Combat Tactics

[J7G]

Hey guys,

 

So even though we're all learning the helo still, let's talk about some tactics. What, in your opinion, is the most effective approach? Do you run level with the target, do you dive on it, what's your favourite? And does anyone know what the old RAAF lads used to do (since that seems to be the weapons system it's based on)?

[skouras]

shooting and brake right me and my wingman in a tail formation is the one that i love most

i doesnt have any problem with the chopper to handle it

it fly super

[Grenadey]

Dive on target for a rocket run, break left (remembering to never overfly anything that still lives), figure of 8 at low level, high speed, then pop up, dive with guns, break right etc. etc. until everything is dead.

 

Then overfly the target in slo-mo chucking an orange smoke can out the windows whilst muttering, 'Shit..... still only Saigon'.

[Sundowner.pl]

Hey guys,

 

So even though we're all learning the helo still, let's talk about some tactics. What, in your opinion, is the most effective approach? Do you run level with the target, do you dive on it, what's your favourite? And does anyone know what the old RAAF lads used to do (since that seems to be the weapons system it's based on)?

1000ft agl, 80 kts, dive for target 5-10° nose-down and squeeze of few pairs of rockets and maybe a minigun burst before you reach Vne. Level off, bank, climbing turn into the racetrack pattern to repeat. Basically that's how it was done in the old days... and still works, if nothing big is shooting at you.

 

On the UH-1Bs the initial speed was 60kts, because of the much lower Vne of 110kts.

 

Go here, to read how this worked in the Mekong Delta:

http://www.seawolf.org/stories/scrmbl15.asp

[Pikey]

Great link, thanks for sharing!

[J7G]

1000ft agl, 80 kts, dive for target 5-10° nose-down and squeeze of few pairs of rockets and maybe a minigun burst before you reach Vne. Level off, bank, climbing turn into the racetrack pattern to repeat. Basically that's how it was done in the old days... and still works, if nothing big is shooting at you.

 

On the UH-1Bs the initial speed was 60kts, because of the much lower Vne of 110kts.

 

Go here, to read how this worked in the Mekong Delta:

http://www.seawolf.org/stories/scrmbl15.asp

 

Fantastic, that's a great post. Thank you very much! :thumbup:

[wess24m]

I'm reading "Chickenhawk" but at this point in the book he's still flying slicks. Will be interesting if/when he transitions to the gunships, I'll share anything I learn but i've been using (mentioned above) the racetrack pattern, ingress at high speed, break off before over flying the target egress, rinse and repeat.

[Sundowner.pl]

Sorry to disappoint you, but Robert Mason didn't fly gunships in Vietnam - as he wrote, he should because of his build, but didn't. He flown slicks the whole tour.

 

For gunship fix read all of the Tom Phillips "Scramble Seawolves!" articles:

http://www.seawolf.org/stories/scramble.asp

 

He's a great guy and can write too ("Leave No Man Behind: The Saga of Combat Search and Rescue" might interest some people here).

 

Plus other articles and stories on the HA(L)-3 website:

http://www.seawolf.org/stories/warstories.asp

[wess24m]

Sorry to disappoint you, but Robert Mason didn't fly gunships in Vietnam - as he wrote, he should because of his build, but didn't. He flown slicks the whole tour.

 

For gunship fix read all of the Tom Phillips "Scramble Seawolves!" articles:

http://www.seawolf.org/stories/scramble.asp

 

He's a great guy and can write too ("Leave No Man Behind: The Saga of Combat Search and Rescue" might interest some people here).

 

Plus other articles and stories on the HA(L)-3 website:

http://www.seawolf.org/stories/warstories.asp

 

Thanks