Dare I ask... Favorite helo?

Rooivalk is quite the interesting helicopter. Kinda looks like the offspring of an Apache and a Mangusta....
Impressive looking piece of equipment nonetheless....

Hmm.. pretty narrow field here, just American, Russian and the odd Euro thrown in. May I remind you guys of the pride of South African aviation; The Rooivalk







You must admit, its a pretty rugged looking piece of kit, which is arguably more rugged than the average Apache.. These things are more or less build like a Land Rover.. The only tools you'll need are a monkey wrench, hammer and a small selection of screwdrivers.. Here's the link to the page where I lifted these pics from: http://www.army-technology.com/projects/rooivalk/

I get real tired seeing every airframe I touched or flew in museums, now.

My favorite is the Huey, God bless 'em. I had quite a bit of time in the N model and liked it more than the other versions.

For all around ego, though, the AH-1 can't be beat. You had to fly it, not fly the computer.

I'm a blackhawk pilot at fort hood and we used to have to slow down for the apaches, we were were usually weighing in at 19,000lbs hauling gear to National Training Center. Whats even faster is the Chinook. The apache is just more nimble, but they're not faster. A myth too many people buy into. The 'hawk straight and level will leave an apache, but they take a beating like no other.

Fav helo, definitely the Sea King.

Worked as a maintainer on them for 5 years, they would go for ever if you give them a flogging. If she ain't leaking, she's empty!!

Paul.

There is somethin spiffy about an H-6 with twin miniguns and rockets....

AH-6 little bird. Period. It'll Rip you a new one before you can say what the hell is that?

Well my choice is the Sikorsky HH-60H Rescue Hawk,
A light gun ship with the heritage of HAL-5, primary mission was SAR. Going in hot to rescue our fellow airman (all services). HCS-5,

Fly Navy

I like the OH-6 Cayuse and its subsequent variations - MD 500/530 defender. Versitile little chopper and according to Nicholas Cage's Firebirds - an apparently formidable foe for the Apache - so just how many chopper-chopper aerial engagements have there been???
Regardless - I have build a few of them, Tamiya's old OH-6, Hasegawa's MD500 TOW and the Torpedo toting version with the tall gear.

the AH-1G. I think I've built the revell kit 10 times since it first came out - There was a great story a friend of mine once told me (ex green beret) about how one resuced his backside in the jungles of nam.

Mine is the Huey Medi-vac from VN.

The Blackhawk,rode in 'em while with the 101st.Good looks,smooth ride,easy to rappel from!

Keyworth said it for me....Huey slick ...........................................got in in ................got you out

CH-53e supper stallion. The awsome lifting power and its pure beauty makes it my favorite.

i like the littlebirds and blackhawks out of blackhawk down

Here is my entry for Favorite helo:
OH-58D KIOWA WARRIOR RECONNAISSANCE/ATTACK HELICOPTER

My brother is a Helo Mech in the Army and this is the bird he's assigned to. I wish someone made ti so I could build it and send it to him before he goes to Iraq.

Well, after the events of today, I've got new respect for the Apache. Takes enemy fire, goes down in bad weather and makes a hard landing, takes off again and makes it back to base... Impressive helicopter. Give em hell boys!

I have to agree with Shaggy. The CH-47 is the most versatile aircraft in the US Military Inventory. I have over 1000 hrs in RH,CH and MH-53 Sea Stallions,(I just finished a MH-53E) about 150 hours in CH-54 Skycranes and 2000 hours in Chinooks. Without a doubt, the coolest machine in the force and the Army just keep's ordering them. Great Post

Blue Thunder - OK, I know it's a re-dressed Aerospatiiale SA 341 Gazelle, , but I love the idea of a chopper like that

Give me a blackhawk anytime, anywhere, at any situation.... they might not be as fast as an attack helo but they are extremely versatile and can really take a beating

Greetings

Why hasn't someone manufactured a 1/48 CH-46. That has been one of the workhorses of the USMC for over 30 years.

Mike

How about the one that even scares Apache jocks..... the Hokum

Ch-46, no one makes 'em anymore but Marines keep 'em flying. A friend of mine was up with a bunch of rookies and he stuck nuts and bolts up in the ceiling so when they hit turbulance, they'd fall and hit the grunts in the head. Scared the hell out of them.

Semper Fi
Bryce

Hey Mel and everyone!

Have you seen the Sharks markings for the MRC UH-1C? You get your choice of "Ace of Spades" or "Surfer". The instructions are wrong for "Ace of spades", showing it without miniguns and with the chunker (from the photos I've seen on the 174th website, it was the other way around!) There are a few other mistakes with the markings, most notably the absence of the "A" on the Ace of Spades on the decals. Still, the sharkmouths are nicely represented for two beautiful birds. The 174th had some impressive artwork on the sides of their Charlie models and the "Surfer" art is well represented here.

What they don't tell you is the history of both original machines. Both were lost during Operation Lam Son 719 (the 1971 invasion of Laos through I Corps). I've got copies of the loss reports for LS719 and both machines are listed there as being lost to hostile fire. At that point in time, Slicks and Cobras were being "Hooked" out after being shot down, but "Charlie" Hueys were considered expendable. An unjust fate for some incredible machines!

If anyone gets a chance to build either of these aircraft, DO IT! There's a great deal of reference material on them and they're beautiful when completed!

Ok, I'll shut up now.

Rolling in Hot!

Jon

Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne

Looks mean, looks like a bird of prey.

Fade to Black...

Well I just gotta be different I guess, but as unglamorous as it looked I always liked the H-34 Seahorse.
It was used during the early years of the spaceprogam and Vietnam.
You can see it in the movie "The Right Stuff" in the scene where they're trying to recover Gus Grissom's Mercury capsule.
I used to live on a Navy base when I was a kid and I have vivid memories of watching them takeoff and land practically in my backyard......................What a great place that was to live!

GUYS, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE SHARKS, DOLPHINS, & WITCH DOCTORS OF THE 174TH AHC, RVN 66-71 AT www.americal.org/174/ I was the Maint. Officer's Crew Chief mid "71". Witch Doctor "650". We are holding our 10 Official Reunion in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. in Oct. I E-mailed Mark I was disappointed they didn't even mention the 174th in the article on the Sharks and it was on the April Cover! I've got pictures of the aircraft modeled. Easy Rider "242". Actually the 2nd one to carry that name. Check out the Web Page plenty of History! Great shots of our birds and some humbling stories. My E-mail is on the site, Assn VP.

My favourite chopper is the A-129 MANGUSTA. Fast, good range, very very agile {like a mangusta}, powerful armament in the last versions {stingers,hellfires, a 120mm gun}. Know it, it is a really good machine

the apache is not an ugly aircraft, just like the A-10 is not an ugly aircraft! those are two of my favorite aircraft and I think they both look really cool!

my favorite helo is the blackhawk and apache. hawks are more fun to ride in but since I work on apaches I like them too.

hawks are especially fun when you are sleeping on top of a HEMTT and a hawk decides to land right next to you sandblasting your sleeping bag in the desert. those days are close again though!

AH-1 Cobra. Of the variants, the AH-1G and AH-1S Mods were sweet aircraft. I flew in Germany from 1980-83 with OH-58As and AH-1S Mods and that was "seat of the pants" flight. AH-1F is a nice aircraft but the darn thing can a crew and thats about it.

For brute force and ignorance, AH-64D. It is sooooo ugly but the darn thing is made to rule the battlefield.