Today we’ll be taking a look at the AH-56A Cheyenne, a special helicopter coming to the USA as a squadron vehicle!
AH-56A Cheyenne: A Squadron Vehicle Attack Helicopter for the USA at Rank VI
At a glance:
- The first compound helicopter in War Thunder!
- Three propellers
- Good top speed and maneuverability
- Limited armament: rockets and TOW missiles
- Requires propeller pitch control
Vehicle History
In Vietnam, the U.S. Army modified UH-1 Iroquois helicopters to have combat capabilities. However, they soon realised this was not enough and started a new program in 1964 called the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS) for a new, dedicated attack helicopter. Twelve companies, including Bell, Convair, Sikorsky and Lockheed submitted helicopter designs, with Sikorsky and Lockheed moving on to the second stage.
Lockheed’s design for the CL-840 eventually won in 1966, with a contract to build 10 prototypes being issued the same year. This proposed design was unique in that it was designed as a “compound” helicopter, meaning it had fixed-wings like a plane, a rigid main rotor and an extra tail-mounted propeller in a push configuration, giving it increased speed. It was designated the AH-56, given the nickname “Cheyenne” and first flew on September 21st 1967.
The prototypes went through several test flights during 1968 and the U.S. Army awarded a contract for production AH-56 helicopters. However on March 12th 1969, the test pilot encountered issues with the rotor, which lead to a fatal crash. The Cheyenne prototypes were grounded and an investigation into what caused the crash ensued. Several improvements were made to the helicopter after the crash, however it took longer than needed to fix all of the issues, delaying the project. This caused the U.S. Army to fall behind schedule, and so it gave Lockheed a “cure notice” by April 1969, requesting that all serious issues be fixed in 15 days. Despite Lockheed’s attempts to fix the problems with the helicopter, the Army became cautious of its overall safety and cancelled the production contract on May 19th 1969. Lockheed continued to try and fix the issues but the U.S. Army closed down the AAFSS program in August 1972.
Also in 1972, very shortly after the closure of the AAFSS program, the U.S. Army launched another attack helicopter program called the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH). As a result of the AAH project, the famous AH-64 Apache was developed, which is still in world-wide use today.
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Introducing the AH-56A Cheyenne!
Meet the AH-56A Cheyenne, which is a rather interesting looking and uniquely designed helicopter that we’ll be telling you about today. It’s coming as a squadron vehicle so make sure to get yourself into a squadron so you can get this thing! Let’s take a closer look at what it’s all about.
Right off the bat, you may have noticed that the AH-56A Cheyenne looks quite unique. The landing gear is high, the raised cockpit canopy looks interesting, and the overall design reminds you of something that you just can’t put your finger on (perhaps the Apache?). The core design of this helicopter however is different, as it is a “compound” helicopter. Because of this, there is an extra propeller at the back driven by the rotor engine, which acts as propulsion, helping to push the helicopter forward.
Additionally, the main rotor is of rigid design, meaning the blades are directly attached to the propeller shaft without hinges, giving them better flex and control over a standard single rotor helicopter. The AH-56A also features bigger and thicker wings than those found on other military helicopters, helping with lift. All in all, this design translates into the game by increasing the maneuverability and control. The top speed also reaches around 400 km/h, which is excellent for a helicopter, especially one of this size! If you want to reach this maximum speed in all game modes, you’ll need to reduce the main rotor pitch to redistribute more torque to the pusher rotor. When flying normally, the pusher rotor automatically selects the optimal pitch for the current conditions and flight speed, maintaining transmission RPM and requiring no additional input from the player.
Did you know? The AH-56A Cheyenne is the first compound helicopter in War Thunder and might also be the last. There are not many compound helicopters in real life due to their complex design that offers little advantages.
The AH-56A’s weaponry is not expansive, but it’s enough to be useful in Ground Battles. Featuring several FFAR Mighty Mouse rocket pods, this helicopter can comfortably strafe several enemy tanks that are grouped tightly together. Not only that, but the AH-56A also features six BGM-71 Improved TOW missiles that can also be used in conjunction with the Mighty Mouse rockets. Additionally, there’s a 40 mm M129 grenade launcher located at the front nose, and a 30 mm XM140 cannon directly under the cockpit. Both can rotate to a certain degree and can be used for being a nuisance to lightly armored targets in Ground Battles.
Interesting: As tradition for U.S. Army helicopters, the Cheyenne is named after a Native Tribe, specifically one from the Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains.
Coming to the game as a squadron vehicle, the AH-56A Cheyenne can be obtained by gaining squadron activity points while being in a squadron, or by purchasing it outright for Golden Eagles. This is a interesting helicopter with a unique design and does not provide much more than what is already available in the US helicopter tree, making it the perfect fit as a squadron vehicle. Make sure to get your hands on this long-awaited helicopter that we know some of you spotted a long time ago! 👀
That’s it for now! The AH-56A Cheyenne is coming to the game in the Spearhead major update. Get yourself into a squadron and start collecting squadron activity points to get yourself this cool helicopter. See you around!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
