Thanks Brian! Apparently the original Aurora box said "fully detailed interior"....two panels, one stick, and two seats! I couldn't help but do more given the massive canopy.
Kerick - I agree! Just need to save up so I can grab a couple of the Anigrand kit.
And, as there won't be any model photos until late in the weekend (my future brother-in-law is being admitted to the Bar and we're invited), here's the backstory...or, at least, the first half.
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In 1971, political friction increased between the Army and the Air Force over the close air support (CAS) mission. The Air Force asserted that the Cheyenne would infringe on the Air Force's CAS mission in support of the Army, which had been mandated with the Key West Agreement of 1948. The Department of Defense (DOD) conducted a study that concluded that Air Force's A-X program, the Marine Corps' Harrier, and the Cheyenne were significantly different that they did not constitute a duplication of capabilities. On 22 October 1971, the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on Tactical Air Power conducted hearings to evaluate the CAS mission and the pending programs.
The most positive testimony for the Army's program came from the commander of the Air Force's Tactical Air Command, General William W. Momyer. In a surprising about-face, he cited helicopter casualty statistics of Operation Lam Son 719 as evidence such craft were vital and conceded Army aircraft with Army crews were the best solution. He also suggested helicopters (specifically calling out the Cheyenne by name) as being preferable for such a role over proposed fixed-wing types, which should remain with the USAF.
The Army convened a special task force under General Marks in January 1972 to reevaluate the requirements for an attack helicopter. The purpose of the Marks Board was to develop an "updated and defensible" material needs document. The task force conducted flight evaluations of the AH-56, along with two industry alternatives for comparison: the Bell 309 King Cobra and Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk. The Army conducted a competitive fly-off of the helicopters from the spring 1972 until that July. Analysis of the three helicopters determined that while the Bell helicopter could not fulfill the Army's requirements the Sikorsky (as an armed transport) and Lockheed (pure attack) types should be ordered as they exceeded them. A contract was awarded to produce the Sikorsky as the AH-3G Mojave however no such order for the Cheyenne was forthcoming.
The Army also conducted a weapons demonstration for the Senate Armed Services Committee in early 1972, to show off the Cheyenne's firepower and garner support for attack helicopter development. Cheyenne #7 was chosen for the demonstration due to its use of the AMCS and it did not disappoint, showing an accuracy of close to 90% during its weapons demonstration. In April 1972, the Senate published its report on CAS. The report recommended funding of the Air Force's A-X program (which would become the A-10 Thunderbolt II), limited procurement of the Northrop/Hawker Harrier for the Marine Corps and, most explosively, full reinstatement of the Cheyenne production programme for the Army.
AH-56B and production
The unanimous positive reaction shown at the SASC demo and in the resultant report led General Marks, on 9 August, to announce the placement of an order for 450 improved AH-56Bs – considerably more than the original cancelled order of 1968. Although four years had elapsed Lockheed had retained the production tooling and jigs for the Cheyenne, and these were swiftly modified to suit series manufacture of the AH-56B. In the interim, six of the eight surviving AH-56A prototypes were modified to full B-model configuration for pre-production tests and familiarization.
The AH-56B incorporated the ICS and AMCS control improvements previously tested and proved on prototypes #7 and #9. Further testing by Army pilots throughout August and September 1972 showed the improvements removed the remaining control problems, improved stability, improved handling, and decreased the pilot workload. With the AMCS, the AH-56B routinely reached a speed of 247mph in level flight and in a dive #7 achieved 282mph; both B-models also demonstrated improved maneuverability at high speeds. The computer and sensor package benefited from the time delay between cancellation and production, being entirely replaced and refurbished with more powerful units including all-weather/day-night equipment, silencing the last critics of the type.
In January 1973 the Army accepted the first five new-build AH-56Bs and the process of service introduction began. By year’s end half of the Army’s AH-1Gs had been retired from active duty and replaced by Cheyennes. Before the US military withdrawal from Vietnam the type had proved itself, achieving unparalleled success in combat without loss including a spectacular action north of Saigon on the night of 21/22 January 1974. In September 1975 the final batch of Cheyennes were accepted into service, at which point it became the only pure attack helicopter in the Army’s active inventory (the remaining Cobras having been passed to National Guard units).
YAH-56C and records
During 1976 Cheyenne #7 was taken from the Lockheed test fleet and taken over by the company’s Special Projects Division. In a repeat of the XH-51A programme some 12 years before the aircraft was designated YAH-56C and was allocated to the Tri-Service Helicopter Speed Programme, designed to push the aircraft to the limits of helicopter speed.
A podded Pratt & Whitney J60 jet engine was fitted on each wing where the inboard weapons pylon had been located, aerodynamic refinements were made to the T-64’s intakes and exhaust outlet, and the ventral tail fin was extended to include full covers for the tailwheel. The other weapons pylons and mounts, as well as the turrets and sensors, were removed. The large bubble canopy was replaced with a cut-down example designed to reduce glare and distortion, and to increase speed, eliminating the “hump-backed” appearance of in-service models.
After a series of hover tests the YAH-56C first flew on 6 August 1976 on rotor power alone, the first in-flight tests with the jets being undertaken in September. On September 10 the aircraft exceeded 255mph in level flight without jet assistance, the following day it flew at 260mph using the jets. The aircraft soon gained the moniker “Speedy C” among Lockheed and TSHSP staff, the name being painted on the helicopter’s nose.
Throughout 1977 and 1978 the YAH-56C continued to push the Absolute Helicopter Speed Record, culminating in level flight top speeds of 261mph (helicopter) and 302.5mph (jet). However because of the pusher prop the helicopter record was not made official by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, but a Compound category (E-4) was created and the Speed Cheyenne was recorded as the inaugural (and to date only) holder of all its speed records.
TBC....
