SuperSweet Walkaround on Ka-50

Andy,

  Thanks, that is one interesting bird!

     Ray

Andy,

Thanks for those pics. I love those Ka-50/52. Amazing a/c. Antone who hasn't seen one fly should check them out on Youtube, just put ka-50 or 52 into the search and enjoy.

Rich

Interesting helicopter to be sure.  Sikorsky's X2 technology demonstrator is using a kamov-style coaxial main rotor and a Cheyenne-type tail prop. 

I thought the Russians were putting the Mi-28N into production and that the Ka-50/52 was pretty much a dead issue. 

Honestly, the Ka-50 series doesn't really impress me much.  It doesn't do anything we can't.   

Jon

  Mi-28Ns will be the main army attack helos

Ka-50/52 series soppose to be only Special Forses support

Maybe its not a perfect helicopter in its curent modification but what I like about it - it is definitly an alternative design of attack helo. Unlike the standart tail rotor concept (which pritty much reached its limit of modernising), coaxial is still very prospective and still full of potentioal.

   Andy  

Andy,

Sure is!  It is pretty impressive that the new design concepts from Sikorsky are coaxial rotor designs.  Like I said, it is definitely an interesting helicopter, but definitely not the world-beater that all of the comments on Youtube claim it to be.  100% of those commenting have no clue about helicopter capabilities, what is an impressive maneuver and what is a standard combat maneuver.  I will say that nothing in any Ka-50 video I've seen is out of the ordinary for an Apache crew.  

The Ka-50/52 is a step in the right direction as far as development potential, but the airframe design has severely limited the aircraft relative to attack helicopter capability.  The fact that the gun is limited in traverse and elevation, the crew is side-by-side, it has retractable landing gear, and the pylons appear to be fixed in elevation are all factors that will severely limit its combat capability.  

Still... it is an interesting step in the evolution of the Armed Helicopter!

Jon 

   Jon, I totaly agree with that

And of course I do not base my conclusions on stupid kids flame on YouTube :-)

BTW I just finished my Grey Apache last week and now I need to put something on the shelf next to it. Ka-50 might be a #1 condidate. Thats why this new walkaround cought my attention

    I wonder if the airframe of early single seat Ka-50 and new two-seat version is close enough for a possible conversion... In that case I might dig out 1/48 scale Italeri kit!

Andy  

Hey Andy - are you going to post any photos of your grey Apache?

Cheers

 Simon

  I understand that two seats reqire a little more wide cockpit section and therefore new nose with new canopy etc. What I really would like to know is where is that line were the fuselage starts to get wider... Cuz I am pritty sure they did not change the tailboom section! Maybe even the engine deck and the area close to main landing gear remains the same width.

   Andy

It isn't that hard seeing as the engine pods are on each side of the fuselage.

http://dishmodels.ru/wshowp.htm?p=622&id=13617

so it must be possible to add to the fuselage halves but without a picture of the single seat version it's hard to compare both birds to see how the changes were made.