They were used in Vietnam but the need for trasnport was too great. They performed well. Hoping for a variant of this chinook
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_CH-47_Chinook#Vietnam_WarACH-47A
The ACH-47A was originally known as the Armed/Armored CH-47A (or A/ACH-47A). It was officially designated ACH-47A[75] as a U.S. Army Attack Cargo Helicopter, and unofficially referred to as Guns A Go-Go. Four CH-47A helicopters were converted to gunships by Boeing Vertol in late 1965. Three were assigned to the 53rd Aviation Detachment in South Vietnam for testing, with the remaining one retained in the U.S. for weapons testing. By 1966, the 53rd was redesignated the 1st Aviation Detachment (Provisional) and attached to the 228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). By 1968, only one gunship remained, and logistical concerns prevented more conversions. It was returned to the United States, and the program stopped.[76]
The ACH-47A carried five 7.62 × 51 mm M60D machine guns or .50-caliber (12.7 mm) M2HB heavy machine guns, provided by the XM32 and XM33 armament subsystems, two 20 mm M24A1 cannons, two 19-tube 2.75-inch (70 mm) Folding Fin Aerial Rocket launchers (XM159B/XM159) or sometimes two M18/M18A1 7.62 × 51 mm gun pods, and a single 40 mm M75 grenade launcher in the XM5/M5 armament subsystem (more commonly seen on the UH-1 series of helicopters). Rare newsreel footage shows one of the aircraft in action supporting the 8th Cavalry Regiment during an ambush at Bông Son, South Vietnam.[77] The surviving aircraft, Easy Money, has been restored and is on display at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.[78][verification needed]
General characteristics
Crew: 3 (pilot, copilot, flight engineer or loadmaster)
Capacity:
33–55 troops or
24 stretchers and 3 attendants or
24,000 lb (10,886 kg) payload
Length: 98 ft (30 m) [186]
Fuselage length: 52 ft (16 m)
Width: 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m) (fuselage)[186]
Height: 18 ft 11 in (5.77 m)
Empty weight: 24,578 lb (11,148 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 50,000 lb (22,680 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming T55-GA-714A turboshaft engines, 4,733 shp (3,529 kW) each
Main rotor diameter: 2 × 60 ft (18 m)
Main rotor area: 5,600 sq ft (520 m2)
Blade section: root: Boeing VR-7; tip: Boeing VR-8[187]
Performance
Maximum speed: 170 kn (196 mph, 315 km/h)
Cruise speed: 160 kn (184 mph, 296 km/h)
Range: 400 nmi (460 mi, 740 km)
Combat range: 200 nmi (230 mi, 370 km)
Ferry range: 1,216 nmi (1,399 mi, 2,252 km) [188]
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Rate of climb: 1,522 ft/min (7.73 m/s)
Disk loading: 9.5 lb/sq ft (46 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.28 hp/lb (0.46 kW/kg)
Armament
Up to 3 pintle-mounted medium machine guns (1 on loading ramp and 2 at shoulder windows), generally 7.62 mm (0.300 in) M240/FN MAG machine guns, and can be armed with the 7.62 mm M134 Minigun rotary machine gun.
Avionics
Rockwell Collins Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) (MH-47G/CH-47F)
Author
Topic: ACH-47As based of the ch-47 (Read 455 times)
