When I read about LCH on GlobalFalcon my first response was;


ARRRGHHHH! Kill me now

First, curious, is this the old Combat Helo project I came across back in 2004-2005 frame which went nowhere? Revived?

Second, as I sent a PM to the YouTube account hosting the videos, I am a former Longbow crewmember, and worked on armament and electrical systems for about 5 years. Currently just started the flight school and can't wait until I get to the seat of this bad boy...

I am so excited with LCH. I am watching it closely. I won't beg for beta testing, that is developers call, however anything technical needed, within my limitations I can provide info.

Thanks guys, I got some reading to do here...

Flexman, I am responding to your message from YT here if you don't mind...

Well of course, nice meeting you, I posted on SimHQ first thing today after I became aware of the project...

You guys are from UK, does the US Army cause any trouble in regards of accessing declassified information? Why did you guys pick Ft. Hood? We have other posts also in case that doesn't work.

Oh wait I think your sound engineer is in the US and lives close by Hood? I see if that is the case. Last I heard Ft Hood units were deployed. When you say hangar noise, elaborate because we do not run the helicopters in hangars AT ALL. Nor their auxiliary power units. It is a safety issue and has to be done on flight line.

I will upload a video I recorded in 2005 in Korea later, it is a Longbow taxiing. Remind me if I forget. You will get a grasp of that awesome and unique rotor sound... I have about 4-5 gigs footage so that covers most sounds I believe. You are in good hands.

Here is a photo of me in Iraq loading flechettes.



I have not picked the Apaches yet, as a matter of fact I just started flight school after lengthy Officer training, we are doing ground stuff nowadays, water survival etc. If you are coming through helicopter flight school in the military, know how to swim, I am still learning LOL

Drawings are iffy, but we can talk about specifics later, what has to be detailed etc you know. Have him contact me.

Hi Bushmaster,

Thanks for your interest in the project. I'm sure we'll have plenty of questions in the future.

For now I have a few questions about rockets, and after seeing your picture it seems like you're the man to ask.

1) You're loading WDU-4/A, right? Are WDU-4A/A in service?

2) Is it true that the WDU-4/A only contains 96 flechettes? Do you know their weight?

3) Are the M255 and M255E1/A1 visually different to the WDU-4/A / WDU-4A/A series? Is it simply another name for the same warhead?

4) Is it common to load an entire pod with just flechette rounds?

5) Is it just my eyes, or is the TADS unit painted black on that apache?

A few questions relating to my hydra 70 models:

6) Did I put the yellow band(s) in the correct place? Also, according to the source I used, the text colour is different, is there any truth to this?

7) Are any of the rockets I've modelled not currently in use? I'm specifically curious about the M261 multi-purpose sub-munition.

8) Are there any other commonly used warheads I haven't modelled?

9) The M156 WP warhead was listed as being 'light green' not olive drab. Is this correct?

10 Are the fuses on the M151, M156, M229 painted or bare metal?



Cheers

Hey Bushmaster, good to have you here and offering your help. I´m also very interested in the Apache and I would like to know something more about it. Ed Macy`s books are my favorites. If it is not classified I would like to see some Apache footage from you.

AD, thanks for the questions and oh boy you guys are pretty detailed in this area. Now as an armament guy, in general we did load them, seat them and arm them but not very many of us would know the details you are asking.

I will try and research this further. In addition, if you are on Facebook, there is a group named "Armament Dawgs" all attack helicopter crews, join there for more questions, OK?

I will do my best, if I don't know I will research.

We knew them by "Flechettes" never knew the designation. But yes, it seems flechettes go by that designation according to AirCav website.

We need to find you an Ammo guy, they are the experts actually. We just loaded them.



I wouldn't know the ingredients of the rocket, however flechettes were considerably heavier compared to PDs.

Looking at your picture, WDU you have there seems kind of short to me. our flechettes were almost the same size as our HPSMs. We visually made the separation by the umbilical cord which I am not seeing in the picture yet. In my picture, I loaded them and I was fusing them with the cords.

We have done it, it depends on the mission. Pilots used to load entire A zone with PDs, B or C zone with Flechettes and E zone with Illums.

