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From: hslrswi!berthod@relay.EU.net (Jean-Daniel Berthod)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Mast mounted sight for helicopter
Message-ID: <11434@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 14 Nov 89 23:27:12 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Lines: 43
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: hslrswi!berthod@relay.EU.net (Jean-Daniel Berthod)
[This was sent to me by a subscriber of the sci.aeronautics mailing
list.  Please direct any replies to him directly.]


I have seen lately some photographs of a Bell OH-58D AERO SCOUT with a 
mast mounted sight device. As one drawing is worth one thousend words
(may be even 2000 words of my broken english :-)) just look at the 
picture :

                  __
                 'oo`  <---- part 1
                 `__'
                  ||   <---- part 2
                  ||     
========================================              
              ____||______                               '\
             /            \                             / |
        -----               `--------------------------'  |
      /    /                  __________________________  |
    /_____/                  /                          \ |  
  /                      ___/                            \|
  \_____________________/
        |           |
   \____________________


I know that this device is made by McDonnell Douglas in colaboration with
Northrop and is equipping many attack or observation helicopters.

Does anyone know the mechanical aspects of it, especially :

  - whether the part 2 is fixed to the main rotor hub (i.e. turning with it) 
    or is free mounted ? 
  - part 1 might be turning with the rotor and the camera would then be
    to take one shot every rotation.
  - how is the part 1 stabilized (gyro ?) and how many liberty degrees does
    it have ?


Any other information will be welcome.