In 1963 the army having grown tired of the AF neglecting the Close Air Support (CAS) role (the AF's main plane for CAS was the F-105 Thud which was too fast to be effective) issued as series of specifications for a CAS called the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS). one of the more radical proposals came from the Convair Corporation.

The most unique proposal in the AAFSS competition came from the San Diego division of Convair. The Model 49 did not fit the normal mold for either an airplane or a helicopter, and represented something entirely new. Propulsive power came from turbine engines driving counterrotating propellers within the shroud. Convair believed that the system was inherently more reliable than a conventional helicopter, and pointed out the only pilot control inputs involved directional control and setting rotor blade angle and engine speed. The crew of two occupied an articulating capsule on top of the shroud and was provided with a full array of sensors. The engines, fuel, crew capsule, and avionics bays were equipped with dual-property steel armor for protection against 12.7-mm projectiles.

A wide variety of weapons were proposed for use on the vehicle. The normal complement included two side turrets with either XM-134 7.62-mm machine guns or XM-75 40-mm grenade launchers. Each turret was provided with either 12000 rounds of 7.62-mm ammunition or 500 40-mm grenades. A center turret carried an XM-140 30-mm cannon with 1000 rounds of ammunition. The center turret could also mount 500 WASP rockets, or a second 30-mm cannon. Each of the turrets could rotate and elevate and was capable of being fired while sitting on the ground, in a hover, or during high-speed forward flight. Mechanical stops were provided that prevented any of the weapons from firing at the nose of the crew compartment when it was articulated forward/down. Four hard-points were located on two of the engine nacelles; each could carry a fuel tank, three BGM-71 TOW missiles, or three Shillelagh missiles. Alternately, one of these hardpoints on each nacelle could carry a single M40A1C 106-mm recoilless rifle and 18 rounds of ammunition. The 106-mm cannon had an effective range of 10000 yards, and was effective against hardened targets. All of the hard points could rotate so that they could be oriented into the wind during high-speed flight, or aimed while being fired from either forward flight or a hover. Four external fuel tanks provided up to 1200 gallons additional fuel for ferry flights.

The proposal was eventually rejected however, the Army went with the also somewhat radical AH-56A Cheyenne

[edit on 13-8-2004 by FredT]

That thing is awesome looking...

I didn't read all of the info about, but I'm wondering... what if they really built one of those and it worked and that's some of the "ufo" sightings that were seen ?

Could Be.

Looks a novel idea. Wonder if it would ever fly? And I still don't get what it is exactly for :S

Originally posted by Infidellic
Looks a novel idea. Wonder if it would ever fly? And I still don't get what it is exactly for :S

It was supposed to be a close air support vehicle. A tank hunter like the Apache etc. Looks like it would be pretty quick too. It never made it past the model stage and the Ah-56A Cheyenne was selected.

Can you imagine the 106 mm cannon???? Christ its a hovering battleship....



[edit on 13-8-2004 by FredT]

The technology was premature when this concept was proposed that is why it was probably dropped. Now with our advancing tech I think we could make a working model, can you imagine the look on the faces of foreign soldiers look at this thing and being shot by 106mm‘s Run laddies run

Great find Waynos, that a pretty cool looking plane and they got beyond the concept page. I would not wanted to have to land it though Major pucker factor

One thing about that Snecma that isn't obvious from the pictures is that it doesn't have a conventional cockpit, even though it looks like it does. The pilot lays prone (ie on his belly) so that when he lands or takes off he is in fact stood upright!

Originally posted by waynos
One thing about that Snecma that isn't obvious from the pictures is that it doesn't have a conventional cockpit, even though it looks like it does. The pilot lays prone (ie on his belly) so that when he lands or takes off he is in fact stood upright!

Thats really trippy, I wonder how comfortable it would have been? Also, how well would the position allow the pilot to resist high G-loads