S-67 Blackhawk video

Thanks for posting up that video. It's the most I have ever seen on the S-67.

For it's day, that thing looks wickedly capable! One wonders what sort of technological evolutions it would have progressed through if the Army had accepted it then.

Andy

Add this to the list of prototyped helicopters we need kitted in 1/48th:

S-67
AH-56
YAH-63

 

The S-67 was a bid to replace the Cheyenne helicopter. Sikosky and Bell threw together two aircraft for the competition, Sikorsky the S-67 and Bell the Fat Super Cobra, A-309 I believe, that looked like a huge preganent Guppy. Neither of the two aircraft met what the army was looking for so CDC started another developmental program that became the Apache. While the S-67 was fast it served as a multi-role aircraft holding up to 8 combat crews internally and the Army wanted a pure attack aircraft. The Bell Super Cobra was just a piece of thrown together junk.

Charlie

THe S-67 was one heck of a machine!

It was a company venture (be nice to see some of that these days!) based on the engines and rotor system of the H-3.  It was proposed as an alternative to the Cheyenne and an outgrowth of the S-66, which was Sikorsky's entry in the AAFSS competition (where the Cheyenne was chosen as the winner).  It had a top speed of over 200kts and was extremely maneuverable, could carry a hell of a combat load and could also carry troops like the Hind.  

Unfortunately, the only prototype crashed at Farnborough in 1974, killing both crew. 

I'm scratchbuilding one right now.  

Yep.  I'm nuts. 

I had a spare rotor system and set of engine cowlings after my HH-3E kitbash, so I decided to finally go for it and scratchbuild the whole thing....

 

 

That will be a heck of a build Jon!

I have always liked the S-67 and wondered "what if" it had been fully developed.  I think that it had some real potential but it did not fit current doctrine at the time.  It was not meant to hold the line at the Fulda Gap. 

The Apache was designed for just that role.  It is interesting to see the Apache now using running fire.  I must say though, the -64 is doing a good job using tactics that it wasn't really intended for originally.  If only they could do something about errant sparks, the systems would be as good as the aircraft.  I guess I see the S-67 as being in between the Apache and the Cobra, an incredibly capable airframe with fairly simple systems.

 

I just read the post mortem on the S-67 crash at Farnborough.  Just another sad one, the pilot rushed the maneuver apparently because he was getting too close to the crowd line.  Started the roll a bit low in altitude and below the recommended 15 degrees positive pitch, and from that point on the outcome was inevitable.  He tried to split ess but was too low to recover.  Hit in a flat attitude with too high a rate of descent.  Bless them.