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Old 05-16-2012, 08:27 AM   #1
copeab
 
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: near Houston
Default [WWII] Kellett RA-2 light attack autogyro (USA, fictional)

This is probably the last of my autogyro designs for some time. Enjoy!
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Kellett RA-2 light attack autogyro
Copyright 2012 by Brandon Cope

The Army liked the idea of the ground attack version of the UC-48, but felt a smaller aircraft could fill that specific role. Kellett developed the RA-2 ("rotor, attack") using the same wings, although bomb load was reduced. Although the RA-2 had metal skin on the fuselage, the cloth covering was retained on the wings to reduce weight. The RA-2 didn't really begin to prove useful in the ground attack job until late 1942, when it began to be armed with eight 4.5" rockets (four per wing, instead of the bombs).

The RA-2 also frequently performed a secondary duty as a n observation aircraft, although lack of a second crewman acting as observer reduced it's effectiveness in this role. Also, it was sometimes used to transport light cargo (or even one person) using the space the observer station had been located at in the prototype.

In all, the RA-2 was useful on the smaller islands of the Pacific where it was difficult to operate fixed-wing aircraft, but it's low payload limited it's effectiveness.

Crew consists of the pilot. The RA-2A uses 11.8 gallons of aviation fuel per hour.

Subassemblies: Medium Helicopter Chassis +1, Rotors +0, three fixed Wheels -2
P&P: 261 kW HP gasoline engines w/261-kW prop, 40 gallon standard tank [Body]
Occ: 1 CS Cargo: 5

Armor
Body: 2/3
Pilot: UB +0/20, LR +0/10
Wings: 2/2C
Rotors: 3/10
Wheels: 3/5

Armament
6xAircraft LMG/Browning M-2 [Wings:F] (500 each)*
* Linked to fire in pairs or all six at once

Equipment
Body: Medium range radio receiver and transmitter, bombsight. Wings: Two 100-lb hardpoints each

Statistics
Size: 30'x30'x9'
Payload: 0.51 tons
Lwt: 1.56 tons
Volume: 72
Maint.: 90 hours
Price: $4,900

HT: 10
HP: 82 [body], 50 [rotor], 4 [each wheel]

aSpeed: 142
aAccel: 5
aDecel: 12
aMR: 2.75
aSR: 1
Stall: 34 mph
Take-off roll: 43 yards. Landing roll: 14 yards

Design Notes
Top speed was limited to 150 mph (as with all TL6 rotorcraft). Speed above assumes loaded hardpoints (-2 mph per loaded hardpoint).

To better match historical autogyros, rotor area was raised to the 1.75 power in stall calculations and 1.5 power in speed calculations. Takeoff was divided by 3 and landing distances by 10.

Variants
The prototype (1941) had a second crewman (observer) who operated two more MGs firing to the rear defensively. Only four MGs were carried in the wings and bomb load was a mere 200 lbs. It was felt that the second crewman wasn't worth the cost in weight.

In late 1942, the RA-2B was introduced. This replaced four of the LMGs with two M-4 autocannons (20mm Long Aircraft AC) with 60 rounds per gun and had hardpoints for four 4.5" rockets under each wing. Cost increased by $1,100 and weight was unchanged. These were used against armored targets in the Pacific, including ships. A small number were taken by the Navy and evaluated for use as ASW platforms.

The XRA-2C was an experimental type with two 37mm M-4 (37mm Medium Aircraft AC) in each wing with 16 rpg All the Brownings and hardpoints were removed. This version was intended to be used as a tank-buster in North Africa, but by the time it flew in early 1943, the cannon was considered too weak for the current German tanks. Only six were built and evaluated in combat.
__________________
A generous and sadistic GM,
Brandon Cope

GURPS 3e stuff: http://copeab.tripod.com

Last edited by copeab; 08-31-2012 at 08:44 PM. Reason: added two variants
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