I've seen some people wondering why already three Aaches have been downed by the Iraqi army.
I think the main reason is that a chopper is more likelly to get hit by ground fire then a jet because they attack at a lower altitude and at slower speed. One of the main targets of someone trying to down a chopper would be the tail end, not the pilots or the fuselage. Let me try to explain this.
The top blade of a chopper puts a heavy force on the chopper itself in the opposit way the blade is turning causing the chopper to spin around it's own axe. Most choppers have a tail blade to correct this, some choppers have a trim plate or the tail is put into an angle to avoid this effect.
The Apache has a blade to correct this problem as shown in the picture below.
If you would shoot at that blade and it gets hit the pilots are forced to land it, the chopper would spin around it's own axe out of control.
Secondly you have the choppers elevator plates as shown in the picture below.
As you can see these plates are very small, two bullit hits would blow out atleast 40% of it, i don't think the pilots are able to correct it and are forced to land it.
The top blade is not a target i think because it would be nearly impossible to hit it, the pilots would not fly over enemy fire but they would fly passed it making the tail section a very good target.
Still, the Apache is a very deadly attack weapon, it is able to do a low altitude dead on attack and fire those rockets dead on it's target, making it nearly impossible to miss. Being able to attack at low altitude is a very good tool i think, imagine an anti aircraft gun at the top of a building (like alot in Iraq). This gun has a minimum angle although i don't know what that angle is. The Apache is able to approach it below this angle and blow it's ass away. There are alot more things a chopper can do that a jet can't. Not to mention being able to hover and land and take-off practicly anywhere. Still, i think it's a mean beast and one of the top tools any army could have.
Just look at it, ain't it a mean beast?
I think the main reason is that a chopper is more likelly to get hit by ground fire then a jet because they attack at a lower altitude and at slower speed. One of the main targets of someone trying to down a chopper would be the tail end, not the pilots or the fuselage. Let me try to explain this.
The top blade of a chopper puts a heavy force on the chopper itself in the opposit way the blade is turning causing the chopper to spin around it's own axe. Most choppers have a tail blade to correct this, some choppers have a trim plate or the tail is put into an angle to avoid this effect.
The Apache has a blade to correct this problem as shown in the picture below.
If you would shoot at that blade and it gets hit the pilots are forced to land it, the chopper would spin around it's own axe out of control.
Secondly you have the choppers elevator plates as shown in the picture below.
As you can see these plates are very small, two bullit hits would blow out atleast 40% of it, i don't think the pilots are able to correct it and are forced to land it.
The top blade is not a target i think because it would be nearly impossible to hit it, the pilots would not fly over enemy fire but they would fly passed it making the tail section a very good target.
Still, the Apache is a very deadly attack weapon, it is able to do a low altitude dead on attack and fire those rockets dead on it's target, making it nearly impossible to miss. Being able to attack at low altitude is a very good tool i think, imagine an anti aircraft gun at the top of a building (like alot in Iraq). This gun has a minimum angle although i don't know what that angle is. The Apache is able to approach it below this angle and blow it's ass away. There are alot more things a chopper can do that a jet can't. Not to mention being able to hover and land and take-off practicly anywhere. Still, i think it's a mean beast and one of the top tools any army could have.
Just look at it, ain't it a mean beast?
When i was in flight school i remember seeing a chopper on the apron and i asked the pilot why the tail was in such a funny angle and he said it was to contribute to make it stable, i thought he was referring to the effect of the top rotor. Must be something else then. I know some small aricrafts have a trim plate in the tail section to contribute the aicraft wanting spin the opisite way of it's prop (only when it's a single engine prop) but if i recall it correct that has to do with the windflow of the prop hitting the tail section and "pushes" it to the other side and a combination of the same force a chopper has from it's top blade.
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