Bell YAH-63: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Pre-production attack helicopter}}
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==Design and development==
===Background===
During the mid-1960s, [[United States Army]] initiated the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) program to develop the [[Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne]] for the anti-tank gunship role. The U.S. Army pursued the [[AH-1 Cobra|AH-1G HueyCobra]] as an interim type for the "jungle fighting" role. However the Army's broader concern was the task of protecting Western Europe from the numerous Warsaw Pact tanks to the east.<ref name=Vector_all>Greg Goebel. [http://www.vectorsite.net/avcobra_1.html First Generation Cobras] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120408211614/http://www.vectorsite.net/avcobra_1.html |date=April 8, 2012 }}. Vectorsite, 1 December 2008.</ref>
In 1972, the Army conducted an evaluation between the [[Bell 309 KingCobra]], the Lockheed Cheyenne, and the [[Sikorsky S-67]] in a competitive fly-off. The fly-off began in the spring
Difficulties delayed the AH-56 Cheyenne development. The Army canceled the Cheyenne program in August 1972. Controversy over the Cheyenne's role in combat and the political climate regarding military acquisition programs caused the Army to amend the service's attack helicopter requirements in favor of a simpler and more survivable conventional helicopter.<ref name=Robb>Robb, Raymond L. [https://vtol.org/store/product/vertiflite-summer-2006-6085.cfm "Hybrid helicopters: Compounding the quest for speed"]. ''Vertiflite''. Summer 2006. American Helicopter Society.</ref><ref name=Abridged_Army/>
===Advanced Attack Helicopter===
The Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti-armor attack role. The Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH-1 Cobra in firepower, performance and range. The aircraft would have the maneuverability to fly [[nap-of-the-earth]] (NoE) missions. To this end, the U.S. Army issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an [[Advanced Attack Helicopter]] (AAH) in 1972.<ref name=Abridged_Army>Office of the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (OAVCSA). [https://
The Army specified that the AAH was to be powered by twin General Electric T700 turboshaft engines with 1,500 shp (1,120 kW) each. This was the same powerplant fit specified for a new Army utility helicopter competition that would be won by the [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk]]. The AAH would be armed with a 30 millimeter cannon and sixteen [[BGM-71 TOW]] anti-tank missiles. The missile armament specification was later modified to include an alternate load of sixteen laser-guided [[AGM-114 Hellfire]] anti-tank missiles. Hellfire was then in development and promised greater range and lethality than TOW.<ref name=Vectorsite/>
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==Specifications (YAH-63)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref= International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002-2003<ref name=Frawley_Military>Frawley, Gerard. ''The International Directory of Military Aircraft'', p. 148. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002. {{ISBN|1-875671-55-2}}.</ref>
|prime units?=kts
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|crew=2
|length ft=44
|length in=7
|length note=
|width ft=<!-- if applicable -->
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|height ft=13
|height in=5
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|empty weight lb=6600
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|gross weight lb=
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|max takeoff weight lb=14750
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|more general=
<!-- Powerplant
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|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[General Electric T700]]
|eng1 type=[[turboshaft]] engines
|eng1 shp=1680
|eng1 note=
|rot number=1
|
|rot dia in=
|rot area sqft=530.83
|rot area note=<!--<br>
*'''Blade section:''' - '''root:''' [[NACA airfoil|NACA ]]; '''tip:''' [[NACA airfoil|NACA ]]<ref name="Selig">{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |accessdate=16 April 2019}}</ref>-->
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|max speed kts=170
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range nmi=317
|range note=
|combat range nmi=
|combat range note=
|ferry range nmi=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=3 hours 30 minutes
|ceiling ft=12200
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ftmin=1620
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|disk loading lb/sqft=
|disk loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
<!-- Armament
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|armament=
* [[U.S. Helicopter Armament Subsystems|XM188 Gatling gun]] 3-barreled 30 mm cannon * 2.75 in (70 mm) rockets: 14 rockets mounted in M or M launchers
* [[BGM-71 TOW|TOW Missiles]]: 4 or 8 missiles mounted in two-missile launchers on each hardpoint
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==External links==
{{commons category|Bell YAH-63}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925061100/http://www.dtic.mil/srch/doc?collection=t3&id=ADA125642 YAH-63 Helicopter Crashworthiness Simulation and Analysis]
{{Bell Aircraft}}
{{Huey family}}
{{USAF helicopters}}
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[[Category:1970s United States helicopters]]
[[Category:Twin-turbine helicopters]]
[[Category:Attack helicopters]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1975]]
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Latest revision as of 07:40, 25 December 2023
YAH-63A | |
---|---|
A YAH-63A prototype | |
Role | Attack helicopter |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Bell Helicopter |
First flight | 1 October 1975 |
Status | Cancelled |
Primary user | United States Army |
Number built | 3 |
The Bell YAH-63 (Model 409) was an experimental attack helicopter for the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) competition. Hughes' Model 77/YAH-64, later developed into the AH-64 Apache, was selected over Bell's entry.
