| XH-1 Alpha | |
|---|---|
| Alpha XH-1 | |
| Role | Prototype |
| Manufacturer | Atlas Aviation Denel |
| First flight | 3 February 1985 |
| Status | Retired |
| Number built | 1 |
| Developed from | Aérospatiale Alouette III |
The Alpha XH-1 was 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.
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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 on the nose 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 AH-2 Rooivalk.
It should be noted however that 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.
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General characteristics
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Armament
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