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IPTN’s NBo 105 CB
Hello everyone! Today I would like to suggest an Indonesian produced variant of the MBB Bo-105, namely the NBO 105CB. This helicopter was produced under license from Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) in the 70s. Its armament includes FFAR rockets, 80mm SURA-D rockets as well as some gunpods, notably this helicopter does not carry ATGMS, so it’s purely for close-in rocket attacks or gun runs.
Since it has no ATGM, in game this would be a reserve tier/starter helicopter at a battle rating of ~7.7-8.0, with a similar armament to the early Huey/Huey Cobra but with the maneuverability and size of the Bo 105s suitable for close-in gun/rocket runs.
A. Background
Details
the revolutionary Bo 105 was developed at MBB (Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm) in 1964. This helicopter was considered state-of-the-art of the time due to it having a hinge less motor system as well as having the title as the first twin-engine light helicopter in the world. As quoted by Flying Magazine (1990, March), "This design choice has the purpose of creating a simpler and sturdier rotor design as well as eliminating vibrations in the vehicle." Additionally, the connector of the main rotor is just one titanium disc to provide enough power and the carbon fiber composite blade gives flexibility. The helicopter conducted its maiden flight in 1967.
The story of the NBo 105 can be traced back to one man, namely the future president of Indonesia, the Father of Indonesian Technology, B.J. Habibie. He was very impressed with the technological advancements present in the Bo 105 and planned to master the aviation technology for both fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircrafts. As he was then a part of the Advance Technology and Aviation Technology (ATTP) of PT. Pertamina, Habibie proposed to the then-president Soeharto to kickstart the aviation industry. His concept begins at assembling, then moving towards production.
The plan was approved with Habibie being put in charge of helicopter development, and another person to be tasked with the Airplane (Sir Harsono Juned Pusponegoro). The plane used was the turboprop NC-212 by CASA (Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA) from Spain. Whereas for the helicopter program Habibie was aiming for the MBB’s Bo 105, as Habibie has worked there in the past.
Habibie in Aachen, Germany, 1959
However things were looking bleak, as major companies of the time (Airbus, Boeing, MBB) refused to collaborate in the project. Eventually CASA was persuaded with the promise of CASA’s hydrocracking technology to be used in Indonesia’s oil refinery. Once CASA was onboard, soon MBB follows. The partnership with MBB was specifically for the production and assembling of the Bo 105 Helicopter.
The “familiarity phase” as it called was divided into two parts. First IPTN imported a number of CASA’s C-212 & MBB’s Bo 105 which was already taken apart section by section from Madrid and Hamburg respectively. Then the hundreds of aircraft sections were reassembled in Bandung by IPTN technicians to familiarize themselves with the complex technical system and overall structure of the aircrafts.
once the lesson was learned, the second stage begins. This time the aircrafts were imported in separate parts. The challenge for the technicians then was to understand not just how to connect one part to another, but to also reproduce those parts and install them as well.
IPTN’s NBo 105 assembly line, under license of MBB
As there were an urgent need for the helicopters to be used during Operation Lotus (the invasion of East Timor), The completion of the helicopter program was then entrusted to Rahardi Ramelan, which started a rushed production of the Armed version of the aircraft in the Husein Sastranegara AFB. Rahardi states that “an Army Captain asked for the civilian helicopter to be able to carry armaments.”
Some of the requirements the army asked was for the helicopter to be armed, fitted with PRC-77 radios, and the addition of additional armor plating all over the vehicle. Obviously this isn’t realistic so they opted to only put the armor plates at the belly of the rotorcraft. Specifically right under the crew and passenger seating.
President Soeharto examining the assembly of the Military version of the NBo 105
Eventually the technicians learned to construct even the smallest parts of the aircrafts. In less than 10 years since assembly began, 97.5% of C-212 components were made in Bandung, whereas the Bo 105 was completely locally made in IPTN facilities. Further successes in the following year resulting in the joint venture with French Aerospatiale and Bell Textron to manufacture the PUMA SA330 & Bell-412 respectively. In addition, IPTN was also tasked by General Dynamics to manufacture components of the F-16 in 1986, but that’s a story for another time…
But I digress. Since 1976, IPTN has managed to make at least 115 units of NC212 airplanes and 142 units of the NBo 105. The helicopter is quite popular in the market. After additional variants were introduced, namely the stretched CBS version, as well as the NBo 105S, these IPTN-made helicopters were then exported to Jordan, Canada and South Africa. Within Indonesia itself it was operated by both civil and military branches, namely for the Air Force, Army Aviation, Naval Aviation, Ministry of Forestry, SAR, Pelita Air Service and the Indonesian Police.
