Iraq 2004. We were a very small convoy. Two LAVs and two uparmoured landcruisers. A very long story short we ended up somewhere we probably shouldn't have been inside fkn sadr city. Tension was getting really fucking high. Looking back I think the only reason we hadn't got lit up and likely overrun is because the bad guys were so fkn surprised and shocked that we were that far in, they just hadn't planned for it. Lots of movement, I'm literally seeing rpk barrels peaking over the top of the buildings towering above us, and civilians eventually start leaving. We didn't call for them, but out of nowhere two of these Kiowas must have just been on patrol and saw us. They started a bunch of kick ass show of force flights dropping flares right above us. Followed us out of the city and then gave us an escort at antenna top height all the way back to the green zone. I had a raging battle fat the entire time. No idea who those guys were (we tried to find out but got nowhere) but I have no doubt you saved lives that day. Probably mine. Absolute legends.
There’s a mentality that was beat into Kiowa Warrior pilots from flight school until they retired the airframe. In our community, the ground forces came first. We would put our selves at risk no matter what the threat was to make sure the boots on the ground accomplished their missions and got back to the FOBs safely whenever possible. We constantly shopped for work after our planned missions were done because we had more time to support during our duty days. It’s something I really appreciate now that I fly different airframes. That mentality, passing it along to the younger generation. It meant everything to us, and hearing these kids of stories reinforces it even more!
Arghandab River Valley 1-17 INF (5-2 SBCT) 09-10, supported/ protected by 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd CAB. Call Sign Shamus. In case you didn't know, we grunts loved and respected our Kiowa pilots and swore ya'll were heaven sent. We had a Lt. who had stepped on a buried pressure plate and was in a bad way. After a delay in a Medavac, "Shamus" landed their bird and the co-pilot got out and strapped the Lt. in, inorder to evac him and was ready to spend the night with the grunts in valley. Luckily the blackhawk arrived just about then and the co-pilot was able to jump back in. In another incident I recall we had been in sustained contact for hours and "Shamus" had run both their rockets and guns dry. We were still taking pretty good small arms fire from a compound when we look up to see a Kiowa circiling the compound and one of the pilots hanging out the door pumping 5.56 down on the enemy. Im sure they could hear our cheers. Kiowas, the last true cowboys/cowgirls.
I'm am glad that people enjoy seeing this. making this video was really and attempt at preserving the amazing capability that this tiny helicopter really provided those guys on the ground. We did what we did for you! Nothing more, nothing less. You had the hard job, we just wanted to make sure you got home at the end of the day. SCOUTS OUT, AIR CAV!
Thanks guys. I was in Iraq in 04 my first tour and I remember some forward route recon was done for us by Kiowas while my unit was pushing north. Truly appreciate it. Semper Fi.
I was in a Stryker brigade in the arghandab in 2013. We were doing a clearing operation on a small abandoned village near FOB Frontenac when two Kiowas came on station and asked if we wanted some air cover. My Stryker was on a hill overlooking the village and those two kiowas buzzed us several times like 20ft above our truck. It was awesome! We hit them up on the BFT telling them thanks for the show. They hit us back a few hours later “we aim to please” 😂🤘🏼
@@jaybird3310 I wish I could remember. Bandit sounds right but I can’t be sure. Thanks for watching our backs out there! If you get In contact with one of your old buddies that remembers thanking us on the BFT, that would be wild! I tell that story often
I helped unload x2 Kiowas from a transport aircraft in the ME. Some buddies and myself befriended the crews and had a few good nights with them before we had to move on. A week later the same crews were sent to support us and most def. saved us in a valley outside Hejran. I can not describe the view we had seeing them soar over the hills guns blazing! Heroes, every single one of them.
12,000plus combat hours supporting 2 ACR convoys and killing bad guys. 27 AH-64's in RC South all broke for 3 weeks and 15 OH-58's held all CAS for RC South. Brigade reported 1-6 cav flying hours as percentage to stop embarrassing the 64's The greatest time I ever had being the night TI for countless PMS's and crazy maintenance during this rotation and miss every single bit of it. Great pilots to come back home to watch some get handed pink slips and watch good people go to waste for ARI. That squadron ball was sad but a blast when we got home. The best time I had in the Cav was during this rotation with only those people when the rest of the squadron left us with TF Gunfighter. This took me back....way back. My Chinook chiefs will never understand what it was like being a 15S during these times. I'd go back and relive it if I could.
