AV-22 Gunship

[Burncycle360]

I'm putting together a model aircraft and was looking for advice. I plan on taking a 1/72nd scale V-22 Osprey and creating a fictional AV-22 gunship from it.

 

But, I'm having trouble deciding what equipment would be carried, not just weapons systems, but also sensors and electronics warfare equipment. The AC-130 has a wide variety, and obviously we can't carry it all, so what would a V-22 gunship carry equipment/electronics/sensors wise?

 

As far as the weapons themselves, I doubt a 105mm can be crammed in there, not just for weight and space reasons, but the aircraft itself is much lighter than a loaded up AC-130, and the shock of firing would probably affect the aircraft a greater amount.

 

A 40mm and 25mm gatling gun seems reasonable, and is in use in the current AC-130 so it's not unrealistic, but it lacks the heavy hitting the 105 provides. After watching the gunship video in afganistan, it would probably have taken more ammo and much longer without the 105, and I didn't see the 25mm getting much use.

 

We don't use the compact 75mm mountain howitzers anymore, which would be just about perfect for the heavy punching capability.

 

Barring that, my "ideal" armament consists of a 40mm CTA, and a 35/1000 system with AHEAD, which should provide superior anti personnel/anti softskin fire compared to the 25mm gatling gun. But obviously the US doesn't use 40mm CTA, nor the 35/1000 system, and I want to keep it realistic.

 

Any advise on armaments and systems given the volume, weight, and recoil considerations?

[Garth]

Suggestion ... restart this thread over in GenMil, leaving out that you're going to build a model. You'll get a better response.

 

--Garth

[Jacques]

I would say what you have reasoned out sounds good...remember, the Marines do not always use the same systems that the other branches do (LAV, M60A3 MG...etc.)

[Ol Paint]

You might dig up/reactivate the AC-2 gunship thread if you decide to repost on GenMil as I think there was some discussion of the possibilities of the MV-22 in this arena. Also, the 30mm Bushmaster II as used in the Mk46 is a possibility. It is upgradeable to 40mm. It might be better to use a forward firing weapons system, though, to make use of the airframe's speed and operate it more like an AH than an AC. With a retractable NOGS type turret, it might well be possible to do both conventional AC- as well as AH- type missions and your heavier punch could be supplied by Hellfire and Maverick, rather than a conventional cannon.

 

I would second the motion to repost this on GenMil, where it will see a lot more activity. I would disagree with Garth, though, and leave in the bit about planning to build a model.

 

Douglas

[DougRichards]

Get hold of Dale Brown's 'Hammerheads' novel for some ideas too. You may want to rack mount Stingers, preferably in a retractable mount under the fuselage.

 

In terms of gun power, what about one of GIATS low recoil breech loading mortar systems, in 60mm or 81mm?

[Sikkiyn]

My idea.

 

 

Call it the AV-22 Casper (a small ghost than a AC-130 Spectre.)

 

Side-Firing

3x M230 30mm chain-gun (127lb ea.)

Ammunition: 1500xrd M789 HEDP per gun.

(if you add 4xM230, then reduce ammunition to 800rd per gun for weight and performance consideration.)

 

Each gun can have a small Flir pod that is slaved to the gun, with the image on a flat-panel LCD. (80pd ea + electrical.)

Over-fuselage mini-ram for power to systems. (ram will be small, it doesn't take a lot.)

 

Guns can track individually or together.

 

Flir under nose - in front of gear for the dual purpose

(WSO/Co-Pilot)

 

Fully loaded, the AV-22 will loose a little SVTOL ability, but will maintain ability to operate off ships, without catapult assist.

 

 

If I can ever find the time to photograph it, I created many years back an M1A1 Mout variant, w/blk paint job, and 57mm forward rocket-pods mounted on the turret, and a flame-thrower mounted out the back, as a back-door crunchie preventer.

Coax .50, Commander .50, Loader, 7.62mm mini.