"PDR" wrote in message
m...
With all the interest in tactical VTOL and airmobility, has anyone
seriously considered a Chinook type tandem using Mi-26 rotor/engine
combos (or similar scale western versions) at each end?

Should be able to achieve at least 40,000 kg lift over 350-400km. With
a large cabin, medium armour (bradleys, stryker etc.) could be carried
at upwards of 250knots (less retreating tip problems)

Dynamics, stability and control issues should be a lot easier than
with a tiltrotor setup. All in a package maybe 5-8 years to delivery.

And it would be HUGE. Hard to maneuver, needs a bigger LZ than current
designs, and with its size and cost you'd only build a few. And lets not
even talk about the amount of ground fire a big honking target like that
would get. There's a reason why we haven't built combat helicopters on the
scale you suggest.