The Day an Iroquois Killed a Colt

[Subdeacon Joe]

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/incredible-story-air-america-uh-1d-huey-shot-north-vietnamese-2-colt-biplane/

 

"According to Pence “The NVNAF armed the AN-2s with a 12 shot 57mm folding fin aerial rocket pod under each lower wing, and 20 250mm mortar rounds with aerial bomb fuses set in vertical tubes let into the floor of the aircraft cargo bay.” These were dropped through holes cut in the cargo bay floor. Simple hinged bomb-bay doors closed these holes in flight and the pilot could salvo his bomb load by opening these doors.

This unusual strike package was formed by two AN-2s performing the attack role while one more Colt directed the strike acting as chase plane. The first AN-2 attacked the Air America infrastructures, but a Thai mercenary shot it down with his AK-47. After the first Colt crashed, the second one turned home heading towards north, but was intercepted by the unarmed Air America UH-1D Huey helicopter stationed at the radar site. As reported by the CIA website the helicopter, flown by Capt. Ted Moore with Glenn Woods as crewman, reached the AN-2 few miles inside North Vietnam unseen by the Colt pilot, then Moore flew over the AN-2 and the helicopter’s down-washed stalled out the upper wing of the aircraft. The pilot of the biplane was forced to reduce the speed and Woods fired an AK-47 rifle at the cockpit of the Colt which went into a flat spin and crashed.

This engagement marked the first CIA air-to-air victory and the only kill achieved by a helicopter against a biplane."