No it is the same color as the aircraft. Speaking of TADS, you guys are aware that all US aircraft is equipped with M-TADS now, I would recommend researching it and implementing that system in the sim because legacy TADS has been long gone from active units. AFAIK, Netherlands also utilizes them but not sure about Royal Army. Are you guys basing the sim to Royal Army aircraft?



Not sure about the 257 and 261 bands. As a matter of fact I don't remember seeing bands around illums at all, and we put those together at the FOB. It would have been helpful if I paid attention to the crates they came in huh... LOL

I have not seen that 229 yet. The shorter ones go around the community as PDs. You had it as MPSMs but we called em HPSMs, something you want to look at. Also Flechettes seem to be the incorrect size, meaning what we used might have been something else.

Like I said we worked with a limited amount of types, plus the training (blue) versions.

To be honest, what we worked with was all olive drab. Can't identify with designation but have not seen a light green one yet.

What do you mean by fuses? The front of the rocket was metal but not painted, the metal was the color of the rocket, so olive drab or blue. The fuse where the rocket ignites the propulsion in the back was covered with aluminum foil.

I know my answers sucked but as armament we really didn't go deep in armament types. I hope these help at least a little while we look for further answers. I am sure when I start flying those will become more familiar with me.

Ed Macy is the British pilot recently wrote "Apache"? Haven't read that yet, but sure you will see some footage.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. This is the source I used for the flechette (WDU-4/A)

http://maic.jmu.edu/ordata/FullImage.asp?Image=images%5CF%5CF2720U01.JPG

I notice on the aircav site they show the WDU4A/A.

http://www.aircav.com/img/cav/4aa_wdu.gif

It's 3.4 inches longer than 4/A (the version I modelled), and it fits in with your photo. So I'm presuming the flechettes you loaded were the 4A/A version with 2200 20 grain flechettes. The reason I didn't model it was because the aircav site does it's not in service. Their info must be out of date so I'll model that version soon.

I'm surprised to hear that the the flechette rounds were heavier than the others. 2200 20 grain flechettes is only 3KG's, which is 7.2lb's.

This site has some great info, diagrams and pictures about the hydra 70 warheads:

http://maic.jmu.edu/ordata/srdetaildesc.asp?ordid=282



here's something that might help to jog your memory.



(illustration of relative lengths not an actual load out)

Cheers

This sort of stuff should really be done via PM, I think.

Yes, and his latest book is HELLFIRE. Looking forward to see some footage from you.

Guys, I really don't know about the intricate details of game development and programming, so I would not know what to disclose, what to comment on here, I would not know what you guys can show me publicly etc. So please forgive me if I make a mistake concerning your project.

I am thinking maybe you guys should create a private facebook group where we can discuss things. Or PM here, I see that PMs are threaded so that is like a private forum.

My FB is facebook.com/Bushmaster78FS with an introduction you can request and contact me there.

I also enlisted the help of another crew member and my flight school buddy, hopefully he will be able to comment on it also.

AD, in that pod picture, the rockets are not seated right? You just stuck 'em in there? If they are seated, they are sticking out more than the actual thing, but I am sure they are not seated.

EagleEye, I will post something later today...

Neat footage. Thanks for sharing that.

Thanks Bushmaster, much appreciated!

Is that what it sounds like in the front pit? Hard to tell with bone dome I suppose. Not pleasant to listen to for long very long. It's my washing machine on the spin cycle.

Actually in the AH-64 both cockpits are EXTREMELY loud, it gets louder when the ECS kicks in, there is no pressure cabin so all the sound from inside outside everything leaks in... We do wear customized earplugs, (kind of necessary) and helmet of course. What you are hearing here is the camcorder sitting in the cockpit, without any filtering of earplugs or helmet. So you guys if you use this sound should muffle it to reflect the helmet/earplug effect...

Here is a little more sound reference for in pit Hellfire and 30mm ...

As long as it's not classified info there is no problem.

Shame units i was in were hell bent on us not taking photos of unit helos. I'd have a whole bunch if i were able.

Our pilots took pics all the time, it seemed policy only applied to enlisted ground crew.

Here is a friend of mine who is about to graduate in a couple weeks...

Wow! You`re lucky friend. Nice footage. Keep it coming. :-)