[Dimis]

a friend who was in the army as an aviation mechanic has told me about an axe onboard apache helicoptors basicly used for egress

ive searched the internet as much as i could and finaly i have given up and figured id ask you guys

has anyone ever seen one of these or have a picture of one

what he describes is a serated single bit axe with a pike on the oposing side

my reason for disbelief is two fold one can someone honestly tear through a choppers hull with an axe and two why make a propriatary tool when fireaxes are freely available on the market

any help will be appreciated

[MikeJackmin]

I know that specially-designed axes were carried on WWII aircraft, and that similar axes are carried on commercial aircraft.

[MikeJackmin]

Check this out:

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/4323166/

[hso]

can someone honestly tear through a choppers hull with an axe

Yes, they're just thin skinned aircraft.

why make a propriatary tool when fireaxes are freely available on the market

Fire axes are large, heavy, long handled. Crash axes don't need any of those characteristics.

http://jeppdirect.jeppesen.com/main/store/images/large/vl42d851-large.png

As to whether the Apache carries a crash ax or not, we'll need a helo pilot to answer that question.

[Dimis]

thanks a bunch guys im not an aircraft savvy individual so i didnt know if i should pull the BS card or not it just sounded fishy

[7X57chilmau]

Nah, most people overestimate the strenght of aircraft construction. The skin is really quite thin on non-armoured areas of an airframe.... Think similar to the door skin of your car, but aluminum, rather than steel.

J

[theotherwaldo]

Don't know if choppers carried an axe. I have chopped up aviation aluminum with a machete, though, to get interesting bits from stuff that was about to go to a smelter.

Easy to cut. Biggest problem was not mangling the interesting stuff in the process of removing it.

[CWL]

I do wonder if Apache helicopter skins are thin enough to be cut thru with an escape axe.

The crew compartment is designed to survive against hits by SovBlok 23mm AA shells.

[JESmith]

Never flew an Apache, but crash axes were somewhat common in Hueys. They were a good tool to have if you went down in the jungle or heavy foliage. I personally prefer them over a machete, but that's my opinion. They could chop thru most parts of the aircraft as long as it was not too thick. Also excellent for cutting thru brush, webbing, lines, and anything else you tangled up in. I don't think they were ever part of a standard load-out but a lot of useful things tended to become part of a units' kit.

Your friend was probably referring to something like this, except with a lighter shaft:
http://www.edarley.com/finditem/8880?s=google&kw=rescue%20axe&_s_ref=T2mkD8e7S&creative=3097531828

[7X57chilmau]

Armour is much heavier beneath and in specific areas. Where it's not deemed necessary, the skin is thin.

A helicopter isn't (and can't be) a flying tank. It's gotta fly!

J

[CWL]

Armour is much heavier beneath and in specific areas. Where it's not deemed necessary, the skin is thin.


So how does one plan to have the right part of an Apache exposed for escape if it crashes?

Growing-up during the height of the Cold War, I know 2 people who worked on the design of the Apache helicopter, and yes, it is a flying tank.

[7X57chilmau]

I believe that in any aircraft crash, one simply hopes for a break!

By helo standards, yes, a tank.... By tank standards, nope.

J