Agusta CH-151 Thunderbird (A-129B Mangusta)

kitnut617 · August 08, 2008, 09:23:09 AM

Well this started off as an OOB build, nice and quick. But then I started to think about it (always happens

) The idea was that now the CAF has started to be self-reliant again, and in light of recent operations in Afganistan, a need arose for the CAF to have it's own close air support for it's troops without having to co-ordinate with another force.

The commanders in the field had been pushing for this for sometime, and after a couple of operations where close air support wasn't available, the operations didn't go very well. The CAF began to look around for an aircraft to fill this need and found that all avenues of supply were all accounted for by other forces, but they did have a response from Agusta. They had a number of A-129 Mangustas which hadn't been taken on strength by the Italian Army which they were willing to part with. The CAF though wanted to trial the aircraft, so a Lease agreement was worked out for four aircraft. The CAF quickly put together crews taken from the rotary community and deployed them to Italy where they were put through a conversion and once done, they were all picked up, helicopters included, by CC-117 and taken directly to Afganistan.

This was a one year deployment to access the suitability of the A-129 for operations in Afganistan. It was quickly realized that TOW missiles were a bit of overkill when dealing with personnel on foot and used the 19 shot RP pods mostly but crews felt that a gun would be more affective, the thing the Mangusta doesn't have. This was overcome by the discovery of ex-Soviet gun pods, SPPU-22's, in an unlikely place and were quickly jury-rigged on the in-board pylons and with this equipment proved to be very effective on operations. The pods though taxed the A-129 to the max as the 'hot-and-high' was marginal at best and after the year was up the four aircraft were shipped back to Agusta.

Not because the CAF didn't want them but to find something better for the operations in Afganistan. Fortunately, being a successful company, Agusta foresaw the need for a better platform for their customers and had initiated an upgrade program for the A-129. Upgrade engines, power train and rotors were the first things done, sand filters were added and exhaust nozzles turned upwards to deflect the hot exhaust. With their experience with the EH-101 they scaled down the rotor blades which coincidently looked very similar to the Westland Lynx rotor blades which gave a much better performance in hot-&-high locations, the upgrade power system including a new tail rotor.

For better field communications, a new mast-mounted sat-com antenna was installed and new 'return-fire' suppression was installed. With information received by the CAF experience with the ex-Soviet gun pods, Agusta were able to re-wire the aircraft for a more permanent installation by receiving all pertinent info from NATO' new partner, Poland and other former Eastern Block countries, about the gun pods.

By the time the leased aircraft were returned, Agusta had a better platform to show the CAF and another contract was signed to test these new helicopters, this time with a Lease-To-Own option, the helicopters this time getting a CAF designation CH-151 Thunderbird. The name was chosen to follow the last Army helicopter' theme of mythological birds, that being the Griffon, Thunderbird coming from the North American Native populations mythology of a big bird that brings thunder from the skies and strong winds by beating it's wings.

So far this is where I'm at.

Cheers,
Robert

AeroplaneDriver · August 08, 2008, 10:14:39 AM

Very nice!! I love the Mangusta (and the Tiger). I finally managed to get one in the stash courtesy of JSchmus, and was thinking it may end up Canadian too at some point in the distant future.

Love the camo you've got going on.

sotoolslinger · August 08, 2008, 10:19:32 AM

Quite the nifty blender

Great backstory

kitnut617 · August 08, 2008, 10:44:54 AM

Cheers Guys, appreciate the comments.

Joe C-P · August 08, 2008, 01:03:19 PM

Interesting landing gear. Is that supposed to be a big piston for rough field landings?

Sorry.

It's quite clever, and you've created a logical story around it.

kitnut617 · August 08, 2008, 01:33:30 PM

Quote from: JoeP on August 08, 2008, 01:03:19 PM
Interesting landing gear. Is that supposed to be a big piston for rough field landings?

It's the new experimental, self-centering, gyroscopic, pneumatic controlled uni-support for when landing on uneven or sloping surfaces, otherwise known as the 'pin-leg'

Rafael · August 08, 2008, 02:45:11 PM

Beautiful camo

And the uprated engines and new rotor are sure to improve this whirlything enough power to face the mountains in 'stan.

Rafa

Brian da Basher · August 09, 2008, 01:28:10 AM

Outstanding work, Robert! I really like the camo scheme and you certainly applied it in an expert fashion!

Don't look now, but I think that doggie in the background is getting ready to launch a sneak attack!

Brian da Basher

John Howling Mouse · August 09, 2008, 02:30:33 PM

You are one of those talented artists who can produce such an interesting piece with just the right nuances.
Let me ask a couple of really dumb

questions:

1. Your back-story notes 4 examples in the initial trial-lease program and the first photo sure looks different than the desert scheme following it. So, are we looking at a single model here or multiples? Maybe it's in-progress camo painting pics I'm seeing?

2. Judging by the push-pin, I'm guessing this is 1:144 scale? Who's the mfg?

kitnut617 · August 09, 2008, 06:05:27 PM

Hi Barry,

Well first off, it's the 1/72 Italeri kit, the Mangusta is not a very big helicopter for it's intended purpose. Secondly, as I said, the idea was to be a quick OOB and just change the camo and decals. Well --- didn't happen.

In the first pic of the first set, I was experimenting with the paint shades as I'm trying to duplicate a desert uniform camo style. The other pics are of it with a more refined camo. Also the first pic is before I started to think about it, it doesn't have the sand filters or exhaust extensions, since then it's got the chop

In this set of pics the first one is what I'm trying to duplicate, second one is the kit as it comes, and the next one is a comparison between a Griffon and the Mangusta and the last one is some shapes I've drawn up to make into decals. But my printer doesn't print white on a clear background so I've asked Bill Burns at CanMilAir if he can print my shapes for me.

Now before anyone mentions that this camo style is now not used -- I know

I just think it looks really cool.

kitnut617 · August 14, 2008, 07:06:04 PM

Not much done lately, got busy. Anyway the office is finished, just in the process of glueing the sides together.

kitnut617 · August 20, 2008, 07:43:02 AM

Made a bit of progress over the last couple of days, as this has changed from the original scope of the build I decided to upgrade the optical sensors. I've changed the nose to support another one, this was one of the many bits and pieces I swiped from my RN Lynx Mk.8. Also I'm having to change my backstory as to what gun pod was found, the UPK-23 ended up not fitting where I wanted to hang it, so I'm going to use the one shown in the photo here. Problem is I can't for the life of me remember what it's designation is. It's the one with the elevating guns, it will work better for what the helicopter would do. Can anyone jog my memory as to what it's called please.

kitnut617 · August 20, 2008, 08:17:36 AM

After a bit of googling, I think the pod is a SPPU-22

Captain Canada · August 20, 2008, 08:37:40 AM

Beauty, Robert ! Love the backstory.....if we could only get some for real !

What about the AWACs bird ? How is she coming ?

Brian da Basher · August 20, 2008, 12:18:34 PM

I really like your approach to desert camo on this helo, Kitnut! If I had even 5% of your talent, I'd try to steal it!

Brian da Basher