How about a tilt rotor attack helicopter?

Imagine combining the capabilities of the Apache with the Osprey. This aircraft has the range and speed to provide air support for the troops on the ground. Instead of pilots sitting side by side, the cockpit would be front and back for pilot and gunner like the Apache attack helo. Thought it might be interesting concept with the introduction of tilt rotor technology. Problem is where the weapons going to fit in with the rotor blades in the way. Any suggestion where those weapons should be fitted or how to deal with the rotor blades situation?

Wish I knew how to photoshop, but this the best I can do in giving the perspective as to what the attack tilt rotor should look like.

Why not just retrofit an Osprey? I know it wasn't designed for that, but there is a precedent. C-130s were originally used for transport were they not?\

As for where they could fit, the belly is a good place is it not? Oh yeah, it's gotta land. Scratch that idea.

[edit on 26-3-2007 by sardion2000]

Sort of like an AC-22 eh? You could arm the thing to the teeth, but Its still vulenrable to a 12 year old with an RPG. Rotary wing aircraft are delicate. The US Army's use of the Apaches as frontline instruments of war in Iraq was a total disaster. The Osprey is even bigger and slower in transition that a conventional chopter.

I don't know how manueverable the tiltrotors are then they're transitioning from horizontal to vertical. I suspect they're too vulnerable while they're in vertical flight to be effective as an attack platform.

There was a book by Dale Brown where they armed the Ospreys. They had a Vulcan on one side, and missiles on the other. They could retract into the cabin for reloading, then extend out to fire.

What a easy question for answer is Bomb bay!

Imagine combining the capabilities of the Apache with the Osprey.

I guess if they did, it might come out like this deltaboy?



I've considered trying to model something like this from an A-10 and a V-22, if I can get the3 right scales.

[edit on 27-3-2007 by waynos]

It could be a stand off platform like the spectres. the agian thats the reason they have the spectre and I don't think the V-22 could be a better platform the the 130. Also I thought the problems that V-22 had was in high speed desents so the new platform would deffently have to fix the problem in order to be a possible weapon.

2 Questions!!!! Waynos what drawing is that? FredT where are you getting you info on the failure of the apache in the Iraq War? I havent heard any of these things. Thanks EH

It was a Bell scheme dating from as far back as 1978 to turn the XV-15 into a combat scout. It promised a good internal bay, just visible between the tourists head and the wing (well, he looks like a tourist...."cooeee, nice plane you got there! Props look a bit big though?").

[edit on 27-3-2007 by waynos]

V-22 seems too vulnerable for me... Especially those rotors are quite exposed and I can easily imagine heavy machine gun could easily take it down. I also don't think it will perform good in low flight - it is too big and enemy could easily see/hear it. When flying high it is overperformed by A-10 (and A-10 costs just a fraction of Osprey).

Does anyone know how well the V-22 might handle autorotation?

V-22 seems too vulnerable for me... Especially those rotors are quite exposed and I can easily imagine heavy machine gun could easily take it down.

But no more so than a helicopter, surely? And at least it has two rotors and a wing if glide mode becomes necessary

Originally posted by longbow
V-22 seems too vulnerable for me.When flying high it is overperformed by A-10 (and A-10 costs just a fraction of Osprey).

$45 BILLION HAS BEEN WASTED ON THE OSPREY

IT HAS KILLED AT LEAST 35 PEOPLE AS ITS VERY UNSTABLE.( in various test flights).


I can unfortunately gurantee it will kill more.

Dont fly on it ever.

Just look at it.

it's very unstable looking.

trying to balance on just 2 "wobbly stilts" is a recipe for disaster.

and more problems are being discovered including random vortices which cause sudden lift loss.

just imagine $45 billion wasted on this pile of dangerous junk.

Originally posted by esecallum

Originally posted by longbow
V-22 seems too vulnerable for me.When flying high it is overperformed by A-10 (and A-10 costs just a fraction of Osprey).

$45 BILLION HAS BEEN WASTED ON THE OSPREY

IT HAS KILLED AT LEAST 35 PEOPLE AS ITS VERY UNSTABLE.( in various test flights).


I can unfortunately gurantee it will kill more.

Dont fly on it ever.

Just look at it.

it's very unstable looking.

trying to balance on just 2 "wobbly stilts" is a recipe for disaster.

and more problems are being discovered including random vortices which cause sudden lift loss.

just imagine $45 billion wasted on this pile of dangerous junk.

Crash 1: June 11, 1991 (no casualties).
Crash 2: July 20, 1992 (7 dead).
Crash 3: April 8, 2000 (19 dead).
Crash 4: Dec 11, 2000 (4 dead).

If my Math are right, that's 30 dead, so where do you get your 35 dead, do you know of crashes that we don't.

Originally posted by waynos
But no more so than a helicopter, surely? And at least it has two rotors and a wing if glide mode becomes necessary

I don't think so. Helicopter like Apache is much smaller target. Just look at Osprey - IT IS HUGE. Even if you are blind you must be able to hit it. Just look at the size (and position) of Osprey engines and the size of Apache turbines. Also even if just a wing is hit it may break and whole Osprey is lost.

The only advantage is higher speed but I would not like to be in Osprey when Shilka locks on. Apache can at least take cover behind some hill or so, but as I already said I don't think Osprey would perform well when low flying.

I had a change of seeing (up close) the XV-15 flying.

I was amazed, how quiet this thing is when the rotor are in the horizontal position (normal flight, not hovering).

So the V-22, will also benefit from very low noise signature.

they allready have even superior helicopters build but there is the cost...so they can make more and use them more on the battlefield
we dont see a thousend aurora's attacking iran are we?
special aircraft special misions[:
cant aford to loose that expensive projects(:

Tilt-rotor is a great idea for transports (when it works). The only problem is that the rotors are not exactly swift for changing modes (to my knowledge. This may not be true). Transport aircraft don't necessarily have to be maneuverable, but attack aircraft probably should be. The only way a tilt-rotor chopper would be successful would be if the engines were responsive, powerful, and able to orient themselves in more than just forward/vertical flight modes. If the rotors had small jets rather than props I think that the attack aircraft would be feasible and also quite remarkable.

But we've yet to hit that stage.

Yes longbow, with the size of the V-22 you would be right, but the OP wasn't talking about the V-22 itself, just a tilt rotor atack craft and I was still thinking in terms of the drawing I posted.

I think a wing is very unlikely to 'break' and if it were then the impact would have been enough to kill any type of aircraft, not just a tilt rotor