Coalition Reaper by jflaxman on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

“Few things test a man’s resolve like a swarm of approaching gunships. The Reaper pilots feared our fighters, but that was little comfort to us poor bastards on the ground.”

- Chas Naylor, Federation sapper

“Some say helicopters don’t fly so much as beat the air into submission. The Coalition’s Reaper doesn’t beat the air so much as shred it!”

- Snake Drago, Alliance scout

“The Reaper may be the finest combat helicopter the world will see. We have no need to better it. The future lies in vectored thrust.”

- Mart Tyrell, Veyon engineer

“The Banshee is a mechanical marvel, the Hammerhead is a jack of all trades, the Harpy is a dinosaur, and the Reaper is a weapon.”

- “Cutter” Brandt, Coalition Reaper pilot

The Coalition’s history of fighting rebels on its southern borders gave it valuable experience in operating rotorcraft. The rugged terrain in these regions restricted the deployment of heavy armoured vehicles and placement of conventional airstrips. The Coalition’s Cutlass gunships and the Roc transports they escorted proved more vulnerable than expected; besides those lost to rebel forces, harsh conditions, pilot error, and breakdowns took a heavy toll.

The Reaper was designed to fly higher and faster than earlier gunships and strike targets at a longer range, evading the light SAMs the rebels used to good effect. Further attention was given to surviving attacks from below and behind – a favourite rebel tactic being to lure gunships into range with “bait” before making ambushes. While similar concerns inspired Federation engineers to build coaxial rotorcraft, the Coalition opted for intermeshing rotor systems. Both approaches were mechanically complex but removed the need for tail rotors.

The Reaper quickly proved its worth in southern border skirmishes where its pilots gained experience. When the Coalition declared war on the rebels’ Federation backers, Reapers gave ground forces valuable close air support. Though jet aircraft like the Corvus were faster, Reapers could land almost anywhere to be quickly refuelled and rearmed.

These savage battles often featured clashes between helicopters – a rarity elsewhere in military history. The Reapers’ speed and rate of climb gave them the edge over Hammerheads, though the latter had the benefit of fighting over friendly ground. Both had more to fear from fighters, and the Federation’s failure to find a counter to the Longsword played a major part in its defeats.

Design Features:

- The Reaper’s intermeshing rotors remove the need for the long camshaft, rear gearbox and tail rotor seen on conventional helicopters. The rotors spin in opposite directions, generating neutral torque and symmetrical lift, thrust and drag in forward flight. Turns are made with a rudder and/or differential rotor pitch, conserving engine power and incurring smaller drops in speed. These benefits come at the cost of more complex rotor gears. Two cams in an armoured sheath keep the rotors synchronised; besides being smaller targets than a long tail rotor shaft their placement above the fuselage and between the rotor masts helps shield them from ground fire. Destroying both in combat is a lot more difficult but more catastrophic if achieved.

- Heavy belly armour increases resistance to electronic as well as physical attacks. Exhaust ports are mounted on the upper fuselage to make their heat and glow less noticeable to opponents on the ground. As with most combat helicopters, rear visibility is poor, but the radar spine below the tail helps warn pilots of pursuers, giving them a chance to run or deploy such countermeasures as radar jammers, chaff and flares.

- Though most gunships seat two pilots Reapers only carry one. Life support systems are lighter, more armour, weapons and fuel can be carried, and advanced avionics simplify the pilot’s tasks. An almost fighter-like nose cone contains surveillance and targeting systems and additional streamlining – seen in the cowls on the rotor heads, semi-retractable landing gear and tapering aft fuselage – improves economy and range.

- The main missile armament is carried underneath stub wings. Reapers are usually tasked with attacking ground targets, but heat seekers are often carried for use against other aircraft. A 30mm autocannon is used for strafing at short ranges. Though revolving turrets like those used on the Hammerhead provide impressive fire arcs, the Reaper’s fixed weapon mount is stronger and offers better accuracy.