AH-6J with .50 GAU-19. What else does it carry?

[viperjockey]

Hi guys 

I'm rearming my DML Little Bird with weapons I won't use from Kitty Hawk's kit. But the pics I found always show well the GAU on the left outer station, but I can't see well the rest. 

 

My idea is loading my model with a GAU-19 on the left and a 19-shot rocket launcher on the right outer station. The question is: does it carry a Minigun on this setup? If it exists, of course... 😁

 

Cheers and TIA,

 

Sergio Menezes

 

 

 

 

 

[HeavyArty]

I have only seen them with 7-shot rocket pods (M158) and a minigun on the opposite side.  I believe the 19-shot rocket pod (M200) and another minigun w/ammo is too heavy w/the GAU-19 and all its ammo. 

 

Here is one in this configuration. 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by HeavyArty

[Loach Driver]

Photos do exist of an AH-6M MELB with a GAU-19 and a 19-shot rocket pod. But........ the photos appear to be of only one particular AH-6M and it is somewhere in the USA, not deployed to A/stan or Iraq. It is also fitted with a minigun on both inner stations. The photos show the rocket pod empty and the miniguns don't appear to have ammo feed tubes hooked up. While it can get airborne with that load, in reality, I reckon it would be VERY heavy with that load-out and operationally, would be a greater threat to flight safety than any threat the enemy might present on any given mission.

 

It appears the standard load-out with the GAU-19 fitted is a minigun and 7-shot pod on the opposite pylon. Also of note is the fact that with the 19-shot pod fitted, the outer section of the plank seems to be longer than normal. Dillon Aero have test-flown a 12-shot pod on a 530F but as far as I know, no photos have emerged of a 160th Little Bird with a 19-shot pod fitted in an operational setting. 

 

The Block III MELB is coming into the fleet now, I believe, and that has a higher max take-off weight . We'll have to await photos of the Block III AH-6M to see what it will be armed with.   

 

LD.

[rotorwash]

10 hours ago, HeavyArty said:

I have only seen them with 7-shot rocket pods (M158) and a minigun on the opposite side.  I believe the 19-shot rocket pod (M200) and another minigun w/ammo is too heavy w/the GAU-19 and all its ammo. 

 

Here is one in this configuration. 

Just for clarification the modern 7 shot pod is the M260 and the 19 shot pod is the M261.  I only say this because the M157/M158/M159/M200 Vietnam era pods are too short and will not look quite right.

   Ray

10 hours ago, HeavyArty said:

 

 

 

[HeavyArty]

Disregard...Double tap.

Edited August 5, 2021 by HeavyArty

[HeavyArty]

12 hours ago, rotorwash said:

the modern 7 shot pod is the M260 and the 19 shot pod is the M261.

 

Good catch.  Thanks.