Talk:Airwolf (helicopter)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

	This article is part of WikiProject Television, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to television programs and related subjects on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can edit the article attached to this page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.
???	This article has not yet received a rating on the quality scale.

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Aviation, a project to improve Wikipedia's articles related to aviation. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the project and see a list of open tasks.	Aviation Portal
???	This article has not yet received a rating on the quality scale.
Additional information: This article has been checked against the following criteria for B-Class status: Referencing and citation: not checked Coverage and accuracy: not checked Structure: not checked Grammar: not checked Supporting materials: not checked To fill out this checklist, please add the following to the template call: <!-- 1. It is suitably referenced, and all major points are appropriately cited. --> |B-Class-1=yes/no <!-- 2. It reasonably covers the topic, and does not contain major omissions or inaccuracies. --> |B-Class-2=yes/no <!-- 3. It has a defined structure, including a lead section and one or more sections of content. --> |B-Class-3=yes/no <!-- 4. It is free from major grammatical errors. --> |B-Class-4=yes/no <!-- 5. It contains appropriate supporting materials, such as an infobox, images, or diagrams. --> |B-Class-5=yes/no

[edit] Missile questions

The pilot mentioned “nuclear-tipped shrike missiles”.
The, season-one, opening credits listed:

• 2 Bullpup missiles • 12 Sidewinder missiles • 10 Sunburst superfast missiles • 4 Agile missiles

The, season-two, internal controls list three missile types: [1]

• Copperhead • Redeye • Hellfire

So we know that Airwolf had the following:

• Sunburst anti-missile Flares (×10)

SEASON ONE

• AGM-12 Bullpup missiles (×2)
• AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles (×12)
• AIM-95 Agile missiles (×4)
• AGM-45 Shrike missiles

SEASON TWO

• M712 Copperhead shells
• FIM-43 Redeye missiles
• AGM-114 Hellfire missiles

Leaving the following questions:

1. What is a “nuclear-tip” ?
   The Shrike is an anti-radar anti-radiation missile, so was “nuclear-tipped” just a dramatic description for the senator during the pilot-episode demonstration, or are we to believe that Airwolf actually had tactical nuke warheads ?
   1. How many Shrikes does Airwolf carry ?
2. Does Airwolf fire howitzer shells from the ADF Pod, or is the Copperhead something else ?
   1. How many Copperheads / Redeyes / Hellfires does Airwolf carry ?
   2. Does she still have the first-season missiles in season-two ?
3. Did Airwolf have stealth ?
   Often mentioned by fans, but she still had to fly below-the-radar in the first-saeson.
   1. Did actual stealth get added in seasons 2–4 ?
   2. Or, was stealth used to describe the silent hover/flight mode ?

—MJBurrage 13:29, 28 February 2006 (UTC) Updated based on feedback below —MJBurrage 10:32, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

I'm not a military weapons genius or anything, but I have to say, if memory serves me, the first time in my life that I ever heard of a "hellfire missle" came from this show when I was a kid and watched it religiously with Knight Rider and Street Hawk. So yes, I'm pretty sure Airwolf had Hellfire Missiles. I don't know exactly when or where it was mentioned, but I think it's safe to say she had them since they are designed specifically for helecopters (per the Hellfire article). Cyberia23 07:45, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure Sunbursts were not missiles, but a type of flare. They usually "pop a sunburst" when a missile was fired at Airwolf. — Pixel8 21:06, 1 March 2006 (UTC)

• According to my bootleg copy of what I assume to be the tech bible for the series (dated "Oct 11, 1984"), Airwolf is armed with (quote)

CHAIN GUNS -

Four 30-millimeter machine guns (2 per wing pod).

Rounds fired per minute - variable.

CANNON -

Two 40-millimeter cannon (1 per wing pod).

Rounds fired per minute - variable.

NOTE: Shell casing ejected from these weapons are recovered and retained until landing.

MISSILES: ADF Pod-launched -

HELLFIRE -- 6 Short-ranged air-to-surface.

REDEYE --- 12 Short-ranged air-to-air.

COPPERHEAD- 6 Long-ranged air-to-surface (tank-buster).

[description of ADF Pod and its feed system deleted]

MISSILES: Side-launched -

FALCON -- 4 Long-ranged air-to-air missiles carried two to a side in compartments at either side of the ADF Pod. They are self-guided or manually guided.

NOTE: After launch, any missile can be aborted in flight.

(end quote)

The "FALCON" is a reference to the AIM-4 Falcon, specifically the AIM-26 Falcon, which was nuclear armed. DocWatson42 09:10, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

• In answer to the question about stealth, the "tech bible" mentions (under "IN-FLIGHT SYSTEMS"; quote–end quote):

A.S.P.J. - ADVANCED SELF PROTECTION JAMMER -

A radar-jamming system that sweeps ahead of the aircraft.

The "DEFENSE SYSTEMS" section (quote–end quote):

DECOY SYSTEMS -

SUNBURST DECOYS -

Flares ejected rearward to attract heat-seeking missiles.

CHAFF DECOYS -

Canisters ejecte rearward that explode, showering

bits of aluminum to confuse radar-guided missiles.

NOTE: These systems are stored together and launched

from the rear of AIRWOLF's avionics bays (port/stbd).

I.R. SUPPRESSORS -

Venetian blinding the exhaust emissions.

I.R. JAMMER -

Produces omnidirectional radiation of infrared energy

to disable IR tracking. An automatic system that needs

no missile approach warning. IT snaps on when scanned

by IR detectors.

RADAR JAMMER -

Produces multi-leveled decoy signals to confuse radar.

"Stealth" is not explicitly mentioned, nor is a "silent hover/flight mode". DocWatson42 08:46, 21 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Wing guns

There was a fan-produced tech manual that gave diferent details, but the plans shown on-screen say that the guns are .50 cal, and 30 mm. (I believe, will check later) —MJBurrage • TALK • 01:16, 3 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Comparison table

• I added a comparison table to the Bell 222 per request at the bottom of the Specs section. -Fnlayson 04:25, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
• Does the Bell table with the 222, 222B, 222UT data stay or is that needed for something? -Fnlayson 01:54, 9 March 2007 (UTC)

No, we can take it out. - BillCJ 02:04, 9 March 2007 (UTC)

• I fixed the crew and passenger entries on the comparison. In episode episode 4 Proof Through the Night, Airwolf cannot fly with five total personnel onboard, and the weapons pods must be removed to allow the added weight of two additional unseated people they need to squeeze into the helicopter.Angel the Techrat 02:24, 9 March 2007 (UTC)