Typo inspired idea

[GTX]

Hi folks,

It's funny how some ideas come about.

A recent copy of Flight International (21 -27 Nov 2006 to be exact - see it here) carried a story about Global Hawk costs.  In it they also mentioned some other projects, including what was supposed to be the Boeing AH-64D Block 3 upgrade.  Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately from a whiff POV), they had a typo and actually wrote Boeing AH-46D.  which brings me to the idea - what about an attack version of the H-46 Sea Knight?  Maybe a smaller marine counterpart to the recently announced CSAR Chinook?  Or perhaps a US Marine heavy attack/assault helicopter of the '60s - say an early counterpart to the Soviet Hind?

What ideas do you have?  What mods would you make?  Maybe some stub wings for rocket pods/missiles?  Mini-guns at the side/rear doors?  Different cockpit - say a tandem arrangement?  Nose gun turret?

By the way, for those unaware, here are some pics of the H-46:





Regards,

Greg

[Jschmus]

The only problem I see with arming an H-46 is that the type isn't very maneuverable, compared with the smaller types (UH-1/AH-1) that were used as gunships in RL.  The ACH-47A used in Vietnam was an awe-inspiring machine, but it's my understanding that they were particularly vulnerable to AAA.  I suppose a CH-46 would be a little more nimble than a Chinook, but not by much.

[Archibald]

They build 4 ACH-47, which were tested in 1965-1966. Three were lost albeit the type proved quite efficient... this was the starting point of the cheynne AACS program... and the AH-1 cobra, "interim" attack helicopter (for more than 40 years now   )  

[Rafael]

Ok., Archi, maybe and Advancing Blade Concept (ABC) or some other modern rotor technology to soup up that chopper's performance. I know you're a consumate scratchbuilder an can come up with something amazing about the Sea Knight

[Archibald]

Not too difficult: you need a bizjet! Graft its wings and jet pods to the CH-46, add tons of weaponry below the wings, and try again...  

[Iranian F-14A]

I had an idea awhile back that would probbley fall into this section.The idea was for an MH-46F Pave Frog Special Forces transport/CSAR chopper.Take a CH-46F,add a refueling probe,undernose FLIR,small radar scabbed onto the nose,ala HH-3E,but on the centerline.The sponsons could carry external tanks or unguided rocket pods.Two more hardpoints located further forward on the body would carry fuel tanks or gun pods.Might do a rough profile tonight after work.

[elmayerle]

Considering that the CH-46 and CH-47 derive from the same origin, I'd think a lot of what was done to produce an ACH-47A could be used to produce an AH-46.

[Jschmus]

I need to retract some of what I said earlier.  The most complete of the ongoing restoration projects at the Carolinas Aviation Museum is that of the CH-46 "Blood Sweat and Tears".  I forgot all about the story of this machine in Vietnam.  The pilot who flew the machine on its Medal of Honor rescue mission in 1970 said the helicopter took a tremendous amount of punishment, and still managed to come back with all hands.  That was a bog-standard CH-46D with the original armor kit and two M60s for defense.  Maybe I ought to re-think this AH-46 concept.

- Chin turret, with either Mk19 40mm grenade launcher or M197 20mm cannon.  The ACH-47 chin turret mounted an earler 40mm grenade launcher, and the first AH-1G Cobras carried the Minigun, but the Marines ordered the M197 for their SeaCobras, so why not use it here as well?

- Probably retain M60s for the door guns, for commonality if nothing else.

- The landing gear sponsons already carry fuel, so adding stub wings for hog pods is no great stretch.

For some awful reason, the idea of a gunship H-46 made me think of this:

GI Joe Tomahawk