NemoralisArtThe winged hussar. Saiberlich Machinery H-276 Wren ultralight helicopter in service of Rzeczpospolita Airmobile Forces. Fortress of Outcasts alternate timeline, 1949.
After the liberation of Rzeczpospolita from Neoanthropian troops and their Foederati accomplices and eventual armistice, the supreme command began considering rearmament programs that would help integrate the armed forces of rebuilding country within the organizational structure of Global Defense Treaty and adapt them for the new reality of mass destruction weapon warfare.
Cavalry was among the branches of armed forces that was most in need of modernization. While the majority of cavalry units had abandoned their saddles in favor of armored fighting vehicles, some of them have acquired metal steeds of different kind. Helicopters, which emerged during the years of second world war and proved their worthiness in numerous operations performed by both sides of the conflict, quickly evolved into army aviation’s workhorses. Cavalry recon units were among the first ones to notice the particular value of helicopters not only as an agile mode of transportation, but also an effective mean for reconnaissance and sabotage missions, capable of getting behind the enemy lines and wreaking havoc before adversarial forces can get their act together and strike back.
Besides heavy machines capable of carrying several troopers, sometimes even the whole platoon or even light armored vehicles, airmobile units had a number of ultra light aerial vehicles in their arsenal, including H-276 Wren. A light flying machine developed by US-based company Saiberlich Machinery, Wren is a light, single-seat, collapsible helicopter powered by 50 hp rotary engine that provides it the operational range of up to 95 miles (can be increased with auxiliary fuel tanks). Originally designed to carry sabotage teams and recon units behind the enemy lines under the cover of darkness and airlift them back, it has proven to be useful in other applications, such as courier communication in case of electromagnetic weapon attack, CBRN reconnaissance missions and medical evacuation. Despite not being designed to directly participate in combat, the Ground Forces Aviation command had on multiple occasions considered turning H-276 into a carrier platform for numerous weapons, including but not limited to Ogarev 14.5 mm heavy machine gun, 60 mm unguided rocket pods or even a licensed copy of Ktyr anti-tank guided missiles.
2024-11-13 19:18:08 +0000