Gunship ideas

[Maverick]

It would also depend on where the weapon was sited.  Back towards the rear of the cabin, out of a door for instance would be optimal whilst nearer the cockpit, hindered by the wings would not be so.

Regards,

Mav

[Weaver]

That'd make a great Dogfight Double display: problem would be convincing people it wasn't a whiff....

[kengeorge]

Evening Everyone,
    Just thought I'd stick my head above the wall & join in. I've got a book by Mark Berent called 'Eagle Station' which uses Lima site 85 as the backdrop for his novel & includes an attack by an An-2 on the site.
    Wondered if anyone was interested.

KenGeorge

[Sauragnmon]

I gotta give the VPAF a bit of props for the inventive nature of converting the AN-2 into a strike craft.  120 mortar rounds, waist guns, and rocket pods... its pretty damn creative I say.

[dy031101]

That would make me think of a revival of Credible Chase and PAVE COIN armed with Hellfire and/or...... maybe even AASM-like powered bombs?

A bit like this one, except maybe with the addition of gun(s) firing out of the side door:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/photos/2010/11/iraqi_air_force_fires_hellfire.php

http://flyingthecessnacaravan.blogspot.com/2009/11/ac-208-combat-caravans-more-photos.html

[Maverick]

I expect Credible Chase, et al have their place within low-intensity environments.  Given the plethora of MANPADs these days, one wonders about that value now though.  A Caravan or An-2 doodling along seems an awfully tempting target for any number of shoulder-fired SAMs or even heavy MGs.

Regards,

Mav

[dy031101]

Given the plethora of MANPADs these days, one wonders about that value now though.  A Caravan or An-2 doodling along seems an awfully tempting target for any number of shoulder-fired SAMs or even heavy MGs.

I'd think of missiles as the primary weapon far more than the door gun.

[rickshaw]

I expect Credible Chase, et al have their place within low-intensity environments.  Given the plethora of MANPADs these days, one wonders about that value now though.  A Caravan or An-2 doodling along seems an awfully tempting target for any number of shoulder-fired SAMs or even heavy MGs.

Regards,

Mav

Mmm, I think "plethora" is over-egging the case, Mav.  Considering supposedly how plentiful these weapons are, according to some, they appear to be having little real effect on the battlefield.  Just as the US government and military rather tended to over-sell their claims about supposedly the Stinger had cleared the skies of Soviet aicraft in Afghanistan (despite downing so few aircraft), I think that while there are a smattering of MANPADS around, their effect is more in the telling than the doing.  Yes, they do represent a danger but even so, their effectiveness, particularly in the hands of the Taliban has been rather low as well.

BTW, any aircraft is vulnerable to HMGs, particularly if you fly so low the HMGs can reach you.

[Maverick]

My inference was that there were plenty of the things about, rather than the number of systems in production.  I'd suggest that a loss from one of them is rather indicative of their effectiveness rather than their lack of it.  Otherwise there'd be missiles zooming about the place without real effect.  I don't believe this was the case.

As for HMG effect against aircraft, one would assume that light aircraft of this type would be 'more likely' to be flying at lower altitudes when operational, rather than at safer altitudes.  In Vietnam, for instance, helicopters flew at 'safe' altitudes when transiting areas to avoid this threat, but going above the HMG envelope had the risk of heavier anti-air systems being brought into play.

At the end of the day, these platforms are designed as 'austere' rather than a 'bells & whistles' approach which tends to suggest that the systems they would employ would be somewhat less capable than those of dedicated strike aircraft.  Whilst they might very well depend on a Hellfire type weapon as their main offensive system, their design doesn't allow a great combat persistence as a result.  Either they'd shoot their load (quite literally) or have to employ other weapons.

With the continual improvements of various anti-air systems, to suggest that a Caravan or Colt modified in this way would be a 'safe' platform within a hostile air environment would be risky at the very least.

Regards,

Mav

[James]

I've got an Airfix 1/72 Fokker F27 that I'm thinking of turning into a Royal Yorkshire Air Force gunship for patrolling the Lancashire border. An Airspeed design I think. Planning on eventually doing an RAF gunship Rotodyne... attack/light transport/medevac – like a Mi-24.

There is also my RAF maritime Halifax with 4x .50cals and a 75mm gun in the nose that is still on the bench... a kind of gunship.   

[PR19_Kit]

There is also my RAF maritime Halifax with 4x .50cals and a 75mm gun in the nose that is still on the bench... a kind of gunship.   

Not so much a gunship more a gunfortress!

[scooter]

With the continual improvements of various anti-air systems, to suggest that a Caravan or Colt modified in this way would be a 'safe' platform within a hostile air environment would be risky at the very least.

Regards,

Mav

Bring back the Skyraider?  With a T-56 in the nose.  Lots of armor plate, guns, bombs and rockets...and loiter time

[Joe C-P]

Here's an idea that has been in my head for some time now, a UAV helicopter as a gunship. Something like a MQ-8 Fire Scout armed with just a laser/optical guided gyro stabilized M61 Vulcan. To be used for CAS in the urban environment.  
Steven

You mean an updated version of the QH-50.

http://www.gyrodynehelicopters.com/qh-50d1.htm

Everything old is new again. 

[James]

There is also my RAF maritime Halifax with 4x .50cals and a 75mm gun in the nose that is still on the bench… a kind of gunship.   

Not so much a gunship more a gunfortress!

I was thinking of putting two turrets in place of the bomb bay - a 4x .50cal turret and a 2x 20 or 40mm turret. I’d keep the bomb cells in the wings and place depth charges on pylons between the engines. Tip tanks as well.

Lets go U-boat hunting!

[McColm]

If you choose the 1/72 Mach2 A.W. Argosy to convert into a gunship, would you use the AC-119 layout or go for the AC-130?
Found the wings, engines and tail boom from an Academy C-119 Flying Boxcar to use with the Mach2 kit.