I have a host of questions about the Boeing/McDonnell Douglas Helicopters ‘Little Bird’ family, and hope that someone here may be able to help with answers to some of them.
None of these questions (except one about what colour they're painted!) relate to the current model (the A/MH-6M MELB), in service today.
None of my questions is intended to elicit any response that could compromise the legitimate security of current operations - nor are they intended to encourage anyone to say anything about the current platform that isn't in the public domain already.
I am primarily trying to get the story straight about variants that have not existed for the last ten or twelve years (all of the MH-6E/H and AH-6F/G were converted to J standards from 1993-1996) and this could not possibly represent any kind of threat to legitimate security considerations or concerns today.
Interestingly, in the more enlightened post-Cold War world, much more is known about the A/MH-6J and A/MH-6M than was ever known about the MH-6B, for example.
1) When were the last MH-6Bs/AH-6Cs withdrawn from frontline service with the 160th?
2) When was the last MH-6C withdrawn from use for training?
3) When did the 245th operate Little Birds? Did the unit use only the ‘V-tailed’ early variants (MH-6B. AH-6C)? When did Little Bird operations cease with the unit?
4) What was the role of the EH-6B and EH-6E, and why were the aircraft so quickly converted to MH-6 standards?
5) What was the difference between the MH-6E and the MH-6H and between the AH-6F and AH-6G? More than just the engine?
6) Which versions had the shrouded, side-mounted engine exhausts? MH-6E, AH-6F, AH-6G and MH-6H?
7) Did any MH/AH-6 versions ever fly with the ‘pointed’ increased area nose glazing?
8) How many H-6s were converted to NOTAR configuration (from which version? which serials?) and when were they converted back to standard fit? What designation would the NOTAR version have used?
9) What were the H-6K and H-6L?
10) Was the H-6J the first version with the five-bladed main rotor, or did the MH-6H also have a five blade rotor? Or the AH-6G?
11) If the AH-6G and MH-6H had the 650-shp Rolls Royce Allison 250-C30 engine and five bladed main rotor what are the external differences between the AH-6G and AH-6J and between the MH-6H and MH-6J?
12) What did the successive different antenna fits on the spine/tailboom of the H-6 denote?
a) Hockey stick antenna above, whip under boom
B) Broad chord blade antennas on upper fuselage beside rotor pylon, Forward swept broad chord blade antenna on spine
c) Broad chord blade antennas on upper fuselage beside rotor pylon, X-section antenna array on spine
13) When did the Little Birds go from olive drab to black? Are all of them black now?
14) Which version of the H-6 family introduced the SATCOM, FM, UHF, VHF, and Motorola Saber?
15) Which version of the H-6 family introduced the AN/APR-39 RWR
16) Does anyone have an accurate list of serial numbers – I seem to have serials for 38 ‘first generation’ V-tailed ‘Little Birds’ and for 64 ‘second generation’ T-tailed ‘Little Birds’. The latter seems a little high.
I have lengthy notes which I’d be glad to post (but they are long and dull!) or provide by PM if anyone thinks they could add details.
None of these questions (except one about what colour they're painted!) relate to the current model (the A/MH-6M MELB), in service today.
None of my questions is intended to elicit any response that could compromise the legitimate security of current operations - nor are they intended to encourage anyone to say anything about the current platform that isn't in the public domain already.
I am primarily trying to get the story straight about variants that have not existed for the last ten or twelve years (all of the MH-6E/H and AH-6F/G were converted to J standards from 1993-1996) and this could not possibly represent any kind of threat to legitimate security considerations or concerns today.
Interestingly, in the more enlightened post-Cold War world, much more is known about the A/MH-6J and A/MH-6M than was ever known about the MH-6B, for example.
1) When were the last MH-6Bs/AH-6Cs withdrawn from frontline service with the 160th?
2) When was the last MH-6C withdrawn from use for training?
3) When did the 245th operate Little Birds? Did the unit use only the ‘V-tailed’ early variants (MH-6B. AH-6C)? When did Little Bird operations cease with the unit?
4) What was the role of the EH-6B and EH-6E, and why were the aircraft so quickly converted to MH-6 standards?
5) What was the difference between the MH-6E and the MH-6H and between the AH-6F and AH-6G? More than just the engine?
6) Which versions had the shrouded, side-mounted engine exhausts? MH-6E, AH-6F, AH-6G and MH-6H?
7) Did any MH/AH-6 versions ever fly with the ‘pointed’ increased area nose glazing?
8) How many H-6s were converted to NOTAR configuration (from which version? which serials?) and when were they converted back to standard fit? What designation would the NOTAR version have used?
9) What were the H-6K and H-6L?
10) Was the H-6J the first version with the five-bladed main rotor, or did the MH-6H also have a five blade rotor? Or the AH-6G?
11) If the AH-6G and MH-6H had the 650-shp Rolls Royce Allison 250-C30 engine and five bladed main rotor what are the external differences between the AH-6G and AH-6J and between the MH-6H and MH-6J?
12) What did the successive different antenna fits on the spine/tailboom of the H-6 denote?
a) Hockey stick antenna above, whip under boom
B) Broad chord blade antennas on upper fuselage beside rotor pylon, Forward swept broad chord blade antenna on spine
c) Broad chord blade antennas on upper fuselage beside rotor pylon, X-section antenna array on spine
13) When did the Little Birds go from olive drab to black? Are all of them black now?
14) Which version of the H-6 family introduced the SATCOM, FM, UHF, VHF, and Motorola Saber?
15) Which version of the H-6 family introduced the AN/APR-39 RWR
16) Does anyone have an accurate list of serial numbers – I seem to have serials for 38 ‘first generation’ V-tailed ‘Little Birds’ and for 64 ‘second generation’ T-tailed ‘Little Birds’. The latter seems a little high.
I have lengthy notes which I’d be glad to post (but they are long and dull!) or provide by PM if anyone thinks they could add details.
