Silent Hawk pic - or film prop?
 

Here's a shot that may be of interest:

http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/da...08/blurred.jpg

Speculation on Wired magazine that it is most likely a prop for the new Bigelow film `Zero-Dark-Thirty' about the operation to kill Bin Laden.

Source article here.

If it's Hollywood - looks like they've done a pretty convincing estimation; F117-era nose and fuselage facets, intake diffusers (?) arcuate BERP-type rotor tips.
Only thing I could fault them on is that the main rotor diameter looks pretty damn small for an airframe of Blackhawk size.
What say you, military helo drivers?
Mods - posted here because it seemed more military pilot than Rotorheads.

I know they're Spams - but I can't wait to see the film.:E

Bollocks !

Chopper used in a SEAL attack, yet US Army soldier standing in front of it? Hmmm....

Time on photo says 23:53 yet still daylight? Hmmm....

Crate 92 next to crate 37? Hmmmm....

:suspect::suspect::suspect:

US army uniform - entirely possible Buster - after all these are the blokes that fly them - right?

Clock on the camera - could be any number of reasons for that.
It's more than likely a film prop.
Guess what I'm interested in is how accurate this `supposed' Stealth Hawk looks from a military pilot's point of view.

It's a film prop, and the photo is being spread virally to create interest in the film.

"It's a film prop, and the photo is being spread virally to create interest in the film."

+1

Exactly what I was thinking. Timing is perfect.

.

Are you sure there are not other folks that do that sort of thing but are not military units?

Do a bit of research about Proprietary Airlines operated by various government and pseudo-government agencies and services of the US Government.

There are a lot of possible operators out there that you may not even have begun to think about.

Look closely at the image and I think there are some signs of Photoshopping. I'm not even sure that structure exists in the flesh.

Their are signs of Photoshopping but that could be to
"tidy" up the image considering it looks pretty dirty
and dusty in there.

The things that jumped out to me were the soldier
looks like he has been dropped in and neither he
nor the helo seem to cast any or much shadow.

Looking at the soldier again, it looks like he has
been "sharpened" in Photoshop.


With the windows as they are on the helo all facing
different directions, I'd also expect at least one or two
of the roof windows and skylights to be reflected in them.

Intriguing.
Yes - I have no doubt that there are a large number of bland looking FBO type operations in the US, staffed by men with Raybans, buzz cuts, golf-shirts etc. who don't smile much, and won't let you into their hangars...:E
No doubt we'll find out whether the above is real or not when the film is released.
In the meantime this is interesting

Square bullets?

Diamond shaped bullets.
They hurt more - becos of the sharp edges. ;)
No... I think an imaginative Hollywood type looked at the pitot/data sensor tubes on one of these puppies...
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/aircraf...hter-Title.jpg
...and got a little carried away.
And actually - as I view the photo of said Stealth Hawk above on my giant hi-res iMac screen at home at Tartare Towers - that matte black finish looks very spray painty...

Perhaps even a stealth helicopter would need windscreen wipers?

Way too much F117 in that. I must say I'm quite impressed the way the 'stealthhawk' has faded into the black again. I'm still not sure I'm convinced it was a relative of the Blackhawk.

I was under the impression that the F117 was angular because the computers they used back in the 70s to compute the stealth shape only had enough power to work with flat plates. Advances in computer technology since then have allowed the stealth calculations to be applied to curves as seen in F22 (designed 1986ish).

If this is supposed to be a "modern" stealth helicopter then it should be curved. The angular design implies it was designed pre 1980 which seems unlikely.

The RAH-66 had a fair amount of faceting...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../c9/Rah-66.jpg

It post-dates F-117A by ~15 years.

Agree though, almost certainly a film prop.

Almost every panel on the Comanche seems curved on at least one axis to me.

Looks 50/50 real/fake to me like something one would see at Farnborough or Paris Le Bourget or even a Heli Expo.

Could be Scaled Composites called back into action by Hollywood after Seven Days

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/chopper1.jpg

Back to pic, the hangar looks realistic though the ground equipment vehicles look a little yellowish rather than the desert brown they're meant to be in. Light appears to be coming in the windows.

The plexiglass around the cockpit looks dusty and like used in a desert enviornment. though wheres the wire cutters springs to mind? Then the appearance of wire cutters might upset the low observability associated with the airframe?

The equipment boxes, cases look realsitic but probably can get that anywhere (not saying Argos or anywhere that sells Sansonite!!) or any tool shop.

Undercarriage looks well used

The pilot's the odd one out and as some1 suggested prob photoshopped in, so for realism, semi blank out his eyes to hide identity but flight BDUs look too clean and boots. The interesting thing is his patch on his velcro sleeve pocket. Didnt think unit patches would be allowed to be worn or something that would stick out if said aviators happen to share food in the mess tent along with other personnel.

If I am correct, looks like he has a rank of Maj or Lt Col, doesnt look like a CWO or WO.

Maybe if the pilot wasn't in the photo, it could look a little convincing?

Cheers

Rank/Uniform thoughts...
 

He is a Specialist (SPC). This is the technical-oriented equivalent of the junior NCO rank of Corporal.

He is not a pilot, he's wearing aircrew wings.

BDU's? That's so last century. ACU's, please - Army Combat Uniform - and it looks like the ones I wear every day, rather than the aviator ACU's.

I'll join the "it's a prop" camp.

Terry

Hi Terry

Ah thanks for that and apologies for mis identifying the uniform a little out of touch!

Well at least Hollywood did the decent thing with the uniform unlike Tim Roths character of Captain Emil Bronsky RM exchange officer in The Incredible Hulk
where he's sporting a US Army SF captains uniform unlike a Royal Marines one.

Cheers