Bell YAH-63
Bell Helicopter · United States · first flew 1975 · helicopter
The Bell YAH-63 (Model 409) was an experimental attack helicopter built for the U.S. Army Advanced Attack Helicopter competition.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.59 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unusual tee tail with a large ventral fin
- Wheeled tricycle landing gear that could kneel
- Tandem cockpit with the pilot in the front seat and stub wings for armament
A sharklike fuselage with tandem seating, stub wings, a three-barrelled 30 mm cannon, a two-blade rotor and a tee tail. The length is the figure given in the article specifications.
Specifications
- The Bell YAH-63 has a length of 13.59 m (45 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.6 m (48 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 310 km/h (193 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Bell and Hughes were chosen as finalists in June 1973. The first prototype made its first flight on 1 October 1975 and crashed in June 1976.
Variants
Three were built, and a static test prototype was brought up to flight standard.
Where you'll see it
The Hughes YAH-64 was selected in December 1976 and became the AH-64 Apache. The Army judged the two-blade rotor more vulnerable and disliked the tricycle landing gear.
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