I couldn’t of said it any better. This was the time that will stick with me the most memorable. Those who kept us flying, the pilots, and everyone attached to 1-6 there were true pros and great people to work with.
For some reason this just popped up on recommendation and I love it. All of my pictures/video were lot when my laptop was stolen after coming home from deployment so it is always great to see these. Same place even.
Just saw this video as well. If we only had GoPros 16 years ago, we would probably have got you guys a lot more quality video . I'm still flying in the region, but I miss my Kiowa Warrior.
I'm am glad that people enjoy seeing this. making this video was really and attempt at preserving the amazing capability that this tiny helicopter really provided those guys on the ground. We did what we did for you! Nothing more, nothing less. You had the hard job, we just wanted to make sure you got home at the end of the day. SCOUTS OUT, AIR CAV!
Unfortunately the Army isn’t using them at all now. We flew the last ones to the boneyard in 2015. Any Kiowas still flying belong to Taiwan, Croatia, Tunisia, or Greece. They purchased them after we retired them. Sad sad days.
I deployed with this unit I was Charlie troop! 1-6 Aircav!!!!!! Good ol days! I Just don’t miss the poo pond lol! And yup seeing those pilots at the chow hall really brought back memories!
I’ve got so much stuff that’ll be getting posted so hopefully it’ll keep her alive for ever! Plus, all the DCS releases coming for the OH58D has a lot of people re-visiting a lot of the vids!
Awesome video! Looks like a lot of living packed into a short period. Love the smokes and carbine stashed on the panel. It's a reminder that you are never too far from being touched, yourself.
2007 near Taji and 2008 near Sumerall, I was in B 4/9 IN and we were supported by 4/6 Air Cav a few times. Once near Taji, we had an MGS destroyed by a deep bury. The building nearby started opening up and some Kiowas came in and blasted the building with 2.75s and .50 cal. It was awesome watching it under NODs. Later, near Sumerall, we had a bongo take off after shooting at us. It may have got away from our Strykers, but it got blasted by another 4/6 Air Cav Kiowa. I think the pilot was Ms. Crandall. After the deployment, my buddy ended up dating one of the ATCs. We ended up getting invited to the 2008 ball. I was the only PFC Infantryman there and I got a photo with a few of the pilots, including Ms. Crandall.
Cool video! I remember you guys with the Kiowas without doors :) I flew dutch Chinooks out of Kaf on 4 tours between '05 and '10. Nice seeing some of the landmarks again, thanks!
John Van Dyke I was an IP in A/C Kiowas at flight school while I waited to transition to the AH64 when ARI happened and the Kiowa warrior was retired. The A\C Kiowa is what sold me on the D model when I went through Basic Warfighter Skills. She was a blast as well to fly.
Man what I would have DONE to fly the Kiowa! Guess the Apache will have to do 😆 Just 2 years till I can join up Looks like you had lots of fun over there man; thanks for your service
It was a real pleasure. The KW was a great platform to work with during GWOT. Crazy reliable, easy to maintain(thanks to amazing maintainers), and as close to Vietnam style flying as we could get. But the Apache is a great bird too. I was pleasantly surprised with how agile it is even with the size difference. And there is nothing quite like pulling the trigger and feeling the cannon firing rounds down range underneath your seat. Appreciate the support!
Used to see you guys flying everyday at KAF. Great to chat to you :-) We were the Brits driving the open top Jackals around :-) Great video thank you very much.
@@jaybird3310 And we loved yours, the one opposite the JDOC was my favourite. We tried to go to a different one every day. Great times. In a strange way i miss it :-)
I agree! It a a place I never thought I’d miss but yet I do. Probably more the bonds with the people we fought aided by side with. Did you ever do the Far East DFAC that has the stir fried rice for dinner? Yummm
@@jaybird3310 Glad to hear that the Army upgraded their chow. I used to be ecstatic if I could get my hands on a can of C-Rats beanie wienies, or a can of fruit cocktail. Love the video, BTW. Low level flying was definitely a lot of fun.
