Attack Chopper Development

[Elvis]

The "Best Attack Chopper" thread has me wondering if anyone's ever tried developing a small attack chopper.
...and by "small" I mean really tiny!
I remember back in the 70's, there was a popular kit that I believe was called a "Scorpion".
From what I remember, it was pretty slick looking little unit and pretty small.
I would think if you slimmed something around that size, or smaller, down, so it was only "1-person wide", and beef up the frame a little to handle the added weight of ammo stores hanging off the sides and a 7.62 mini gun hung on a swivel under the nose, ala Cobra, it might be a pretty effective unit.
Power it with one or two small gas turbine(s).
I would think it would be stealthier and harder to physically see, just based on its size alone.
Could double as small fast scout 'copter with the ability to lay down munitions as well.
Maybe the "munitions pods" could fold up inside the 'coptor (think "gull wing door"-type mechanism, but upside down).

Maybe this has already been tried?





Elvis

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I believe the problem with trying something small like that is that you dont have the power or the available space to install the required Avionics and Equipment to be an effective "Attack" aircraft.

You can build a "small" scout aircraft and it will be just fine such as the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, but that is allready pushing the limit because it is weighted down so much.

 

[SoD Stitch]

How about the Autogyro from James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice"?
From the MI6 website (http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/q-branch/littlenellie.php3):

"A small one-seater autogiro, just 9.5 feet in length, a weight of 250 pounds with a top speed of 160 km/h. It's maximum altitude was 18,000 feet, perfect for recon missions."

It comes with:

Dual, synchronized machine guns
Left and right forward firing rocket launchers
Rear firing dual flame throwers with an 80 yard range
Dual smoke screen dispensers
ATA heat seeking missiles
Aerial mines, to be dropped from above the victim.

 

[Graeme]

Agusta had mild success with their A 106 anti-submarine helicopter. A single seater, it was capable of carrying two Mk 44 homing torpedoes or ten depth charges. There was a proposed attack version that was intended to carry two 0.3in mgs and ten 3.15in rockets...



Agusta A.106 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Even smaller (but operated by remote control) was the Gyrodyne QH-50, also capable of carrying two torpedoes. The middle photo sports a 'check' pilot...



Gyrodyne QH-50 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[comiso90]

How embarrassing it would be for the Captain of a modern, massive "Boomer" to be taken out by something that looks like it was built on a couple weekends in someones shed.

At least there is some honor in being sunk by a P3 Orion or a Frigate

 

[Elvis]

Good points, gentlemen.
(especially you, Cosimos! )

Thanks for your input.

...btw, Sod Stitch, you forgot to list Japanese Co-Secret Agent.




Elvis

 

[HoHun]

Hi Stitch,

>How about the Autogyro from James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice"?

The German magazine Jet + Prop related that when this autogyro was demonstrated at an airshow in Germany, Adolph Galland commented "500 of these, and we'd have won the war!"

(Obviously, he was making fun of the reception his statement about the necessity of creating a jet fighter force had received, to the tenor of "500 jets and we'd have won the war" - which he actually never wrote.)

>Dual, synchronized machine guns

Why synchronized?

With regard to small attack helicopters, the Bundeswehr fielded the MBB Bo 105 "Panzerabwehrhubschrauber" (anti-tank helicopter):

Image:Bolkow Bo 105 1.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(The "tubes" in the German colours are the HOT anti-tank missile launchers

I'm not sure about the definition of an attack helicopter, but the harmless-looking Bo 105 would have had to take on the Warsaw Pact's tank spearheads in a Third World War, so I guess it was in that business.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

 

[Matt308]

I'm not so sure about "harmless looking". the Bo 105 looks quite menacing to me.

 

[magnocain]

What about this?

Attack VTOL-14
Production information
Model

Attack VTOL-14
Class

* VTOL
* Aerial support vehicle[1]

Technical specifications
Slipspace Drive

None
Shielding

None
Armament

* Class-2 Guided Munition Launch System (2)
* Tri-barreled chain-gun (2)

Crew

* Pilot (1)

Passengers

* Two passengers (optional)

Usage
Year introduced

2524
Role(s)

* Close Air Support
* Light Troop Transport

Era(s)

Human-Covenant War
Affiliation

United Nations Space Command

 

[vljunkie]

Well, the best was NOT the Cobra. While a good airframe, it was limited to 10,000 lb (Army version). The last versions (F model) sat on the pad fully fueled weighed in at 9500 lbs plus with NO ammunition or TOW anti-tank rockets. Missions had to be tailored to fuel requirements. I flew them for several years. Loved them but knew they were limited. CW4 retired

 

[Elvis]

Why would anyone design something like that?
That would mean it had enough fuel to complete a mission it could never perform for lack of munitions.

...puzzling.




Elvis

 

[HealzDevo]

I think that is the problem with designing them small that there is a big trade-off between weapons and protection and fuel capacity. Obviously you want it to be able to fly a decent period of time as well as have the ammunition to do something decent when it does get to the target and that is why the Kiowa Warrior is more a scout aircraft. It can be brought down easily and it doesn't have that much stowage capacity for attack provisions.