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From: scarvie@nprdc.navy.mil (William Scarvie)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: SuperCobra
Keywords: four blade rotor
Message-ID: <7343@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 10 Jun 89 05:40:42 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: Navy Personnel R&D Center, San Diego
Lines: 24
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: scarvie@nprdc.navy.mil (William Scarvie)


     I believe the article that was referred to was the most recent
International Defense Arms. (July, '89 I think).

     As I understand it the "strange" rotor configuration you speak of (two
straight blades and two bent a few feet from the drive shaft) is what the rotor
looks like when the SuperCobra is configured for transportation or stowage
aboard aircraft carriers or similar confined spaces.  The old rotor
configuration (two blades) allowed them to be aligned with the length of the
fuselage for stowage but, with four blades, something needed to be done to
allow the SuperCobra the same transportability as it's predeessor.  The blades
(all four I believe) can be locked open (for flight) or folded for stowage.
And, yes, the new SuperCobra is capable of carrying two Sidewinder missiles
on it's outer pylon mountings while still carrying 2" rocket pods and/or
TOW launchers.  The air-to-air capacity was, according to the article, added
to make the SuperCobra more effective when escorting troop transport 
helicopters.

    William Scarvie
     scarvie@pacific.nprdc.navy.mil