My dad was a CW2 and used to pilot one of these and I remember when i was about 5 or 6 years old he let me sit in the cockpit of his OH-58D Kiowa. This was back in like ‘07 or ‘08.
That’s cool that you got to do that. My 8yo has been in the cockpit of these and the OH58-A/C but now he prefers to go to the AH64 Simulator with dad and shoot things lol
The infantry of of the air.. My buddy left the air force to join the Army to fly Kiowas. Talking about flying low enough to be shooting with an M4 out the side of the pilot seat. Crazy fuckers
What a view! Amazing weapons platform ...amazing pilots is an understatement. Trained with you guys on the ground ,503rd light infantry Korea early 2000’s. My dream helicopter... wished I was carving through the mountains with ya. “Fighting sixth” you guys rock 🇺🇸
If it wasn't for my bad eye sight, I would have tried my heart out to get into the cockpit of these ugly angels. Continue giving hope to the soldiers on the ground brave pilots.
sempermilites87 we miss flying her every day. Apaches are cool but they just aren’t the same. Hopefully the Greeks and Croatians can continue her proud legacy!!!
3:11 - those hooks in the center of the windscreen - I have the same exact ones in some old surplus post office lockers at home. Damn good universal hooks, lol
Im a Y/J, seeing this vid makes me miss working and loading the 58 way more than I should. It was such a good acft, and reliable. Great vid! Btw, we replaced you guys in 14. Small world lol
Boonie And The Yank there isn’t an actual sight per say. There was symbology on the weapons page however too look down and line it all up when you’re flying meant you weren’t looking outside. Pretty difficult to ensure you’re pulling up while in a dive if you’re focused on getting symbology correct on a page instead of having it right up on the windscreen.
I really like the Kiowa. Advanced recon pod able to lase targets for other aircraft or it's own guided weapons. For everything else there's a dot of grease on the windscreen XD Does make sense though. More crap ip front the less you can actually see, which is the whole point...
I see that grease pencil on the window in some of these! You guys would zero over at Sabre range before coming onto station when I was in northern Iraq. Love these birds
It wasn’t always the easiest way to get the job done, but once you figured out your mark, it was pretty impressive how accurate some of the pilots would be.
Only one I’m willing to discuss is one time a newer pilot in command I was flying with got target fixated and while in a dive, I had to smack his chest hard, to get him to pull up before we became one with the ground. Recovered around 5-10 feet. I may or may not of also had a major electrical fire that forced me to land and get picked up by a SOF team in AFG as well.
More views inbound - the DCS flight sim is getting this helicopter soon. Very cool aircraft that will be cool to have in a sort of hands-on museum for us flight sim geeks.
@@jaybird3310 Yes sir! Absolutely inspired by your videos! I’m a civilian commercial helicopter pilot, trying to go to national guard to become an Army Aviator.
@jaybird3310 I was there in 2013, the base was pretty much empty back then as we were closing up shop. As far as bases went there, that one was one of my favorites. Got to hang with the Aussies all day. Always cool to see shit online about it.
Yeah this was one of the last months before it was basically abandoned. We would run up there occasionally and get fuel and food if we were In the AO, but once it was gone, FOB Apache was about as far as we’d run to the north.
i wanted to fly these so bad in highschool then they retired them... next best thing was the littlebirds... ended up getting a job where i fly in them and check powerlines.. haha but its no where near what yall were doing over there. flying with the doors off is fun though.
very nice video !! .. I'm curious, what is a = b? ..(If you can tell). I'm a Md 500 pilot in the Argentine air force. I used to write a codeword on the windshield, frequencies or callsign .. congratulations for the experiences that are seen in the video.
@@jaybird3310 thanks for your answer! never drop a grenade from a helicopter. being in Antarctica with a bell 212 almost pointed a lz in the snow throwing one ... but finally it was not necessary. Is there any risk of hitting the TR with the lever? regards!
@jaybird3310 what troop and pilots was it ? I was 1 of the Infantrymen that stopped the assault element at the breach. To make things more weird I was your tech supply with SPC Sims . I had reclassed to Infantry during my deployment in Iraq back in 2010-11. I know weird coincidence. It even surprised me giving the fact that I hated 1-6 CAV .
