Hughes OH-6 Cayuse

Benabo_HELIVR · February 27, 2026, 9:51pm

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Hughes OH-6 Cayuse

Hey everyone! I’d like to suggest the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse. It is a fast, agile scout helicopter that played a key role druing USAs invasion of Vietnam.

History

To begin with, The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light observation and utility helicopter born during the 1960s from the U.S Army Technical Specification 153. Designed to meet U.S Army requirements for a nimble scout aircraft, it entered service in 1966 and quickly proved its worth druing the Vietnam war as a fast, agile recon aicraft.

The OH-6 Cayuse was know for its compact teardrop-shaped fuselage (Model 369), excellent maneuverability, and ability to operate close to the ground in hostile environments. It often flew alongside the AH-1G Cobras and UH-1 Hueys in what was know as “hunter-killer” teams. The Cayuse would zip low over the jungel, spotting enemy positions by throwing colored smoke and sometimes drawing fire to expose hidden threats. Once the targets were marked, the Cobras would strike, while Hueys handled troop movement and support.

Despite its agility, the OH-6 was frequently targeted by ground fire due to its low-alltitude missions. However, thanks to its tough design, crews often survived shootdowns, which contributed its reputation for toughness and led to high production nubmers as over 1,400 units were built.

Specifications & Armament

Specifications

Range, Fuel and Cosumption
Range: 610 kilometers
Ferry Range: 2508 kilometers
Climb rate: 630,02 meters
Ceiling: 4815,84 meters

Power Plant
Engines: 1 Tubroshaft Engine
Engide details: Allison T63-A-5A Turboshaft
Horsepower (HP): 317 hp

Preformance
Cruising speed: 130 knots (241 km/h)

Exterior Dimensions
Exterior length: 9,40 meters
Fuselage diameter: 1,45 meters
Wing span: 8,03 meters

Interior dimensions
Crew: 2 (plus up to 4 passangers or 1000lb cargo)
Cabin height: 1,50 meters
Cabin Width: 1,30 meters
Cabin length: 2,40 meters

Weights and Distance
Empty Weight: 524kg
max.Takeoff Weight: 1225 kg

Armaments

Stub wings/pylons (both sides):

M260 2.75-in Hydra 70 rocket pods (7 or 12 each)

XM27 mounting and control system (port side):

M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pod

XM8 mounting and control system (port side)

M75 40-mm grenade launcher

Pictures

Close up picture M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pod

Close up picture of the XM8 grenade launcher

Enemy ground fire forced the Charlie troop third Squadron 17th air Cavalry into a tree. Despite damage, the ship brought the pilot and crew back saftley