Editing Atlas XH-1 Alpha

{{Short description|Prototype attack helicopter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
  |name = XH-1 Alpha
  |image = File:XH-1 Alpha.jpg
  |caption = Alpha XH-1
  |type = Prototype
  |manufacturer = [[Atlas Aircraft Corporation|Atlas Aviation]]<br />[[Denel]]
  |designer = <!--only appropriate for single designers, not project leaders-->
  |first_flight = 3 February 1985
  |introduction = <!--date the aircraft entered military or revenue service-->
  |retired = <!--date the aircraft left military or revenue service. if vague or multiples, it probably should be skipped-->
  |status = Retired
  |primary_user = <!--please list only one, and don't use those tiny flags as they limit horizontal space-->
  |more_users = <!--up to three more. please separate with <br/>.-->
  |produced = <!--years in production, e.g. 1970-1999, if still in active use but no longer built-->
  |number_built = 1
  |unit cost = 
  |developed_from = [[Aérospatiale Alouette III]] <!-- the aircraft which formed the basis for the topic type -->
  |variants = <!-- variants OF the topic type -->
}}

The '''Atlas XH-1 Alpha''' is a prototype [[attack helicopter]] built by [[Atlas Aircraft Corporation|Atlas Aviation]] (now [[Denel]]) of South Africa, which used it as a concept demonstrator for the then-planned [[Denel Rooivalk|Rooivalk]] project.

==Development==
It was developed from an [[Aérospatiale Alouette III]] airframe, retaining that helicopter's engine and dynamic components, but replacing the original [[cockpit]] with a stepped tandem one, adding a 20&nbsp;mm cannon under the chin and converting the [[Landing gear|undercarriage]] to [[Conventional landing gear|tail-dragger configuration]].

The XH-1 first flew on 3 February 1985,<ref name="AI June 86 p299">''Air International'' June 1986, p. 599.</ref> and soon embarked on a rigorous flight test program to examine the feasibility of a dedicated attack helicopter in southern African conditions. The results were ultimately good enough to convince Atlas and the [[South African Air Force]] to go ahead with the development of a dedicated attack helicopter, the [[Denel Rooivalk]].

The XH-1 and Rooivalk are completely different aircraft and share no components. The Rooivalk was developed from the later XH-2 prototype.

The sole XH-1 was retired sometime in the late 1980s and was handed over to the [[South African Air Force Museum]], where it remains to this day.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

==Specifications (XH-1)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=2
|length m=10.56
|height m=2.73
|empty weight kg=1,400
|empty weight note=<ref name="jawa86p203">{{harvnb|Taylor|1986|p=203}}</ref>
|max takeoff weight kg=2,200
|max takeoff weight note=<ref name="jawa86p203"/>
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Turbomeca Artouste IIIB]] 
|eng1 type=[[turboshaft]]
|eng1 kw=410

|rot number=1<!-- helicopters -->
|rot dia m=11.02<!-- helicopters -->
|rot area sqm=95.4<!-- helicopters -->
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed kmh=210
|max speed note=<ref name="jawa86p203"/>
|cruise speed kmh=185
|cruise speed note=<ref name="jawa86p203"/>
|climb rate ftmin=800
|climb rate note=<ref name="jawa86p203"/>
|combat range km=275
|combat range note=<ref name="jawa86p203"/>
<!--
        Armament
-->
|guns= 1 × [[Vektor GA-1 Rattler]] 20mm cannon in a chin turret with 1,000 rounds
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Aviation}}
{{aircontent
|related=
* [[Aérospatiale Alouette III]]
* [[Denel Rooivalk]]
|similar aircraft=
* [[Bell 207 Sioux Scout]]
* [[Cicaré CH-14 Aguilucho]]
* [[IAR 317 Airfox]]
* [[HESA Shahed 285]]
|lists=
* [[List of attack aircraft]]
* [[List of rotorcraft]]
|see also=
}}

==References==
{{Commons category|Atlas XH-1 Alpha}}
{{reflist}}
*{{cite magazine |title=An Alpha From Atlas |magazine=[[Air International]] |date=June 1986 |volume=30 |issue=6 |page=299 |issn=0306-5634}}
*{{cite book|editor-last=Taylor|editor-first=John W. R.|authorlink=John W. R. Taylor|title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1986–87|year=1986|publisher=Jane's Yearbooks |location=London |isbn=0-7106-0835-7}}

{{Alouette family}}
{{Atlas/Denel aircraft}}

[[Category:Military helicopters]]
[[Category:1980s South African attack aircraft]]
[[Category:1980s South African helicopters]]
[[Category:Atlas Aircraft Corporation aircraft|XH-1]]
[[Category:1980s South African experimental aircraft]]
[[Category:Cold War military equipment of South Africa]]
[[Category:Single-turbine helicopters]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1985]]