CH-47 Chinook
Chinook is a tandem-rotor medium transport helicopter. Its primary mission is moving artillery, ammunition, personnel, amd supplies on the battlefield. It also performs rescue, aeromedical, parachuting, aircraft recovery and special operations missions. The development was started in 1956. Since then, its efficiency was gradually increased, the chopper was improved. The types are CH-47A, CH-47B, CH-47C, CH-47D és CH-47E.
The CH-47A was first used in Vietnam. In 1965, four special Chinooks were built as ACH-47A Armed/Armored Chinook. They were armed with machine guns, cannons, rocket and grenade launchers. They proved to be effective in the combat assault role, but were involved in several accidents and were difficult to maintain. As the AH-1G Huey Cobra appeared, the further developments were stopped in August, 1967. Originally, it was a test version. In February, 1968 only one chopper still flew. After all, Chinook is better in the role of troop carrier. The AH-1G Cobra was fast enough to assume the escort mission, had greater loiter time over the target, and presented a much smaller target to small arms fire.
The development of the D model started in 1976. Everything was renewed, the new helicopter can be used in every weather, it can carry twice more than the older ones and can be refuelled in air. The E model has radar systems besides further improvements.