How A Helicopter Shot Down A Fighter Plane

The Only Helicopter to Take Down a Plane in the Vietnam War

During the Vietnam War, at a secret U.S. radar station known as “Lima Site 85,” an unexpected and bizarre aerial battle unfolded. Two American soldiers aboard a Bell UH-1 Huey helicopter found themselves in a dogfight with enemy biplanes—and managed to take one down. This remarkable event marked the only recorded instance of a helicopter shooting down an aircraft during the war.

Lima Site 85: A Critical Radar Station

In 1966, the U.S. Air Force and CIA selected a remote mountain near the Laos-Vietnam border to house a crucial radar facility for Operation Rolling Thunder. This site, known as Lima Site 85, or “Channel 97” to bomber crews, was essential for guiding U.S. airstrikes over North Vietnam. Despite Laos’s official neutrality, the station was covertly protected by a mix of CIA operatives, U.S. Air Force personnel, and Hmong fighters from the Secret Army.

The Antonov An-2: A Soviet-Designed Attack Biplane

The North Vietnamese Air Force used Antonov An-2 biplanes—originally designed by the Soviet Union for agricultural use but later modified for military operations. The An-2s were slow but highly durable, making them effective for low-altitude bombing missions. Armed with 57mm rockets and makeshift bombs, they were deployed in a surprise assault on Lima Site 85.

The Bell UH-1 Huey: A Versatile War Machine

On the American side, the Bell UH-1 Huey was the workhorse of the Vietnam War. Originally designed for medical evacuation and utility transport, the Huey evolved into a multi-role aircraft used for troop deployment, search and rescue, and air assaults. Its speed and maneuverability would soon prove crucial in one of the most unusual aerial engagements of the war.

The Unlikely Dogfight

On January 12, 1968, four North Vietnamese An-2s took off on a mission to destroy Lima Site 85’s radar installation. Two planes began dropping bombs while the other two circled overhead. However, a Thai mercenary stationed at the site returned fire, managing to shoot one An-2 out of the sky, causing the other three to panic and attempt to retreat.

At that moment, a Bell UH-1 Huey piloted by Captain Ted Moore, with crew chief Glenn Woods on board, was flying nearby on a routine supply run. Witnessing the attack, Moore made a split-second decision to pursue one of the retreating An-2s.

Knowing their Huey was faster than the sluggish biplane, they closed in. Woods, armed with an AK-47, leaned out of the helicopter and opened fire. The An-2 pilot, unaware of the approaching Huey due to limited visibility, was caught off guard. Woods’ shots struck the aircraft, sending it into a spiraling crash into the jungle below.

A One-of-a-Kind Victory

Moore and Woods’ remarkable feat—taking down a fixed-wing aircraft with a helicopter—remains a unique moment in military history. Their aerial victory stands as the only recorded instance of a helicopter shooting down an airplane during the Vietnam War.

While Lima Site 85 was eventually overrun by North Vietnamese forces weeks later, this extraordinary encounter became a legendary chapter in the war, showcasing the ingenuity and bravery of American pilots and crewmen under fire.