| Manufacturer | Atlas Aviation Denel |
|---|---|
| First flight | 3 February 1985 |
| Status | Retired |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Aérospatiale Alouette III |
The Atlas XH-1 Alpha is a prototype attack helicopter built by Atlas Aviation (now Denel) of South Africa, which used it as a concept demonstrator for the then-planned Rooivalk project.
Development
It was developed from an Aérospatiale Alouette III airframe, retaining that helicopter's engine and dynamic components, but replacing the original cockpit with a stepped tandem one, adding a 20 mm cannon under the chin and converting the undercarriage to tail-dragger configuration.
The XH-1 first flew on 3 February 1985,[1] and soon embarked on a rigorous flight test program to examine the feasibility of a dedicated attack helicopter in southern African conditions. The results were ultimately good enough to convince Atlas and the South African Air Force to go ahead with the development of a dedicated attack helicopter, the Denel Rooivalk.
The XH-1 and Rooivalk are completely different aircraft and share no components. The Rooivalk was developed from the later XH-2 prototype.
The sole XH-1 was retired sometime in the late 1980s and was handed over to the South African Air Force Museum, where it remains to this day.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Air International June 1986, p. 599.
- "An Alpha From Atlas". Air International. Vol. 30, no. 6. June 1986. p. 299. ISSN 0306-5634
- Taylor, John W. R. (ed.) (1986). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1986–87. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-7106-0835-7.