Originally Posted by
chinook240
... ... comment on the effect on aiming when your whole body is out of the side door at 120 kts? Never mind windchill, rain, snow, etc. Most of our current types site the gunner inboard. What arc of fire forward would the gunner have?
USAF 56 Rescue used to share our hangar on visits so I got many chances to look at their Pavehawks. The gunner works from a seat inside the aircraft. The aircraft has a two-part sliding door that moves forward to provide a slightly wider and much deeper opening than shown on this 149. The gun pivot, on which several weapon types can be fitted, is closer to the fuselage than shown on this 149. M2 was usually fitted on the Pavehawks I was in or up close to. In most of their arcs no more than the Gunner's forearms would be outside the aircraft. Might need to lean out to fire forward. There are also quite a few videos on youtube of H-60 gunnery. What's this about aiming?
Overall, that AW149 set-up looks like the result of, "Oh sh1t, we need a gun on it. If I can find a gun can you mount it on there by tomorrow lunchtime?"
