Chris, it is Army policy to name it’s aircraft afet woodland animals or American Indian tribes or chiefs, there have been exemptions to this policy such as the AH-1 which was named the HueyCobra. The nickname Huey was derived from the original designation HU-1, it’s offical name is the Iroquos.
The Army does have “colorful names” for some of it’s aircraft, such as for the Chinook and my name for this new helo “POS”
LOL Good one Grandad!!!
To add to the confusion…there was also a Sikorsky Black Hawk gunship (S67) which entered the AAFSS competition late in the game (circa 1971) as a “spoiler” against the AH-56. The tandem two place machine was originally painted all black and had a stylized arrow running down the fuselage. The helicopter used the venerable S-61 power train/rotor system, and was quite large.
The boys from “Igor” campagined the machine around the country at various Army installations but found the Army really wasn’t interested. The only prototype met it’s fate at an airshow when it was looped into the ground during an effort to sell it to the Saudi’s. (The Black Hawk had been repainted into a desert cammo scheme for the occasion.)
The airframe design was resurrected with a three place cockpit, ejection seats, blade cutters, and all the wires you could want, when Sikorsky won the contract for the two Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) at the cost of about 32 megabucks a copy. The machines flew for 10 years and amassed just over a nonspectactular 100 hrs of flight time before being retired.
Chuck,
The S-67 was also known as the AH-3 (since it used the SH-3 rotor system and powertrain). I hadn’t made the association between that and the RSRA. One of the X-wing RSRAs is here at Rucker behind one of the storage buildings. It is in fairly terrible shape, but restorable from what I know.
I’ve been batting around the idea of using a Hasegawa/Revell Germany SH-3 rotor and engines to scratchbuild an AH-3. That’ll be a long time coming, but I still want to do it.
Jon
Cobrahistorian, Did you get any Huey shots for me down there yet? Hurry, before there all gone! Dave
Roger that, Jon
When this thing goes to the boneyard the Huey will still be there to fly the crew home
Interesting (AH-3), cool! I didn’t know the army had gotten into the action. Although to be an entrant in AAFSS it would have to have some designation for paper trail purposes…
Here is a shot of the RSRA at the height of it’s career, doing rotorless flight for X-wing. While Sikorsky said it would fly as an airplane it had never been attempted, untill this time.
I think Anigrand has a resin kit of the S-67, that might be an easier way (but more expensive)
They do have an S-67 and at $48 it is at least worth thinking about.
Anigrand S-67 Blackhawk
Mac
A very interesting thread. What other Native American tribes’ names are left that could be used?
The OH-58 Kiowa doesn’t really look like an army helo to me in its civillian state, but tool it up and turn it into a “Thug” and Hey Presto. …one cool looking chopper. Give the 72 some slack. Put some .50 cal door guns on it, maybe a few rocket pods here and there…
Maybe we could have a GB to see who can come up with the most imaginative model???
Rich
Rich, there are very many. At least a couple of hundred, but most of them, people here in the US, much less anywhere else have even heard of. There are however many more well known ones that have’t been used. If I had more time, I would try to name you some, but I have to get going soon. Surely someone will elaborate.
60
Mac,
Yeah, Anigrand does have a kit of it, but its 72nd only. Unfortunately the only kits of both the Cheyenne and the Blackhawk are in that diminutive scale, which I just don’t wanna build in. Sooooo… scratchbuilding is pretty much my only option.
As far as the RSRA goes… its here at Rucker… and trust me, ya don’t wanna see it.
Jon
Check this out, Rich. It might help.
This list does not list all. aI know of at least one tribe not listed. The Tule Indians of California. Anyway, just thought it woud be easier than listing them all one by one. Enjoy.
Thank you Chopperfan.
I had no idea there were so many tribes. How do they (US Military) decide after which tribe to name a helicopter? Is it some attribute/characteristic of that tribe which can be assimilated across to a particular a/c. eg Apache . To me they conjur up a very aggressive image, an image I admit was probably formed from watching wild west /John Wayne films as a wee nipper, but the name aptly fits the helicopter.
Out of interest, I couldn’t find the Kiowa tribe. Where were they from (and what is the correct pronounciation?..KYE-O-WAH or KEE-OH-WAH).
Rich
Take a look here.
I hadn’t noticed that they were not listed.
Very interesting. many thanks for that. The history of the Native Americans is a facinating subject.
Rich
Why are so many US military helicopters named after Indians ?
Traditionally, Armed Forces choose a subject to give name to its ships, airplanes or vehicles.
The U.S. Army aviation began in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma prior to moving to FT. Rucker, Alabama.
Ft. Sill is located in the heart of many native american reservations and in honor of the location they decided to name helicopters after the various indian tribes. The one exception is the Bell AH-1 Cobra which was named such because the army did not want to offend the native americans by naming a gunship after an indian tribe and have the be percieved as an insult.
Shortly thereafter many tribal leaders inquired as to why the Army stopped naming helicopters after indians. When the reason was explained the leaders stated that there are many aggressive indian tribes that are fit to name a gunship after which was where the Apache, Kiowa warrior, and formerly the Commanche all got thier names from.
On occasion, the Army will open up the naming of a new helo to the troops, the name must fit into the Army guidelines. Last time I know this was done was for the UH-60 and the name that won was the “Blackhawk” I was still in the Army at that time. The location of the plant for the AH-64 also was an influence in the naming. The plant is in Mesa, Arizona
Rich,
Its pronounced Ky-o-wa.
Randie,
The Cobra was so named for a few reasons, but it had more to do with the lineage of ground attack aircraft that Bell developed during WWII (Airacobra and Kingcobra), coupled with Bell reps having a great deal of interaction with the gun platoon of the 114th Assault Helicopter Company (the Cobras) in Vietnam. Also, the AH-1 was a development of the UH-1 and not considered its own specific type at that time. Thus, technically it was still an Iroquois.
HTH
Jon
This, I knew. [^]
This I didn’t. Thanks, Jon. [:D]