AH-56A

I'm looking foreward to seeing the results of this one guys.

Mac

Mac,

Stop readin our minds, man! 

Y'all have a good idea!  Maybe the Army should have given Comanche 'light' serious consideration.  I think that the biggest problem with the program was trying to put every new bell and whistle on the aircraft as it went along.  That is what really bogged the program down and drove up the cost.  I am glad for the R&D that came out of the program but I think that technology development began to overshadow combat effectiveness.

Consider this...the Comanche concept with a Cobra mindset.  Think of it as state-of-the-art simplicity.

Mac

Cool, But you gotta understand I'm old school its gotta be primarily injection molded  besides a resin kit would probably be right up there(cost wise) with what the old Aurora kit goes for! Besides Most of the companies that put out good product ie Tamiya, Italiere etc. usually do both scales anyway Soooooo........ You get my point BUT thanks for the heads up...

                                Good Hunting, G.W.

G.W.,

You're in luck man!  There was a resin kit put out a few years ago in 72nd that seems pretty accurate.  72nd is a little small for my taste, but the kit does exist!

OK,    You all know I'm for this EXCEPT whoever produces this has to do it 1/72nd!!!! I still after all these years build 1/72nd and since I still have to many  kits left to build I can't switch scales  now!!!!  Good Hunting, G.W.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Cobrahistorian wrote:

Grant, Be cool, buddy, we've got this.

John,

FANTASTIC!  The list I have is only accurate up until 1993, so this list gives a great deal more information than what I've got.  We couldn't figure out whether there were five or six airframes left.  This confirms my hunch that there are, in fact, six left (seven if you count the mockup)!   

Grant,

Be cool, buddy, we've got this.

Fate of the Cheyenne airframes

list is of year 2000

I hear ya!  Initially I was for the cancellation, thinking it would free up a lot of money to upgrade the existing fleet and get us attrition replacement aircraft.  While that IS happening, I think the Comanche would have given us a significant edge in today's combat environment, regardless of any "stealth" characteristics.

Grant and I are coming up with a "Comanche Light", all the performance at 1/3 the cost.  Stay tuned!

Whiskey,

You're absolutely right!  The crash that killed Dave Biel was in 1969, the project wasn't axed until August of 72.  I'll have to look up the date of the second "crash".  (Can you really call a wind tunnel mishap a crash?)  The problem is, we keep coming up with great ideas that are a little too ahead of their time and we're not willing to wait for them, either due to immediate need or sheer impatience.  One of the things that I realized about the Comanche program that I don't think anyone's mentioned...

It has a rigid rotor!

Ya know, thats true, to a degree. My dad worked on a private program to actually revise the AH-56 about 5 years ago and I learned more about the history of it than I would reading about it. And apparently, what I've heard from multiple people that worked on the original project was that the crashes didnt have as much as an effect on the program's termination as people think. It was more of the Army's impatience and need that killed it. Knowing what I know now, I think the Apache would have never been thought of had the Cheyenne gone operational.

Oh and back to the topic at hand, I would absolutly love for a 1/48 model be made, but not by Revell.I would rather a company like Academy or Tamiya get its hands on it because I trust them more with producing an accurate and detailed model for a fair price.

Count me in Jon.  Did you get the contact info from the web site?

Mac

The Cheyenne is to the Apache what the MBT70 is to the Abrams tank.

Ok guys, got some news. 

I got a reply from Revell Germany and they've forwarded my request on to their development department.  So, I guess that means... start bombarding them with emails!  I tried to contact straight Revellogram, but their website is impossible to find any contact information on.  So, our foot's in the door. 

Marke,

I'd love to have seen operational Cheyennes too, but there were definite issues with the bird.  Having spoken to a few veterans involved with the program now, I've gained a little insight into it.  Lockheed and the Army kept pushing for more speed, which increased vibration and ended up causing a fatal crash which was a major factor in killing the program.  Usually not a good thing when your rotor vibrates so much that it comes down through the cockpit.

As far as seeing them in Vietnam and the outcome being different, I think there are a few Snake pilots on this forum who'd disagree.  Better than the Apache?  Nah, faster, yes, but not better.  The Apache took a lot of the Cheyenne's technology and improved on it.  As was said in a discussion I had the other day "there is a lot of Cheyenne DNA present in the Apache". It was a great machine, and I'd certainly love to see one fly, but its day has come and gone. 

That being said, the Cheyenne did a great deal for the Attack community.  Most importantly, the AAFSS project established Attack helicopter doctrine that was used effectively in Vietnam and set the foundation for the armed helicopter. 

Hi guys!!!

I 'm with you on this project!!   Every time I think of this awsome helo, I am filled with dissgust with our goverment for canceling this project!!

Just think of the edge our troops could have had in Nam if these awsome birds were in the skies in great numbers!!   The outcome could have been much differant if they had!!   I would love to see Lockheed revive this whole prodject!!!   Can you imagine how much more awsome this bird would be with the technoligy we have today??   This thing could very well send the good ol Apache into early retirement!!     Imagine an AH-56D Longbow cheyenne with gadgets all over the fuselage and the mast mounted dome on top of the rotor!!!   Yes!!  It is and old 60's era machine but I think that it was so far ahead of its time then that it still has merrit today!!    Just take a moment and think of the machine the Cheyenne could be with todays technoligy!!!

On the miniature scale I would deffinatly like someone do a nice big scale kit of it. You guys have my vote!!  By all means, Procede forword!!

Mark

Give us a link, Jon, I'm with you, even though I built that old Aurora kit years ago

I'm with ya too, Jon. You know I will have an outstanding reference if a kit comes out of this thing!

Keith

1/35 would be killer... But a good 1/48 rendition would be out standing also.  I've only seen it "live" once, and it was huge machine, a 1/35 kit of this thing would be massive.