Helicopter - a crossbred gunship
Update, July 2009: For those of you who have already visited this article before,
I have updated the gallery with a number of images of the model rendered without profile edges and with
additional background, lighting and shadow tweaks. This gives the model a much more distinctive, realistic look,
almost like the real thing. If you're interested, please see Extra images below.
After the aircraft cometh helicopter ... so the popular saying goes.
If you recall, I bragged about creating a number of aircraft and helicopter models several months ago. Well, it's
time to show one of the rotary-wing creations.
Like the two aircraft, it has no clear design. It borrows elements both from Western helicopters, mainly Apache
and the South African Rooivalk, and from the Russian gunships, Mi-28 in particular.
I very much enjoyed creating it. Helicopters are unique in having no limit to ugliness. Anything goes. This
allowed me an almost complete freedom of thought when sketching its lines, knowing that even if my ideas failed
the imagined concept, the product would still look real enough, as long as it had a rotor somewhere. Speaking of
the rotor, I did invest my time into making one, straying from simple symmetry. You will see.
Gallery
First, heres the typical assortment of odd-angle looks.
Unlike the planes, the helicopter sports no camouflage, just the monotone gray. I felt the stripes or spots of
color would take away the focus from its already too-many curious details. But to improve contrast and make it more
visible, I have changed the default background color in Google SketchUp.
As you can see, the front is typically American, as is the armament. However, the 5-blade rotor is Russian. The
fan-in-fin tail rotor is a classic European concept. The engines would feature well both on AH-64 and Mi-28.
Imposing, ain't it?
Here's a pair of aggressive-looking shot. You would not want to be a T-55 driver with that thingie coming from
behind a hill.
This is what my little creation looks from beneath. Notice the racks of anti-tank missiles.
For some reason, I have always loved the tail looks on helicopters.
I did not want to make a simple 4-bladed rotor. That was too boring. So I opted for a 5-bladed one, which forced me
to measure the angle to an exact 72°.
I spent quite some time perfecting the rotor.
No modern helicopter can call itself a gunship without proper Mast-Mounted Sights.
I also paid some effort in making the engines, especially the curved exhausts, which are supposed to suppress the
IR signature and reduce the chance of getting hit by heat-seeking missiles (especially shoulder-fired SAMs).
Accidentally, this is a great weapons shot, by the way.
I do not usually bother to create internal details that are not visible, but I did an exception this time,
furnishing the helicopter with a nice little turbine.
Finally, the weapons. Supposedly, the helicopter carries 16 laser-guided missiles (the cones are transparent) with
tandem shaped warhead, usable against armored vehicles and helicopters, plus a pair of AA-11-like air-to-air
missiles. This configuration is undoubtedly American, because Russians love rockets and usually pack at least a
pair of launchers onto their gunships. But who cares?
You may also notice the exquisite detail of the landing gear.
And here's the chin turret. The helicopter packs a quad of cannon, probably 20-30mm with dual-purpose
ammunition.
The ugly wart above the cannon is supposed to be all the thingymagiggie that aims the turret and such.
Finally, a long distance shot.
I think this concludes the gallery. If you want more images, please feel free to use electronic mail to contact
me.
Cheers.
Extra images
Here you can find the ultra-realistic looking images of the model, tweaked to look their best with improved
background colors, lighting and shadows. Almost like in real life.
OK, so here we go:
Notice how detailed and realist-looking are the landing gear and the rotor head. The missiles also feel like the
brand article in the Lockheed-Martin catalog. Damn, I'm proud of myself! You could sweat this image was a
promotion for an Apache-Mi-28 hybrid.
Have fun!
