Wildcat - why is turret on top of nose?
Can anybody explain why the Wildcat has its EO/IR turret on top of the nose extension, rather than underneath?
I know the naval Lynx is like this, but I thought this was a compromise due to some other constraint. But as the Wildcat was envisaged from the start with a turret, surely it would have been better to put it under the nose?
Putting the turret under the nose would allow the sensors an uncompromised 360 horizon and only slightly less vertical movement than its current position.
I can't think of any reason why you would want to look up on a naval or army helicopter.