Military AI Works

does the US Forest Service and the Florida Department of Forestry count as military John

Simply Stunning John!

Much thanks

Mark

Why does the US Forest Service and the Florida Department of Forestry use Cobra helicopters? Is there a advantage of using Cobra helicopters over regular helicopters like a Blackhawk or Huey?

I guess they make good firefighting helicopters. Florida has 25 of them, old army birds.

Not to get too off track, the Firewatch Cobras used by the USFS are a comand and control asset. They have an ATGS (Air Tactical Group Supervisor) who acts like an air traffic controller over a fire. They also have sensors to map the fire. The downside for the cobra vs fixed wing is that they don't have the endurance of a fixed wing asset like a King Air.

Joseph29
My guess would be the view from the cockpit of a narrow body tandem seating helicopter would give the controller better views of what is happening either side below compared to the wider body and side to side seating in most choppers.

I was at the Farnborough Air Show in the mid 1990s and there was an AH-1 on show with sidewinder missiles attached. Did any Cobra actually use them?

I don't know of any live use John, but certainly, the AH-1Z's I've studied are often seen carrying them. See example below:

Brent has made the 3 JASDF sceneries for the AH-1S's available to colleagues here with an invitation to test them:



In the meantime, I've completed the 3 base models for the United States Marine Corps AH-1Z Vipers for FS9, FSX and P3Dv4 at Camp Pendleton:



I've opted for 3 load-out choices -

- Armed (inert Sidewinders, Hellfires and empty rocket pods}

- Partial armed (inert Hellfires and empty rocket pods)

- Unarmed (empty Hellfire racks and empty rocket pods)



The next shot shows a regular low viz livery for an HMLA-267 aircraft (departing), plus the higher viz "CAG" birds of HMLA-169 and HMLA/T-303 (on the taxiway).











The models use an animated lift, but for the first time, I've cobbled together a bit of xml code that drops the aircraft by 50ft as the aircraft passes 300ft on take-off to compensate for the lift. That puts the aircraft back in a traffic viewer window. It stays that way until on the approach, when it descends through 300ft and the aircraft rises again ready for landing.

Brent has tested the parking at Camp Pendleton and my next job is to paint the remaining 57 examples to fill them up. After that I may well move on to make the AH-1W, also present at Pendleton in smaller numbers.

John

Truly stunning! Thank you John for the work you have put into these AI Cobras.

VulcanDriver wrote: ↑27 May 2018, 07:32 I was at the Farnborough Air Show in the mid 1990s and there was an AH-1 on show with sidewinder missiles attached. Did any Cobra actually use them?

I have a feeling that they were initially proposed for use against Hinds that they may come up against on the battlefield, the same reason that the A-10s were armed with them as well.

Absolutely sensational John!!! Love it!

Great!

If UH-1Y Venom is created one day, the USMC will have a perfect edition.

Game over. ^ ^b.

THAT LOOKS AWESOME!!! (Yes I ment to use all caps)

Blades do not fold correct?

Correct, blades do not fold.

It's far too complicated to do that with timer code before the hover-taxi kicks in. In FSX/P3D even then, you would have to start the sim at least 15 minutes before departure. If you start it within the 15 minutes, the fold, spin and animated lift would all occur together because the triggers are not initiated. It also adds 3 draw calls.

John

John Young wrote: ↑24 May 2018, 06:58 Thanks Andy. I am aware of the wide use of the AH-1, both currently and historically. The effort required to make/paint/flight plan them all is not something I want to take on. The only user on that list that I'm actively considering at the moment is the Republic of Korea and even then I might rope Mins into that one if he is able to. I'll be providing a paint kit though if other people want to venture further.

John

It is good news that the ROKARMY AH-1S/F has been put on the list.

The ROKARMY AH-1S/F should be modified a little.

I will send you the data if you need it later.

Be most grateful

Yes please Mins, send that over.

John

Please can we not do any "Oh that's nice, What's next" posts.
Let John do what he wants without pressure and let's just appreciate anything he decides to do.
Any Oh nice what's next post will be removed.

Update on what I'm doing at the moment:

- I'm getting the AH-1S packages ready for release. I just need to write a short manual to go with the aircraft zips. Brent is finalising the JGSDF scenery and flight plan uploads to make use of the aircraft (FS9/FSX/P3Dv4).

- I've completed 60 FS9 and FSX/P3Dv4 paints for the USMC AH-1Z Vipers. Brent is flight planning these for his updated Camp Pendleton scenery (FS9/FSX/P3Dv4). These aircraft will be released after the AH-1S's.

- I'm grateful to Mins for agreeing to paint a Republic of Korea AH-1S model (same as the JGSDF model but with a few added extras). This is the base model and unmarked paint I've just sent him, along with a paint kit:



I'm not clear yet, how many aircraft he intends to paint and the availability of scenery to accommodate them, but I'm sure he will let us know in due course.

John

A perfect model is updating the ROKARMY AH-1S/F.
Coming soon...
Many Thanks John.^ ^b