This is a helicopter I've been following on and off. The pusher rotor gives the aircraft an enormous speed advantage (something tried early on in the AH-56 Cheyenne advanced attack helicopter program culminating in the AH-64 Apache).
Eliminating the swashplate through active-blade technologies (where each blade can control flaps many times per revolution) sounds great on paper. Such a system has already been tried on on UH-60s to greatly reduce noise and vibration. Ideal for spec-ops.
I seriously doubt we'll ever add an X2. Certainly the CH-47D is in the works, after that who knows. We short listed helos like the MH-6, AH1 Cobra, I still want the MH-60 as a close friend has many memories of flying that one. It's a LOT of work crafting study sim avionics from bits and pieces of scattered information.
What makes the Apache D so appealing (and I'll quote someone here) is all the gizmos. You don't really get the same buzz with the AH-1. The CH-47 provides a fantastic way to expand the kinds of missions players can fly, beyond that it's hard to nail a mass appeal helicopter (three words that don't belong together....EVER). Everyone has their own likes.
Even the RAH-66 never made much impact. It appeared in a few SEGA games, Razorworks and Novalogic traded on their hi-tech appeal. Stealth helicopters as a fashion came and went.
Perhaps the best known helicopter is the Blackhawk and partly for the wrong reason, crashing. I guess we'll evaluate it when the time comes. But I do love the debates.
Please share your thoughts and opinions on the X2 and other helos either here or on the SimHQ forums.
My Favorite Coffee mug
The simplest things make my happy. Just in...our homage/nod to LB2.
Cheers AD. It gives me a sense of completeness you can't possibly imagine. Oh that sounds a bit psychotic. What I mean is, ever since I felt the dedicated helicopter game needed a revival, I knew it needed to have this as a comforting reminder that the days of mimes are numbered.
Kablewie
Smoke plumes and some fire effects. If you turn on coloured shadows (global illumination) it does some impressive things, smoke shadows across the terrain. Can be pretty heavy on the GPU though.
It looks like humpty-dumpty ate a Kamov. The good news is that it has about as much chance of entering military service as Dame Edna Everage.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Already I wrote, and write again-I hope that after the Chinook you go to dark side of power and you will release MI28 Havoc.I love this brutal force, brutal, hewn appearance and I bet -per box of vodka in russia you can get all the documentation ;)
ReplyDeleteThis helicopter has everything you need-aiming systems, radar, FLIR, powerful weaponry.Fantastic trajectory Vikhr.
My vote for the Havok;)
for the sake of realism, you need candy bars and wrappers of twinkies.
ReplyDeleteWell they have some great specs for it. weighs 9000lbs and can carry 10500lbs and goes like sh*t off a shovel.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I can't see them spending this amount of money on R&D and prototypes to not bring it into production. At the end of the day it will be down to which Senator in procurement wants a future Directors position with them.
Doesn't look anywhere near as angry as the Apache though, maybe they'll only let the girls fly em.
Ouch :)
ReplyDeleteThere's some angry lady Apache pilots who'd dunk you in the village pond for that one :)
I wouldn't mind a pink one though, would look very rude.
Army aviation was in big trouble a few years back with a fair few AH-1s just not getting maintenance. Words like crisis were being used. I think there's more money to be had in some sectors. The spectre of Comanche program will hang over every new program for a while I fear.
But it does have uses in specialist areas, this could be perfect for high-speed search and rescue. Impressive at-altitude performance, high cruise speeds, sensor suite and ferry capacity.
So it could slip-in the back door that way. And I kind of hope it does find a role for border patrol, coast guard or mountain rescue. Seems well suited for it on paper.
Agreed and no doubt sikorsky will adapt the aircraft to whickever role gets put forward.
ReplyDeleteHavent heard any numbers mentioned yet but on the whole I'd be surprised if several agencies didn't put at least small bids in. Unfortunately in the current environment it will take a large commitment from someone to really get this thing of the ground (so to speak).
Maybe miami border patrol would like some to be able to chase those powerboats down.
I like this X2 concept, reminds me of a "lighweight futuristic Mi-24" (being able to carry gunship and transport missions at the same time).
ReplyDeleteSpeaking about the Mi-24, I think this should IMO be the next helicopter for Combat-Helo (after the Chinook). IMO this is the most interesting combat helicopter to be modeled in a sim since it allows the player to carry gunship and transport missions at the same time or with the same helo! It would also fit perfectly in the Aghanistan scenario (for Afghan National Army, Czech forces or even a 80's Soviet invasion of Afghanistan).
Hey ric. You're right, it is like an Mi24.
ReplyDeleteI posted some pics and thoughts on the Mi24 here before when trying to put some data together on the new modern glass cockpit version.
The Mi24 is the only soviet helicopter I've seen up close. I love this Hind livery, just fantastic.
http://www.amv83.fr/Asm/Sig/europe/Hungary/MilMi24Csorike2010-4.jpg
That's an excelent looking painting in that Mi-24 inded!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what people would realistically pay for an Mi-24 addon?
ReplyDeleteWith there being 3 separate interior areas containing a larger than average number of gauges/panels/switches/new avionics, it's a lot more work. There's also the need for soviet weapons (and the hind can carry just about all of them), a PKM door gun, supporting ground items, ANA items, new pilots, new ground objects (inventory) etc. A conservative estimate is that it's triple the workload in comparison to adding another US helicopter.
What would be a fair price?
Well, I understand what you're saying but if Combat-Helo goes towards the route of modeling Russian helicopters than IMO the first Russian helicopter to be modeled should be the Mi-24 for all the reasons that I mentioned in my previous post. I can only speak for myself but you can bet that I would gladly pay for a Mi-24 Hind addon.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the PKM door gun "extra item" required for the Mi-24, wouldn't it be possible to modify the door guns that you will use for the Chinook and apply it in the Mi-24. If this turn out to be "hard" you could simply ignore the PKM door gun for the Mi-24. Most of the Mi-24 (including the ones seen in combat scenarios) are seen without any door gun anyway.