O.K.- I need a check on this. Last night I was feverishly working to finish my submission for 'Incoming!', and I had the TV on in the background. The Season premier of Law&Order was on(female OIF vet murdered by sister of former Abu Ghreib detainee...) and I heard a chopper flyby. Glanced at the screen and in the background you glimpse a chopper fly overhead. The profile had the characteristic angular fuselage/fenestron tail rotor/ T-tail of the RAH-66. What the?
I didn't tape it so I'm hoping someone else did or that you at least saw the same thing.
Since this weapons system has been (AMAZINGLY SHORT-SIGHTEDLY )cancelled, I'm now wondering who owns the prototypes. Surely a.)-NBC did not construct a mockup for L&O; b.) Boeing-Sikorsky do not have liscence to sell a stealthed next generation weapons system to a production company; and c.)The US Gov., fiscally irresponsible as they can be at times, is not renting out a 3.2billion dollar aircraft as set dressing...
Anyone have any info on this?

Generally after a program has been canceled...... Someone (the gov't or Contractor) has to maintain the prototypes for (x) years then they may be Demilled and scrapped............ I think!!!


We are in the CG age too!!!!!!

You sure it wasn't some version of the Gazelle? Tail rotor assembly is similar.

Shaun
Gazelle:

Logan's Dad is correct...that was a Commanche circling in the background, no question about it, angular cockpit area and high mounted horizontal stab on the tail.

That was a location shot in New York and the Sikorsky plant is just up the road a piece so it's possible the could have prvided a prototype.

MMM, yes, the tail rotor is similar, but unless my mind is/was playing tricks on me, this thing definitely had 1.) a 'T' tail; 2.) an enclosed Engine; and 3.) no skids- all features which rule out the Gazelle/Alouette family.
As an avid supporter of the RAH-66 program, I'm 99%certain that what I SAW was the Commanche, I'm just not sure that's what it WAS . Hoping some retentive type out there has a screen capture.

p.s.- Shuan, having watched the Gazelles fly circles around our 'W' Cobras in NATO ops, I'm pretty sure it wasn't one of those chirpies. Thanks for the pic, tho
[EDIT]- D'OH! AJ, Thanks, you replied as I was answering Keenan

In Reguards to the RAH-66 Program...they where working on the program for over 15 years and never got all the bugs ironed out of it. Better off to kill it then to keep pissing money away on it. A steathy helo isn't want the Army needs any more anyway.