[3e] CH-47 Chinook

[Phaelen Bleux]

Boeing CH-47 Chinook
In service since the mid-1960s, the CH-47 remains the U.S. Army's mainstay for medium-lift helicopters. The Chinook provided valuable service in the Vietnam War, acting as a troop transport, supply carrier, rescue and recovery vehicle, and air ambulance. The helicopter features a large 30'x8'x7' cabin which can be configured to carry 33-55 troops, 24 litters and three medical attendants, or 28,000 lbs. of internal cargo. (This large space often makes it tempting for crews to overload the CH-47.) In addition, the Chinook features three underbody cargo hooks for external cartage of artillery, supplies or vehicles.
The latest version of the Chinook, the CH-47D, has been upgraded since 1982 with the latest avionics and more powerful engines. All 472 current -Ds are converted -As, -Bs, and -Cs. It is being used extensively in all of its typical roles in the Middle-East conflicts. Internationally, the CH-47D also sees service in Australia, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Britain and Canada use the -D as the Chinook HC.Mk 2.
The CH-47 has a crew of 2-4; pilot, co-pilot and a flight engineer or gunners. Although typically unarmed, it has provision for two door gunners. It has ferry range of 1,259 miles, an operational range of 115 miles with internal cargo, or 35 miles with externally slung loads. The CH-47 burns 392 gallons of jet fuel per hour at routine usage. A full tank of fuel costs $3,090.

Subassemblies: Body +5, two Multiple Main Rotors +2, four Fixed Wheels +1.
Powertrain: Two 3,264-kW Improved HP gas turbines; 5,593-kW MMR drivetrain, 2,300-kWs advanced battery.
Fuel: 1,030 gallons jet fuel (Fire 13) in standard self-sealing tank [Body] (fire -1).
Occupancy: 4 NCS, 50 NPS (and see above).
Cargo: Up to 28,000 lbs.

Armor
Body/Wheels: 3/5
Rotors: 3/10

Weaponry:
2x 7.62mm LMGs/M60 [Body:L,R] (500 rounds each).

Equipment:
Body: Long range radio with scrambler (300 mile), autopilot, military GPS, precision navigation instruments, IFF, full fire suppression system, 4,000-lb. rescue winch, 54-man environmental control, back-up driver option, two 20,000-lb. cargo hooks, one 28,000-lb. cargo hook.

Statistics:
Size: 99'x20'x19' Payload: 11.4 tons Lwt.: 22.6 tons
Volume: 952 cf Maint.: 17 hours Price: $1,464,149

HT: 11. HPs: 1,428 Body, 633 each Rotor, 97 each Wheel.

aSpeed: 196 aAccel: 4 aDecel: 24 aMR: 6 aSR: 2
Stall speed 0.

Design Notes:
Body is 952 cf; rotors are 40 cf each; wheels are 100 cf. Structure is Medium, Standard with No streamlining for Body and Wheels; Expensive materials for rotors. Rotor armor is Standard Composite; body and wheel armor is Expensive Metal. Sealed. Mechanical controls. Fuel tank is standard, seal-sealing. Design loaded weight was under by 6% over at 42,528 lbs.
The Chinook's real-world take-off weight is 45,117 lbs. This value was used for performance calculations. Maximum real-world take-off weight is 50,000 lbs. Design cost was used for maintenance calculations. The real-world speed has been substituted; design aSpeed was 211 mph. Unit price was approximately $35 million in 2008.

Variants:
The CH-47A (1961) featured 1,641-kW engines. 354 built.
The CH-47B (1966) featured 2,125-kW engines. 108 built.
The CH-47C (1967) featured 2,769-kW engines and increased fuel capacity. 270 built.
The ACH-47A (1965) was a heavily armed version, featuring armor and armed with a 40mm grenade launcher (M75) in the nose, a 20mm forward firing cannon (M24A1), two pylons on either side of the fuselage carrying 19-round rocket packs (XM159B or -C) or 7.62mm MG pods (M18A1), and five gunner stations in the cabin armed with 12.7mm M2HB HMGs. Only four were built; three saw active use in Vietnam. They were nicknamed "Guns A Go-Go."
The MH-47E (1991) is a special ops variant (p. SO123) based on the -C, but upgraded to -D specifications plus the addition of terrain following radar and a refueling probe. 26 converted.
The CH-47F version (2001) with electronic controls and digital avionics improvements may keep the Chinook in U.S. service until 2033.
The MH-47G is the MH-47E brought up to CH-47F standard.
The Model 234LR, -MLR, -ER and -UT (1978) are all civilian versions, able to carry passengers or cargo.

[Ewan]

Excellent :-)

[macphersonrants]

Glad the gunship variant made it in there. I heard they were serious bullet magnets, but the concept is amusing.