AH-1/AH-64/etc weapons systems question

[RogerSmith]

I've been writing a story and the scenario is that someone on foot has an attacker approaching them and when they get close enough the character fires a single shot hitting the co-pilot forcing the chopper to turn away. My question is whether the turret will become useless if the gunner is killed in any kind of attack chopper with tandem seat setup.

[KJakker]

The AH-64's 30mm cannon can be slaved to either crew member's helmet mounted display.

 

Also what is the person on foot shooting at the chopper with? The armor around the cockpit should be resistant to 23mm cannon rounds and the cockpit glass resistant to at least 12.7mm machine gun bullets.

 

That is just me checking a few online sources though so don't hold me to it. 

Edited December 7, 2013 by KJakker

[RogerSmith]

The AH-64's 30mm cannon can be slaved to either crew member's helmet mounted display.

 

Also what is the person on foot shooting at the chopper with? The armor around the cockpit should be resistant to 23mm cannon rounds and the cockpit glass resistant to at least 12.7mm machine gun bullets.

He's carrying a pistol. hmm, this could give me some ideas. Because it's a future sci-fi/fantasy, I'll make this pistol extraordinarily powerful. The pistol is already important to the story, so I guess I'll make it more interesting.

[+ianh755]

The pistol round could hit one of the missiles setting either the warhead off (less unlikely) or causing the rocket motor to explode (more likely) damaging the helicopter so it had to turn away.

[+JediMaster]

Your choices are either specialized AP ammo for the pistol that goes thru the canopy, or you could set up a shot where the pistol fires at something else first. Say, shoot a propane tank the helo didn't notice it was hovering near, causing the pilot to think they're facing a greater threat than they actually are. Or hit something that flies into the rotor, causing imbalance damage and a hasty retreat.

 

While a pistol alone would normally be too small, if the pistol is used as a tool to leverage something else against the helo it becomes possible.

[RogerSmith]

Your choices are either specialized AP ammo for the pistol that goes thru the canopy, or you could set up a shot where the pistol fires at something else first. Say, shoot a propane tank the helo didn't notice it was hovering near, causing the pilot to think they're facing a greater threat than they actually are. Or hit something that flies into the rotor, causing imbalance damage and a hasty retreat.

 

While a pistol alone would normally be too small, if the pistol is used as a tool to leverage something else against the helo it becomes possible.

Propane tanks seems too cliche and action movie-ish. The story is more on the dramatic, dark side. special AP ammo seems pretty good, also thought of making the pistol as the first laser-type ever designed and in production by the enemy forces, given to higher ranking soldiers. It's extremely buggy, ammo is rare and expensive. But still sought after the allied forces as a war-souvenir almost like the Luger in WWII.

[+JediMaster]

You could also go banned weapons route, and make the laser capable of blinding even through a canopy. So shine it at the pilot and he's forced to turn away or lose his vision. Dazzling is a big problem even with safe lasers.

[+Gepard]

Forget the Apache and take the Cobra for this scene. The Cobra has no armour glass for the cockpit. In the earlier versions of the Cobra, the pilot was only able to use the gun if it were set to a fixed 0° position.

[RogerSmith]

Forget the Apache and take the Cobra for this scene. The Cobra has no armour glass for the cockpit. In the earlier versions of the Cobra, the pilot was only able to use the gun if it were set to a fixed 0° position.

 

You could also go banned weapons route, and make the laser capable of blinding even through a canopy. So shine it at the pilot and he's forced to turn away or lose his vision. Dazzling is a big problem even with safe lasers.

Hmm, Cobra it is; since it's also a much less used chopper in films/games. It would still make sense since the story does have to do with several-decade long world poverty, thus slowing new inventions down

 

I dunno about that, since he is a soldier after all, he'll need some sort of weapon :P

[+JediMaster]

I meant a laser sight/range finder on the pistol. In addition to making it more accurate (and not being that costly) it has the benefit of giving you a non-lethal option if you get them in the eyes.