A Boeing-Vertol design study from October 1972 for the US Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois (just about my home town). The idea was to strap an XM204 105 mm “soft recoil” howitzer to either side of a CH-47C Chinook helicopter. This was not for the purpose of transporting the weapons from place to place, but to actually use them in an air-to-ground “lay down some whoopass” role. A nine man gun crew and 96 rounds of ammo would be carried. Mission radius was 100 n.mi.
The helicopter could be used in two ways:
1) Land, and fire the right-hand gun. A special platform was built for the weapon for crew servicing while on the ground. The left-hand weapon was a complete field piece, and was meant to be easily removed and located for firing.
2) Fire while in flight. As reported:
both XM204 soft-recoil howitzers are
mounted for forward direct air-to-ground firing with automatic
ammunition-loading mechanisms provided for rapid firing (30
rounds per minute each). The copilot is provided with a
simple, fixed, depressible-reticle sight and laser rangefinder
for aiming the helicopter/gun system for firing in this mode.
Preflight adjustments of the howitzer elevation settings will
allow for aiming the weapons with the helicopter at various
airspeeds, rates of climb, and heights above the target.
Yow.
Sadly, the illustrations are of suck quality, but they get the idea across.
4 Responses to “Gun, guns, *holy crap* helicopter artillery”
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So Ontos
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-armour/allied/ontos.htm
by land, this damn thing (and Spooky — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73SciCMf9Rw) by air…what’s the Vietnam-era equivalent of heavy-weight whoopass by sea? The New Jersey I guess…any other candidates?
(though of course the B-52 — too high to be seen or heard, whose moonscape-making craters just start forming all of sudden without warning, deserves respect too)
Where can I get one?
Who you want to us it on?
> Who you want to us it on?
Given the date (1972), it was clearly meant for use in Viet Nam. Of course, had the Soviets been mired in a war in the Urals, they would not have been able to support the ChiComs, would would not have been able to support the North Korean Commies, and Ho Chi Minh would have likely remained a minor local historical footnote, and thus this helicopter would not have had any particualr need.
Ah, but a hundred million dead or so… well, so long as they are *brown* *people,* I guess that’s ok, so long as the Europeans are safe!