda, the S-3 looked up from thecandle illuminated source of the timely activity andreflected on the order: ASSAULT . ONE COM-PANY N I G H T HELIBORNEI

A jeep squeaked to a stop outside the tent. Thecanvas flaps of the tent rustled open and quicklyclosed again.

Oh, good evening, sir, Sergeant Grogan said as

NOVEMBER 1965

I

\iiIt

/ / ~

/

fficerCaptain eorge W. Jordan Jr.

he turned from the situation map. Major Gerda ,Captain Jordan is here.

The gold leaf reflected the dim light as Gerdastood and smiled, Evening, George. Have youseen the old man's order?

Only to scan it, sir. I wanted to get over hereas soon as possible. Who's in the fish bowl?

With a confident grin Major Gerda answered,Bob Jackson and his 'Bravo Bullies.' How are you

going to work the air end?We work for you, said the captain in the green

flight suit. We worked with Bob's Second Platoon

27

~ ~ J I


30/52

VI TION LI ISON OFFICER

last Tuesday night. He's got a good unit. Thereshould be no problem, whatever you want.

Yeah, yeah, I know; but we've got to get crackin'.What's your recommendation? You can figure onhaving a T AC prestrike. The colonel is laying thaton now.

The aviator thought for a moment and thenadvised, Well, our pathfinders can jump in about1,000 meters south of the objective and set up theLZ. Tentatively, they will set up in a platoonheavy lift / company diamond, landing generallynorth. Of course, if a different setup is required,they will advise us at the company. We've got tobe sure to let the TAC jockeys know about thepathfinders.

OK. Sounds good. How abou t the pickup?The Bully boys will have to set the PZ them

selves in that open area just east of the companyCPo Have them set t up in platoon diamond / company column. We'll land yellow, white, green andorange and will be on your battalion alternatefrequency-50.2. I think we can be there for pickupby 0145 with no sweat and we'll pull pitch to hitwhatever T O T you say. f you'll get this poop toBob, I 'll go right on back and get my crews briefed.What's your latest enemy SITREP?

' 'I ' ll get a fresh one and have i t for you whenyou land. See you at four five. The major noddedapprovingly as he sat back down, lit his pipe, pickedup his hot line and asked for Bravo Bully 6. Thetime was 0035

* * *

As you and the aviator bounce along back to thehelicopter laager area, you ponder the coordinationyou've just witnessed. Five minutes of planning,night operation, 20 helicopters to be airborne in alittle over an hour-mili tary force or fa ce? Thequestion bugs you, What would be the result inmy unit?

The answer to this question depends basicallyon rapport. In this case, rapport between the infantry and the aviation unit, with the primary

responsibility for its attainment resting with theaviation liaison officer. To such harmony, the aviation liaison officer's guidelines are

knowledge, assistance, and professionalism.

When he wrote this article Capt Jordan was servingwith Co A) 229th Aslt Rel Bn TF ) 11th Air AssaultDivision) in the Dominican Republic

28

KNOWLE GE

The exchange of information as to unit capabilityand limitation is usually accomplished through theaviation liaison officer and the infantry unit S-3.However, it should not be considered a two waystreet, if for no other reason than the simple gesture of relieving the infantry 3 of the requirementto keep still another party informed. Instead, theaviation liaison officer should make it his businessnot only to inform the supported unit of aviationcapabilities and techniques and assist in missionplanning, but also to keep himself informed of theinfantry's present operations and future plans.Valuable time by both units is saved by formulatingsound plans based on the immedia te transmissionof available information.

Armed with such an attitude, the aviation liaisonofficer begins his task of giving and obtaining all

possible information concerning his own unit andthe infantry unit. This is a never-ending task butamong the more important answers to seek fromthe infantry are:

MissionOrder of battleUnit organization and SOPsLocation of unitsChain of commandCommunications means and dataUnit evaluationThe infantryman should know and understand

the forelisted information regarding the aviationunit. He should also be familiar with its capabili-


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Effective rapport between infantry and avia-tion units engaged in a mission rests with theaviation liaison officer His guidelines are knowledge assistance professionalism.

ties, techniques, terminology, inherent problemsin short, he should have as complete a knowledgeof aviation as possible.

Therefore, it is now obvious that the 5-minutecoordination session in opening situation wac;actually the culmination f many hours of workand training resulting in utual trust and understanding.

The achievement ofis based on the effortsaviation liaison officer.

suIts and economy ofof one aviation liaisonOn a broader scale,are involved, an

training status advocatedan eager and enthusiasticormally, the optimum re

is achieved on the ratioper infantry battalion.

re several infantry brigadeszation of aviation liaison

officers solves the hl > ' ' ' ' For instance, in a divi-sion wi th two in brigades and two assaulthelicopter battali one method of organizationmight be one of aviation battalions in directsupport of one sp brigade.

