80's Joe Vehicles in Real World

[Super Sport]

The diff between a tiltwing and a tiltrotor... Holy shit - I learned something!

[Lifeguard]

Hiller X-18. My father's recoilless rifle company get to ride in this:

[Rooster3D]

Very interesting, Lifeguard! Notice the shape of those propellers. It's similar to the shape on Osprey props, but shorter.

So, deducing further from what we've learned in the wiki article, the Rattler's tilt-wing is not functional in giving more thrust. A propeller plane pushes air outside and around the engine, where the wing is, but a jet system funnels the thrust into the jet intake, which essentially bypasses any wing obstructions otherwise encountered from a tilit-engine/rotor system. A tilt-engine set up doesn't reduce the thrust efficiency of a jet powered plane, and a tilt-wing design would do nothing to increase the efficiency. Also, note that the Rattler's tilt-wing doesn't include the entire wing; it tilts the ends that are attached to the engines. I'd say that provides more structural reinforcement and possibly helps slow the craft down while performing VTOL landings.

If you're wondering what a real-life Rattler might look like, I believe I'm the only person who has attempted to make a real go it. Oh sure, plenty of others have slapped some blue paint on an A-10 pic, but none have the proper engine and wing arrangement along with the blue. My model is pretty darn good (forgive. I don't mean to boast), but it's far from perfect. Check it out on my deviantArt pages:

Rattler box art style display
Rattler box back display

More GI Joe models: GI Joe 3D
Even more models which work (somewhat) in ArmA3: ArmA III Mod Assets

[Lifeguard]

Very interesting, Lifeguard! Notice the shape of those propellers. It's similar to the shape on Osprey props, but shorter.

So, deducing further from what we've learned in the wiki article, the Rattler's tilt-wing is not functional in giving more thrust. A propeller plane pushes air outside and around the engine, where the wing is, but a jet system funnels the thrust into the jet intake, which essentially bypasses any wing obstructions otherwise encountered from a tilit-engine/rotor system. A tilt-engine set up doesn't reduce the thrust efficiency of a jet powered plane, and a tilt-wing design would do nothing to increase the efficiency. Also, note that the Rattler's tilt-wing doesn't include the entire wing; it tilts the ends that are attached to the engines. I'd say that provides more structural reinforcement and possibly helps slow the craft down while performing VTOL landings.

If you're wondering what a real-life Rattler might look like, I believe I'm the only person who has attempted to make a real go it. Oh sure, plenty of others have slapped some blue paint on an A-10 pic, but none have the proper engine and wing arrangement along with the blue. My model is pretty darn good (forgive. I don't mean to boast), but it's far from perfect. Check it out on my deviantArt pages:

Rattler box art style display
Rattler box back display

More GI Joe models: GI Joe 3D
Even more models which work (somewhat) in ArmA3: ArmA III Mod Assets

Yes, everything I've read about the early tilt wing is that they were unstable in wind, and why they abandoned the wing early on. Development continued on with the tilt rover that became the Osprey. There were tilt jets too, but never a tilt wing and a tilt jet. Yeah, the Rattler's combination of outer tilt wings with tilt jets would likely have an in-universe explanation that it was just structurally easier to tilt the outside wings with the engines. Of course the big downside of that, is in hover mode, the Rattler has a lot of munitions that it can't fire.

Tiltjets probably were abandoned for adjustable nozzles so the engine could be fixed in place for easier engineering. A jet VTOL seems to only be practical for a fighter or ground attack jet. A troop carrier like the Osprey seems restricted to props, likely because if engines die at least they can auto-rotate to a crash landing. A jet pilot can just eject if the jet engine quits and the plane drops like a brick, while troops riding inside the Osprey don't have a way to eject for their safety.

Nice renderings.

[Rooster3D]

I also image an in-universe explanation would be that since Cobra bases were usually secluded, unassuming, secretive, and otherwise impractical for conventional warbirds, they had to adopt the VTOL strictly for coming and going, rather than VTOL strike. Once they're in-air, they probably stick to established A10 tactical maneuvering for the most part. Though, there are a few missiles in the middle which don't tilt, so there may be some secondary or unintentional advantage to employing hover-mode strike tactics. There's also the possibility that they could fire some Cobra-made missiles, tilted in hover mode, if they work like a javelin missile. If you're not familiar with those, they are ground-based rockets that use a targeting sensor, either on the launcher or a remote device, then as they are launched vertically, they acquire the position of the target and adjust course, allowing for a top-down attack. All theoretical, of course.. you know, in a Hollywood reality sort of way.

I'm not sure if Cobra is really too concerned with the safety of its soldiers enough to use props before jets. I bet that's why the cartoon sometimes showed off VTOL cargo jets with reptile heads. "It's okay if we loose some Troopers, maybe a few officers... as long as we look cool!" Haha!

Thanks for viewing my Rattler images! I hope to get that model in-game within a few months, but depends on if I start development of the Slugger. I've got the Sky Hawk and FANG up and flying pretty well, and even upgraded their landing skids. I should make a video... Right now, I'm working on the Mauler and HISS and finally making some progress on getting them stable. I digress...

[LowTech]

This one may be a bit of a stretch, the but the S.N.A.K.E. armour looks a but like the stuff shown here: http://warisboring.com/what-the-hell...58-body-armor/

[Lifeguard]

This one may be a bit of a stretch, the but the S.N.A.K.E. armour looks a but like the stuff shown here: http://warisboring.com/what-the-hell...58-body-armor/

Huh? Weird. A little bit with the legs and main body, add some robot arms. But I assume the SNAKE armor was power assisted like Iron Man too. Plus all the brainwashing electronics........thank you Dr. Venom.