Renowned as it was, the NBo 105 is slowly becoming dated, and as such it became out of favor after IPTN started cooperating to produce the aforementioned PUMA helicopters. The helicopters are then slowly and gradually being replaced by other, more modern rotorcrafts, such as the NBell 412, EC-120 Colibri, and the Eurocopter Fennec. Production for the NBo 105 was officially stopped in around 2011, although according to World’s Air Force 2024 Indonesia still operate around 22 of these rotorcrafts, although actual active aircrafts are most likely around half of that amount and are mainly stationed around Papua
Recent image of the NBo 105
B. Specifications
Details
General Specifications
- Weight (max) : 2000 kg (2500kg)
- Length : 11,86 m
- Width : 9,84 m
- Height : 3 m
- Crew : 2
- Engine: 2x 420-shp Allison 250-C20B turboshaft
- Max Speed (Cruise) : 242 km/h (205km/h)
- Service Ceiling : 3000m
- Added bulletproof steel armoring under the crew+passenger (significantly add weight but can be removed if necessary)
Armament
2x 70mm FFAR rocket pods (7-tube / 12-tube pods)
- FZ-21 (Anti-personnel), FZ-58 (Anti-Tank)
16-24x 80mm SURA-D rockets (3-4 per launcher, 3 launcher each side)
- HEFrag (Impact Fuze), HEFrag (Proximity Fuze), HEAT
2x twin 7.62mm FN MAG 60.30 machine gun pods
2x 12.7mm FN M3P machine gunpods
80mm SURA-D specifications
Propellant : Solid Rocket Fuel
Max Speed : 700 m/s
Effective Firing Distance: 1500 m (HEAT)
Maximum Firing Range: 8000 m
Weight : 11 - 12 kg per unit
Length : 600 - 1.055 mm
Fin Type : Fixed Fin
Penetration : 13 inch of armor
IMAGES
Gunpods
Twin 7.62mm Gunpods
HMP250 12.7mm Gunpod
C. More Images
Details
Camouflage
Cockpit of the Military version
ABRI Combined Exercise 1995
NBO 105 carrying 7-tube FFAR rocket pods
80mm SURA-D mounted
Unarmed Version
D. Sources
Details
- Bolkow 105 Information Display, Indonesian Army Aviation Center’s defense equipment exhibition, 2024
- Worldwide Equipment Guide – Volume 2: Airspace and Air Defense Systems, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. December 2011. p. 2-2
- Amir, S. (2012). The Technological State in Indonesia: The Co-constitution of High Technology and Authoritarian Politics (1st ed.). Routledge.
- The Story Behind the NBO-105 Helicopter | Historia.id
- Flightglobal’s 2024 World Air Forces
- Oerlikon Rocket (SURA-D) – Used on the NBO-105 Puspenerbad Helicopter | Indomiliter
- NBO-105: Once the Main Attack Helicopter of the Indonesian Army | Indomiliter
- 56 Years Ago Today, The BO-105 First Flight | Indomiliter
- AIRPLANE SCALE MODELKIT: NURTANIO Bolkow NBO-105
- MBB Bo 105 - Wikipedia
Image Sources
- Aircraft Photo of HS-7065 | MBB BO-105CB | Indonesia - Army | AirHistory.net #330544
- Priyono Bitles Combat | Facebook
- DEFENSE STUDIES: Peluncur Roket pada Heli BO-105 TNI AD
- FN HMP250 - Senjata Pamungkas Heli Serbu NBO-105 Puspenerbad
- Redirecting...
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOYAGfzCrdA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4o5ML1xd7k
- 7 Potret B.J. Habibie Saat Muda yang Mungkin Belum Kamu Ketahui - KapanLagi.com<
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