Dec 032010
 

Back in the 1980’s, the Army ran the “LHX” (Light Helicopter Experimental) program to come up with the next generation of small “scout/attack” chopper. In the early days of the program, companies produced all manner of neato-bizarre designs… because the requirements were kept vague. However, before too long the requirements were tightened up to define a pretty conventional helicopter configuration, and all the interesting designs faded away. In the end, the LHX program spawned the RAH-66 Comanche, which was itself cancelled. Feh.

Anyway, please to enjoy this McDonnell-Douglas LHX concept for a fast, NOTAR  single-seater. A fair amount of art was produced on this design, but I’ve never seen drawings. If anyone knows of such, please clue me in.

 Posted by at 3:53 pm

  7 Responses to “McD LHX”

  1. That brings back fond memories of Popular Science when it was good. BASF and Sharper Image ads, shuttle-follow-ons–the whole shebang.

  2. Scott, trees on picture should be UP:)

  3. It was inspiration for a middlin’ flight simulator as I recall.

    Jim

  4. One Lockheed concept from around this time was really off-the wall:
    http://www.google.com/patents?pg=PA4&dq=4%2C802%2C639&id=jACsAAAAEBAJ&output=text
    Say, didn’t something like that show up over Belgium?

  5. > trees on picture should be UP

    Bah. That’s very elitist of you! How about in Australia? The trees point *downwards* there.

  6. It’s not a three view of it, but rather a perspective drawing of the same thing on page 109 of the book “Advanced Technology Warfare” from 1987; there the design is credited to Hughes, not MD.
    This webpage with the same illustration as yours also says it’s a Hughes design: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/lofiversion/index.php?t202161.html

  7. McDonnell Douglas acquired Hughes Helicopters in January 1984….

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