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Close Support Aircraft Performance Trials: Walrus A-1922

147k Pilotmario  8.5 years ago

OVERVIEW:
The A-1922 is a highly maneuverable and reasonably fast aircraft with an arsenal on the wings. However, the aircraft has fundamental flaws which prevent it from reaching its maximum potential, notably defects in the fuselage stores shackles, poor aircraft balance, and the use of different and nonstandard engines. Safety issues using the fuselage stores resulted in their non-use during testing.

COMBAT PERFORMANCE:
The aircraft's range under a full combat load is considered amazing, although using the autopilot is tricky, and takeoff is complicated by the rear-mounted T1000

The lack of air brakes on the aircraft was highly disturbing, and were highly requested, specifically those connected to the VTOL system.

INTEGRAL FIREPOWER:
The 20 Mk 2 wing-mounted guns possess excellent anti-infantry firepower. However, there is no integral armament against armored or hardened targets.

EXTERNAL LOADS:
The external weapons load is superior to the Pummeler, and comparable to the Boar. All hardpoints are easy to access and load. However, due to the lack of any proper hardpoint on the fuselage, they were deemed a safety hazard and were never fitted with ordnance.

DURABILITY:
The type was a very sturdy design, with exceptional survivability due to the strong airframe and reasonable redundancy in the design.

VISIBILITY:
Cockpit visibility much better than the Pummeler, but is worse than the Boar.

LOGISTICS:
The use of the two engines, the T3000 and the T1000, would complicate logistics exceptionally, as the type has two engines which have no compatibility with each other and use different propellers, both nonstandard types. While there was no issue with the T3000 save for the use of a non-standard propeller, the T1000 engine is only used by Army, Marine, and Navy drone wings. The positioning on the T1000 engine leaves it vulnerable to propeller damage on takeoff and landing.

OFF THE BOOKS:
The test team believes the type has potential, but in its current form has exceptional defects which must be addressed.