Design and development[edit]
Background[edit]
During the mid-1960s, United States Army initiated the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) program to develop the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne for the anti-tank gunship role. The U.S. Army pursued the AH-1G HueyCobra as an interim type for the "jungle fighting" role. However the Army's broader concern was the task of protecting Western Europe from the numerous Warsaw Pact tanks to the east.[1]
In 1972, the Army conducted an evaluation between the Bell 309 KingCobra, the Lockheed Cheyenne, and the Sikorsky S-67 in a competitive fly-off. The fly-off began in the spring 1972 and was completed in July. In August, somewhat to everyone's shock, the Army rejected all three competitors.[2]
Difficulties delayed the AH-56 Cheyenne development. The Army canceled the Cheyenne program in August 1972. Controversy over the Cheyenne's role in combat and the political climate regarding military acquisition programs caused the Army to amend the service's attack helicopter requirements in favor of a simpler and more survivable conventional helicopter.[3][4]
Advanced Attack Helicopter[edit]
The Army sought an aircraft to fill an anti-armor attack role. The Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH-1 Cobra in firepower, performance and range. The aircraft would have the maneuverability to fly nap-of-the-earth (NoE) missions. To this end, the U.S. Army issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) in 1972.[4][5]
The Army specified that the AAH was to be powered by twin General Electric T700 turboshaft engines with 1,500 shp (1,120 kW) each. This was the same powerplant fit specified for a new Army utility helicopter competition that would be won by the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk. The AAH would be armed with a 30 millimeter cannon and sixteen BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles. The missile armament specification was later modified to include an alternate load of sixteen laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles. Hellfire was then in development and promised greater range and lethality than TOW.[2]
Bell, Boeing-Vertol (teamed with Grumman), Hughes, Lockheed, and Sikorsky all submitted proposals for the AAH program. In June 1973, Bell and Hughes were selected as finalists, and each was awarded a contract for the construction of two prototype aircraft.[6]
The Bell entry, the Model 409 (YAH-63), was by no means "just another Cobra design" though it utilized Cobra technology where possible. Although it had what had become by then the typical configuration for a helicopter gunship, with a sharklike fuselage, tandem crew seating, and stub wings for armament, the YAH-63 was largely a new machine.[2]
Distinctive features included wheeled tricycle landing gear, flat canopy window plates, an unusual "tee" tail, a large ventral fin, and a three-barreled General Electric XM-188 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon. The YAH-63's rotor mast could be lowered and the landing gear could kneel to reduce its height for transport.[7] One less noticeable feature was that the pilot occupied the front seat instead of the rear, the reverse of the AH-1's arrangement. This was believed to be more prudent since the YAH-63 was intended to fly "in the treetops" during "nap-of-the-earth" (NoE) operations, and the pilot needed to have a clear view of the aircraft's surroundings.[2]
The first prototype of the YAH-63 (serial 73-22246)[8] made its initial flight on 1 October 1975. This rotorcraft crashed in June 1976 but a static test prototype was brought up to flight standard and, along with the second prototype (73-22247), entered the flyoff against the Hughes entry, the Model 77 (YAH-64).[2]
The Hughes YAH-64 was selected in December 1976 and was developed into the production AH-64 Apache version. The Army believed that the YAH-63's two-blade rotor was more vulnerable to damage than the Apache's four-bladed rotor. In addition the service did not like the YAH-63's tricycle landing gear scheme, believing it was less stable than the Apache's "taildragger" configuration. Some observers also suspected that the Army did not want to divert Bell from AH-1 production.[2] Bell would use its experience with the T700 engine to develop the AH-1T+ design and later AH-1W.[9]
Operators[edit]
- United States Army (evaluation only)
Specifications (YAH-63)[edit]
Data from International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002-2003[10]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 44 ft 7 in (13.59 m)
- Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)
- Empty weight: 6,600 lb (2,994 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 14,750 lb (6,690 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T700 turboshaft engines, 1,680 shp (1,250 kW) each
- Main rotor diameter: 48 ft (15 m)
- Main rotor area: 530.83 sq ft (49.316 m2)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 170 kn (200 mph, 310 km/h)
- Range: 317 nmi (365 mi, 587 km)
- Endurance: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Service ceiling: 12,200 ft (3,700 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,620 ft/min (8.2 m/s)
Armament
- XM188 Gatling gun 3-barreled 30 mm cannon
- 2.75 in (70 mm) rockets: 14 rockets mounted in M or M launchers
- TOW Missiles: 4 or 8 missiles mounted in two-missile launchers on each hardpoint
See also[edit]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References[edit]
- ^ Greg Goebel. First Generation Cobras Archived April 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Vectorsite, 1 December 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f Greg Goebel. Model 309 Kingcobra / Model 409 AAH (YAH-63) Archived 2012-04-08 at the Wayback Machine. Vectorsite, 1 December 2008.
- ^ Robb, Raymond L. "Hybrid helicopters: Compounding the quest for speed". Vertiflite. Summer 2006. American Helicopter Society.
- ^ a b Office of the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (OAVCSA). An Abridged History of the Army Attack Helicopter Program. Washington, DC: Department of the Army, 1973.
- ^ Bishop, Chris. Apache AH-64 Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) 1976–2005. Osprey Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1-84176-816-2.
- ^ Bishop, Chris. Huey Cobra Gunships. Osprey Publishing, 2006. ISBN 1-84176-984-3.
- ^ Verier 1990, p. 142.
- ^ Pike, John. YAH-63. GlobalSecurity.org, 12 January 2008.
- ^ Verier 1990, pp. 143-144.
- ^ Frawley, Gerard. The International Directory of Military Aircraft, p. 148. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.
- Verier, Mike. Bell AH-1 Cobra. Osprey Publishing, 1990. ISBN 0-85045-934-6.
External links[edit]
- YAH-63 Helicopter Crashworthiness Simulation and Analysis. U.S. Army, February 1983.