nik mond Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 too funny watching how unsuccessful using helicopters in the demo is. A rocket actually pecked one while it was in the air and down it came. They are done well, physics and model wise, but it is Korea and heliborne assaults were probably not even a concept. Still I always choose them cause they are just so darn fun to scoot troops around in this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Heliborne assaults actually got their start in Korea, but in a very limited manner - and "deployment" is probably a more accurate term than "assault" in this case. Nothing like their use in Vietnam. The first heliborne assault/deployment was Operation Summit on September 20, 1951 when a company of 224 Marines of the 1st Marine Division's Reconnaissance Company were airlifted by 12 Sikorsky S-55/HRS-1's (the helicopter in TOW 3 Korea) of Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 161 (HMR-161). They landed on Hill 884 in the "Punchbowl" area in eastern Korea. Larger lifts were done too, such as Operation Bumblebee on October 11, 1951 where HMR-161 lifted the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines and its equipment (about 958 men and supplies). Since it was only one squadron, it was a lot of back and forth ferrying and nothing like the 'assualts' of Vietnam. The helicopter's role during Korea was primarily medevac, logistical support, observation and the occasional troop movement in some operations. So heliborne "assault" had some of its genesis in Korea. However the experience in Vietnam was to truly develop the doctrine of actual heliborne assaults and their limitations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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