Light Observation Helicopter

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A U.S. Army program that developed and fielded several small helicopters primarily used for "scout" observation missions.

Several varions were the YOH-3, YOH-4 spawning the OH-58, YOH-5 and the OH-6.

In 1960, the United States Army issued Technical Specification 153 for a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) capable of fulfilling various roles: personnel transport, escort and attack missions, casualty evacuation and observation. Following that in October 1961, the Army submitted a request for proposals (RFP) for the LOH. 13 manufacturers, including Hughes Tool Co. Aircraft Division, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell Helicopters, entered the competition.^[1] Bell submitted their design for model 206, which was selected out of the design phase of the Navy-run competition by the Army^[2] and designated as the YHO-4A. Bell produced 5 prototype aircraft in 1962 to submit to the Army for the Test and Evaluation phase. That same year, all aircraft began to be designated according to the new Joint Services designation system, so the prototype aircraft were redesignated as YOH-4A. .^[3][4] Hughes Tool Company's Aircraft Division submitted the Model 369 which became YOH-6. During the testing phase, the test pilots complained about the YOH-4 being underpowered (it used the 250 shaft horsepower T63-A-5). An issue that apparently knocked it out of the running, because when the winners were announced to progress on to the final selection phase, Hughes OH-6 was selected.

In 1967, the Army reopened the LOH competition for bids and Bell resubmitted for the program using their model 206A design. Fairchild-Hiller failed to resubmit their bid with the YOH-5A, which they had successfully marketed as the FH-1100.^[5] In the end, Bell won the contract and the model 206A was designated as the OH-58A. Following the U.S.Army's naming convention for helicopters, the OH-58A was named Kiowa in honor of the Native American tribe.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

1. ^ Steve Remington. The Cessna CH-1 Helicopter. CollectAir (commercemarketplace.com).
2. ^ George A. Spangenberg. "George A. Spangenberg Oral History".
3. ^ Robert Beechy (18 November 2005). U.S Army Aircraft Acquisition Programs. Uncommon Aircraft 2006.
4. ^ Rotary Aircraft Designation Crosswalk. GlobalSecurity.org.
5. ^ Michael J. Hirschberg and David K. Daley (7 July 2000). US and Russian Helicopter Development In the 20th Century.