That could very well be the ATAFCS, although from what I know (not very much) that terrain’s not right for Edwards. The pylons are definitely not HMMS racks, even if they were the triple racks we’ve seen on that G model with the LST in the nose.
If I could see the buzz numbers on the Apaches behind, I might be able to get an idea of which articles they were and what they did during the test program. That might give us a clue as to what the Cobra was doing there.
Considering the Cobra was used for a lot of Apache test stuff, the ATAFCS explanation does make a lot of sense. However, from what I can see on the two Apaches, they are close to the production configuration, which means that TADS/PNVS were installed already and were definitely superior in performance to ATAFCS. Certainly produces some interesting questions!
Photo could have been taken at the Yuma Proving Grounds, know alot of testing is done there, but the photo really doesn’t show the terrian that good to me
That is certainly an ATAFCS AH-1G. The same picture appears in Mike Verier’s Bell AH-1 Cobra book and the caption confirms this being an ATAFCS Cobra. I did some more digging on this subject and came up with the following info: ATAFCS was initially known as the ALLD (Airborne Laser Locator/Designator); ALLD was the podded version carried on the right outboard pylon. It was produced by the Aeronautics division of Philco Ford and gave AH-1G day and night/adverse weather capability to acquire and designate targets for Hellfire or Copperhead laser guided munitions. ALLD was first tested in 1974. Later the Army mounted the system on the nose of some AH-1Gs included in the Apache/Hellfire project and redesignated it the ATAFCS. At least six ALLD/ATAFCS systems were procured by the Army, and though ALLD/ATAFCS was a highly capable system, Army decided not to upgrade their Cobras with ATAFCS (and we all know how long it took the army to eventually equip AH-1s with C-NITE FLIR).
Oh yeah, ATAFCS AH-1Gs were still used to designate targets for Hellfire/Apache tests in 1980.
The book by Mike Verier is entitled Bell AH-1 Cobra (Osprey Air Combat Series); ISBN: 0850459346. I am not sure if it’s still in print, but You can get it through Amazon.
I’ll do my best to post some more info on ALLD/ATAFCS and an image of the ALLD pod tomorrow.
I have a very clear memory of seeing a photo of a helo with a rocket pod painted up as a Budweiser (?) beer can but can’t recall where I saw it. Does anyone else remember this one?
There are also the two all-black H-3’s operated by the 20th Special Operations Squadron in Laos. No national insignia just a 4-digit red tail number.
Go to the “Links to Huey threads on FSM site” thread and look at the “Huey nose art” thread page 2 and the “Unusual Vietnam Hueys” thread page 1 for several different beer can motifs on rocket pods, including Budweiser.
“Black Maria” CH-3C or E. H-3 in action has briefs on that aircraft. It has a drawing and some other black and whites. I have a few models in the to do list in 1/72 and that is one. All I need for that one is red decals and some interior shot to built it up. I also have planned on making Banana 1 and the rest of the acft in the raid.
The flying crane was relatively rare over there, and to see one with a “daisy cutter” is even stranger. Up north they were always dropped out the back of a C130.
I’m new to the site…found it a few weeks ago while doing some research for a friend of mine to get some parts to restore his flight helmet. Here’s the God’s honest truth on the first loach with a door mounted mini-gun. It was fabricated using a spare collective stick robbed from another ship…the obsever/co-pilot position had a removable collective that could be stored and then quickly installed if needed in an emergency. The creation was by a loach crew chief/gunner by the name of Chris ‘Favats’ Favata, hometown, Northvale, NJ. Chris was attached to D Troop (Air), 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry (3/4 Cav), 25th Infantry Division operating out of Cu Chi. Chris was there from Spring 68 to Summer 69. The name of his ship was ‘SNAFU’…I have to double-check the tail number…might have been 308…but I’ll get back to you on that and in what month he and some maintence guys made their creation. Also, Chris has some photos…I’ll have to scan them and post them here. The photo of the loach ‘Borrowed Time’ is after SNAFU already had her gun.
Got it…"the tail number of ‘SNAFU’ was 16308. The mini-gun project was done in early '69 before TET that year. The brass wanted more ‘count’ in case more ‘shi*’ was coming for TET '69 like what happened in '68. The door mounted 60 just didn’t get the job done especially if they were out without a cobra. Can anyone create a loach model with the mini-gun in the door and correct tail number and name for Chris ? He’s willing to buy.
Just out of curiosity, where did you come across the NOH-6 photos? I only ask because I scanned those from the US Army Aviation Museum archives myself some time ago. They are indeed cool though.
No worries. I see at least three photos there that are from material I scanned from the archives and posted as well as several others that i also have but can’t prove came from me. It’s all public access so that’s not a problem. i just wish folks would credit the US Army Aviation Museum when they use them for articles and such. Heck, I even saw some dude posted my father’s pic of his bird Gladiator 36 as their own! Now that did annoy me.
Not worried at all. Maybe you’re not the only person that visited the museum and scanned the pics? I know there are a lot of copyright issues but I try to stay away from such material if it’s explicitly marked as copyright protected or ask the respective owner of the copyright if I’m allowed to use his material which in most cases isn’t a problem (example follows).
Some pics of USN CSAR choppers.
SH-3A “Big Mother 70” of HS-2 in SEA colors on the landing deck of USS Mahan (DLG-11).
“Big Mother 70” after its conversion to HH-3A standard and in new color with HC-7.
The M134 mounted in the door of “Big Mother 70”.
Note: The last two pics marked (C) W.Tanneberger are used with his kind allowance!
Following the only shot of an UH-2 with doorgun that I know of.
Another shot of an UH-2A with camo and a nice noseart.
If you want to know more about the history of USN CSAR helicopters and also Lt. Lassen you may check out this PDF.
Nice shots! Thanks for sharing. As for the photos, I’m pretty sure they are the ones I scanned, the NOH-6 pic even has the same black mark in the upper right hand corner! Plus I am the only person who has scanned them to my knowledge (they are slides and the collection is locked away on the 3rd floor), but as I said, it’s not about me getting credit just the Museum collections. I just want folks to realize that they are trying their best to preserve the history of Army Aviation.
Here’s a shot that might be of interest. A Camo UH-2A shots from the National Museum of Naval Aviation collections:
Thanks for the photo…every single one is interesting.
Jollies and TATs (Tactical Armament Turret 102B, M134 pod with 8.000 rounds) which could be carried instead of the external fueltanks. The crews doesn’t seem to like them much and prefered the extra fuel above firepower instead. They were aimed via door/window mounted electro-optical sights.
Some pics that I got from the grandson of a GoGo (ACH-47A) crewmember and which are used with his kind allowance.
This photo shows ACH-47A #64-13151shortly after the crash which led to its nickname “Stump Jumper” as hit a large tree stump after the forced landing due to enemy fire.
“Stump Jumper” with painted nickname and tree stump.
Some pics of “Stump Jumper” after the groundtaxiing accident in which it hit an other parked Chinook. The helicopter was a total loss.
