 | RAH-66 Comanche| Modern Discuss RAH-66 Comanche in the Other Eras forums; Here's the question, would it have been successful if it wasn't cancelled?
A Stealth helicopter would come in ... |
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02-10-2007, 01:23 AM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 366
Country:  | RAH-66 Comanche
Here's the question, would it have been successful if it wasn't cancelled?
A Stealth helicopter would come in handy, but would it be necessary?
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02-10-2007, 04:56 AM
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#2 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 30,187
Country:  | Well it certainly would have been successful but it was not economically worth it. The Apache Longbow can do anything the Commanche can do and for a cheaper price tag.
Also you have to look at Stealth on a helicopter. It will not work very well. You know why? The big blades that are turning up on top. The aircraft would have a smaller signature but not small eneogh to not know that it is not an aircraft.
At the same time though, all military helicopters operate below the radar in combat, so stealth is errelivent.
__________________  US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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02-10-2007, 05:53 PM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Jacksonville, NC
Posts: 3,258
Country: | That summed it up in a nutshell as to why it was cancelled. Sexy looking helo, though.
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02-11-2007, 04:50 AM
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#4 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 30,187
Country: | Yes she looked good but practically and economically not worth it.
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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02-11-2007, 09:15 AM
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#5 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
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Country: | I worked for Sikorsky briefly in the early 1990s - I got to see the first one when it was at final assembly - pretty interesting ship but even then Sikorsky folks didn't think it would make it into full production.
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02-11-2007, 09:22 AM
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#6 | | World Traveler
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
Posts: 11,703
Country:  | Yeah she was an interesting helo, would of been interesting to see how she compared to the Ka-50. I suspect she would of been a lot better as the Ka-50 is probably around the level of the current attack helo's of the US. Quote:
Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ  I worked for Sikorsky briefly in the early 1990s - I got to see the first one when it was at final assembly - pretty interesting ship but even then Sikorsky folks didn't think it would make it into full production. | Why did they not think it would make full production Joe? Was it a case of too expensive or were there other reasons - like it not really being required?
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02-11-2007, 09:43 AM
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#7 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
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Country: | Quote:
Originally Posted by Gnomey
Why did they not think it would make full production Joe? Was it a case of too expensive or were there other reasons - like it not really being required?
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02-11-2007, 10:57 AM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Jacksonville, NC
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Country: | Quote:
Originally Posted by Gnomey Yeah she was an interesting helo, would of been interesting to see how she compared to the Ka-50. I suspect she would of been a lot better as the Ka-50 is probably around the level of the current attack helo's of the US.
Why did they not think it would make full production Joe? Was it a case of too expensive or were there other reasons - like it not really being required? | It's the armament that truly makes the attack helo a devastating weapon. Longbows and Cobras (well with the Z model) can launch anything that the commanche could have. Avionics can always be updated, and it was decided that it was not needed. The commanche's performance may have been sexier, but that's not really the role of the attack helo.
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02-11-2007, 12:31 PM
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#9 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 30,187
Country: | Exactly. In Combat attack aircraft are rather slow, picking out targets and attacking. The Longbow can do just what the Commanche could and cheaper. As I said abover a helo does not need to be stealth anyhow, because she flies low to the ground and hiding behing trees and hills.
The Commanche was too expensive and not worth it.
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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03-19-2007, 12:01 AM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Queensland
Posts: 1,256
Country:  | Also to be in stealth mod would reduce available weapons load because I think the AH-64D, the OH-6 Little Bird and other attack helicopters all carry the lions share of their attack ordinance on pylons. Whereas to get the benefit of stealth the RAH-66 Comanche would be relying on internal weapons load... | |
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03-19-2007, 11:47 AM
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#11 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 30,187
Country: | Quote:
Originally Posted by HealzDevo Also to be in stealth mod would reduce available weapons load because I think the AH-64D, the OH-6 Little Bird and other attack helicopters all carry the lions share of their attack ordinance on pylons. Whereas to get the benefit of stealth the RAH-66 Comanche would be relying on internal weapons load... | All of the ordinance on a AH-64D is carried on the pylons. The OH-6 does not really have pylons. It does not carry heavy armament anyhow. At most it carries a 50 Cal or mini gun and at most a small rocket pod.
The Commanche could carry the same amount of ordinance the AH-64 could on pylons that folded out when the aircraft was going to attack something.
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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03-20-2007, 11:35 PM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Queensland
Posts: 1,256
Country: | Is this also factoring in the cannon rounds the AH-64D has in its belly? I just had questions about capacity to carry ordinance internally without making a bigger and more inviting target for enemy fire... | |
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03-21-2007, 01:05 PM
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#13 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 30,187
Country: | Yes with cannons and everything.
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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10-10-2008, 10:26 PM
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#14 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cordoba - Argentina
Posts: 2,226
Country:  | What was reason behind the cancellation of this machine ?
I remember seen some Discovery Channel documentry years ago and the bird looked very promising, at list at that time.
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10-11-2008, 05:22 AM
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#15 | | Der Crewchief
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany
Posts: 30,187
Country: | Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlesBronson What was reason behind the cancellation of this machine ?
I remember seen some Discovery Channel documentry years ago and the bird looked very promising, at list at that time. | In the end it came down to: 
__________________ US Army Blackhawk Crewchief 2000-2006 Classic ww2aircraft.net quotes: fly boy said: "isn't that the first jet bomber? becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles" "wait what ok who made the b-2 crash come on people that messed up its a b-2" "ah yes the mistel those things are so annoying is games and in real life" | |
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