The further bre may assign A , B, and Ccompanies of the ion battalion to the 1st, 2d,and 3d battalions the brigade, respectively. Fin-ally, it is sornf/ltiIIles advantageous to furtherassign platoon Ie of the aviation companies for

direct liaison duties with specific infantry companies. This final assignment is not always necessary, but where personnel are available it will savetime in the long run.

SSIST NCE

Attitude is the focal point of this guideline. Asis the case with every branch of service, aviationexists to support the man on the ground-in thiscase the infantryman. With this thought in mind,

the aviation liaison officer should approach theproblems of assisting supported units. He shouldremember that the aviation portion of a mission isbut one of many portions of the infantry S-3 s concern. Therefore, the aviation liaison officer shouldbe prepared to advise the S 3 on a clear, conciseplan when the operations officer calls for it. Indelivering this plan, an attitude of flexibilityshould be maintained. The plan should be considered a starter, which with modifications mutuallyagreed upon, may be rapidly finalized. .

PROFESSION LISM

In this axiom, proper economy of force, equipment, tactics , administrative and logistical details,safety and all other items which ensure mission success with minimum losses of personnel and equipment are jelled. This is the payoff-the report card

o f how well the aviation liaison officer has orientedthe infantry. f properly oriented, the S 3 willprobably desire an aviation plan which reflectsaviation considerations and common sense com parable to those of the most experienced aviationcommander.

If however, for one reason or another infantryplanning does not reflect important aviation ~ -siderations which could be corrected without affecting the success of the mission, it is now the job ofthe aviation liaison officer to correct and professionalize the situation for the benefit of both elements. In this regard, one thing is fairly surn:advice from a stranger won t be well taken. So,aviation liaison officer, if you haven t already tiedin, you re late.

29


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Pilot s c r a p b o o l ~

H o o h M l 6

HE MI-6 Hook and MI-I0 Harke helicopters were among various aircraft the Soviet

Union displayed at the 26th Salon Internationalede l Aeonau tique et de I'Espace (Paris Air Show)last summer. Captain Paul W. Bass of the U. S.Army Aviation Test Board , Fort Rucker, Ala., attended with a U. S. Army team and took somepictures revealing details of the Hook and Harke.These photos are taken from his scrapbook.

The MI-6 first appeared in 1957 as the largesthelicopter in the world. In 1961 the Soviet Unionunveiled the MI-I0, a flying crane which evolvedfrom the Hook. Most noticeable differences are thereduction in the depth of the fuselage, stilt typelegs, and the absence of the stub wing on the MI-I0.

MI-6 MI-IO

Length 122' 6 120'Height 30' 150'Rotor

diameter 120' 120'Weight:

Max t /o 93,7131b 94,815Normal t/ o 89,303lb

Speed 162 kt (max) 108 kt w/ o load)97 kt w/ platform

load)Engines 2 TB-2BM ga5 2 TB -2BM gas tur-

turbines at bines at 5500 shp5500 shp each each

SVC Ceiling 14,765ft 9,840 ft

S

H a r h e M I IOf

Man leaning on MI-6 wheel indicates si ze of tire . A heatshield circle) offers protection from the turbineexhaust. ote electrical deicing cables arrow) for main rotor ;also the similarity between rotor head assembly andCH-34 Sikorsky inset) rotor head assembly.



33/52

View of MI-6 fuel tank hookup and strut. t appears theMI-6's fuel system has been supplemented with externaltanks whic.h may be capable of breaking away inevent of a crash. Windows bulging out a ow a betterview but ((dirty the aircraft aerodynamicaUyindicating that speed is not the primary design consideration.Note covered hole in door (arrow). This appears on alldoors and may be a gun port.

Points of interest include dual wheels on nose gear toenhance operations on soft terrain, dual pitot tubes 1), lightarrangements 2), the antenna 3), and weight fortrailing wire antenna 4).

Horizontal stabilizer is adjustable (also on the MI-10). TheMl 6 has a tail skid and (although not visible here)riveted leading edges on the tail rotor blades. A staticdissipator (circle) is visible on the stub wing which also hashigh stressed skin. Also note clamsheLL doors (arrows).

The M1-IO also has external fuel tanks and electrical cablesfor main rotor deicing. Man near wheel indicates sizeof tire. Note built in crew ladder to door and engine cowlingsforming work platforms which are said to be hydraulicaLLyoperated. Flare tubes (arrow) appear forward of the door.

MI-10 rotor head. Man sitting on top indicates size. Windowsbulge out as with MI-6.

Note clearanc e between bus Airscoop and MI-10 fuselage; alsoAPU outlet and ex haust (arrows).


34/52

MI-IO wheels are offset with front wheels capable of swiveling.

