War Machines: Combat Helicopters

War Machines: Combat Helicopters — page 1 — Military Helicopters Helicopters are used by armies navies and air forces around the world During World War II 1939 1945 they had an important role in search and rescue operations They were also used in observation and spotting Later during the Korean War 1950 1953 helicopters carried wounded soldiers from the battlefield to field hospitals It wasn’t until the Vietnam War 1955 1975 that helicopters changed how war was fought During this conflict helicopters were designed for special roles They carried heavy guns to remote places Some were made specifically for attacking tanks Here two Russian Kamov Ka-52 attack helicopters are on patrol The pilot and copilot sit side by side in these This is an unusual arrangement for attack helicopters 4

War Machines: Combat Helicopters — page 2 — Today military forces use helicopters for multiple roles including traditional observation and targeting They are important for quick troop transport and medical evacuation medevac Helicopters also provide close air support CAS by attacking enemy troops They are even important in antisubmarine warfare Military technology has become so advanced that drone helicopters are now standard for observation as well as bombing missions 5

War Machines: Combat Helicopters — page 3 — World War II 1939 1945 English Channel 2 Rotating Blades In 1923 Spanish engineer Juan de la Cierva built a new type of aircraft It was powered by a propeller and had similar controls to an airplane Instead of wings it had rotating blades to provide lift The new invention was called an autogyro Autogyros or gyrocopters are not the same as helicopters because the engine does not power the rotors In the event of engine failure autogyros can land safely As long as forward momentum is maintained 6

War Machines: Combat Helicopters — page 4 — 1 A British Royal Air Force Avro Rota autogyro 1 flies close to the south coast of England during the Battle of Britain to check the range of coastal radar stations A pair of Spitfires 2 patrol in the background the rotors will keep spinning to provide lift Gyrocopters had limited use during World War II WWII A military version of the Cierva C 30 the Avro 671 Rota was used by the Royal Air Force RAF during the Battle of Britain July 10 to October 31 1940 The Imperial Japanese Army developed the Kayaba Ka-1 autogyro for reconnaissance flights It also armed some with small depth charges for antisubmarine warfare The Russians produced an armed autogyro Kamov A7 3A It flew successful night operations in 1942 7

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