Middle: Note hydraulic jacking arrangement for cargo platform and method of securing bus.

Bottom A close look at the front lifting bar attached to thecargo platform.

Dual lights are arranged on the starboard side of the MI-IO,which also s equipped with dual pitot tubes. Also notethe transparent bottom.

The aft external light s near a bulging hatch that may houseTV equipment.

Pockets and deicing strip are noticeable on the main rotorblade. A small transparent area arrow) houses a light andmay be used for tracking or station keeping.


35/52

CRASH SENSE U. S. ARMY BOARD FOR AVIATION ACCIDENT RESEARCH

By the BookS N S

Major Chester Goolrick

::::.l

NOVEM ER 1965


36/52

cr sh s ns

.,: 4

s EVEN A RANK tenderfoot can appreciateit is a poor idea to set off on an expedition

across the Sahara without a reliable map vouchedfor by the National Geographic Society. AbdulAbulbul Ameer your faithful guide might notknow the way as well as he thinks he does inwhich case you wind up in a situation not even

\ \ \ \ ?

Lawrence of Arabia would have enjoyed.Every bride starting to keep house is well ad

vised to have a cookbook handy if she wants toprolong the honeymoon past the regulation twoweeks.

And when a harassed father undertakes at thelast minute on Christmas Eve to assemble the minia-

34 U. S ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


37/52


38/52

cr sh sense

The book s real importance, the degree to whichyou follow it or ignore it depends on what youhave in mind and what is at stake f you have nodeep feelings about winning or losing you can passon fourth down and still live to a ripe old ageprovided you aren t strangled by the coach. Flipping a coin is as good a way as any to decidewhich fork in the road to take on a day when youhad just as soon wind up in East Hemstitch asLower ScufHetown.

When t comes to servicing or flying Army aircraft you are a long way from hopscotch and considerably closer to defusing bombs. The tasks involved are usually long tedious complicated, and

r\

ol

~ . ~ . -

- .

require the kind of expert, meticulous attention todetail and proper procedures a top-flight surgeonput into an open-heart operation. The price permistake can be considerably higher than a stubbedtoe-considerably higher, in fact than a custombuilt Rolls Royce limousine.

In Army Aviation, the book for every aspect offlying or handling aircraft can be dispensed withjust about as safely as a skydiver can do withouthis chute.

ook of KnowledgeBooks for important and critical procedures will

be necessary until the human brain can be fed

i i

1

I r ......i

f I: IJ 1 I f Il I

The odds must h ve run out

36 U. S ARMY AVIATION DIGEST


39/52

processed data, like tapes into a computer. Evencomputers occasionally blow a fuse and feed backrecipes for strawberry shortcake instead of the complicated equations they were asked for. The humanbrain is capable of all kinds of things a computercan t do, such as thinking about girls, but when i tcomes to feedback it is even more fallible.

An appreciation of this sad but simple fact shouldbe part of the basic equipment of every intelligent,highly trained man. In Army Aviation circles, everypilot or maintenance man should know that the-10, -20 the handbook, standard procedures, THEBOOK-whatever you choose to call i t - i s the onlyreal failsafe device to ensure a job being doneevery time the way it is supposed to be done.

Get that every ti me bit, chums. As everybody whohas ever tried it knows-and most of us have triedit at one time or another, particularly when wewere young and tender and had ourselves confused

The book can le d you long the straight ndn rrow .

with Superman-it is possible to violate the bookdeliberately and get away with it. Sometimes. Asevery two-time loser in the Big House would behappy to tell you, if you keep on breaking the rules,sooner or later the long arm of the law will put the

collar on you. Eventually you are sure to get all thetrouble you ve been asking for, with a lot morethrown in free of charge.

The book exists to keep a trained man in a hurryfrom the memory lapses anybody can have, particularly if he is under pressure. Who isn t these days?While we are talking about memory, it s possiblefor a man to acquire a set of memories which aren tso unless he has a reference in black and white toset him straight. I f you ve somehow become con-

NOVEMBER 1965

Look A book like a bra in

vinced that George Washington was a staunch supporter of George III or that Robert E Lee won the

battle of Gettysburg, you re going to have a toughtime passing a history quiz unless you dip into atextbook for a check.

The book is also protection against anotherhuman failing about as universal as the commoncold-the use of poor judgment. I f you happen tohave documentary proof that you are a reincarnation of King Solomon you are better off than therest of us. Even so, left to yourself, one of thesedays you are sure to make a faulty decision. Perhapsthe information you have to go on isn t as full asit should be. Just perhaps-and here is anothercommon human failing-you have developed anappreciation of your own abilities which is considerably higher than simple honesty would allow.I f you will give it a chance, the book can take yougently by the hand and lead you along the straightand narrow, to see that you stay on the path untilyou are home free without wandering off into quicksand on your own.

As everybody is also well aware, there is a lot ofquicksand around in Army Aviation. More is pilingup every day. Very few of us would like to go backto the horse and buggy era and tell Wilbur andOrville to drop the whole thing, even if we could.I t is true just the same that aviation has beengrowing more and more complicated and demanding ever since the first flight at Kitty Hawk.

The process hasn t stopped. Take the matter ofthe -10 on any modern aircraft, for instance. During World War II, the P-47 was one of the hottestand most sophisticated pieces of machinery in theskies. It had a handbook about the size of the telephone directory at Punkin Corner. Any respectableaircraft today would hang its head for shame if it

37


40/52

cr sh sense

came equipped with a handbook which could beloaded aboard without the aid of a forklift.

It all adds up to more information, rules, procedures, words of wisdom, and household hintsthan even Jojo, the two-headed boy in the sideshow,could be expected to keep on file in his memory forhandy reference.

The Book is the only answer.

Heavy GoingThe trouble is, it is not an answer everybody

listens to-not even veteran pilots and maintenance

: 1

The book s the only answer

38

men who have been around long enough to knowbetter. For one thing, no handbook is the kind ofreading you d want to take along on your vacationto dip into while you are lying in the hammockwith a tall glass of something cool. No producerhas ever seriously considered making one into agripping Hollywood epic starring Rock Hudson

and Sophia Loren. As far as plot and action areconcerned, a handbook ranks somewhere just belowthe annual report of the Black Angus Cattle Breeders Association. t is long, dull, complicated, andabou t as easy to find your way around in as thejungle in the back reaches of the Congo. I t is easyto avoid.

What happens all too often is that impatiencesets in. A mechanic servicing an aircraft begins tofall back on his memory, to tell himself he recallsa particular procedure because, whether or not heknows it, he wants to avoid the time and troubleof wading through a lot of fine print to make sure.This is the sort of thing which occasionally causespeople after their house has gone up in smoke towish they had read a little further down in thepolicy they bought from the slick-talking salesmanwho applied at the back door.

Or a pilot, pressed for time, fails to follow thepreflight the book calls for because he really thinkshe has it all down in his head. One example shouldsuffice for the thoughtful. A pilot, copilot, and fourpassengers were all killed in a Choctaw crash a yearor so ago when the automatic stabilization equipment engaged in flight while the ASE motor control

was in a ground test position, putting the aircraft ina nonrecoverable attitude. A simple check of thesort the book called for for th t kin of ircr ftwould have saved six lives.

Easily avoided? Sure. There is where the realtragedy lies. For one thing, in this particular accident, the pilot had not completed a proper preflight, which is just about rule one in any sensibleaviator s book. You can almost always pinpoint aspecific and easily avoidable cause for ny accidentwhich has happened because the book has beenoverlooked or, worse, deliberately avoided. When aSioux pilot fails to move his battery aft to compensate for a passenger, he is violating the bookand it should come as no surprise if his coptercomes to rest like a kneeling elephant. f a pilot failsto check his gross weight with his performancechart he is likely to end up with the sensation thathe is trying to fly Grant s Tomb. f a mechanic failsto torque a bolt properly, or skips an essential procedure, somebody is going to have to pay the piper.

And-provided he is still alive-there is always a



41/52

guilty party, some poor soul who has to face lifeknowing he caused a crash because he relied on hisfaulty memory or judgment to do something thebook would have told him was wrong.

It is not the sort of thing you like to have crowding in on you on nights you can t get to sleep.

oad to HellEverybody in Army Aviation-in fact, most peo

ple everywhere, with the exception of assorted confidence men who make a living separating little oldladies from their money-operate all the time withthe best of intentions. Good intentions by themselves are highly commendable when you are askingfor a young lady s hand in marriage, or volunteering t teach Sunday School. When it comes to flyingor servicing Army aircraft-or in any other phaseof Army Aviation-they don t quite fill the bill.By-guess-and-by-God methods done with the best

NOVEMBER 1965

f mechanic fails to torque a bolt properiyor skips an essential procedure somebodyis going to have to pay the piper

will in the world might have worked fine back inthe days of the covered wagon. In today s world,they are as dangerous s a brace of Bengal tigers.

People who operate in this well-meaning butunorganized fashion probabiy never really havegiven much thought to what the book really is.They would never consider trying to tie their shoelaces wi th a monkey wrench or opening a beerbottle with their teeth if there is an opener at hand.They ve known

since infancythat

a key ishighly

useful when you want to get in the house withoutbattering down the front door.

Yet these same people can fail to appreciate thatwhen all is said and done the book for any phase ofArmy Aviation s activities is a t to be used for aspecific purpose just lIke wrenches, bottle openersand keys. They will never become true book loversuntil they have absorbed the basics of bookmanship, that it fall