VT-51_Skeetr

I agree. I doubt that the rockets held openly under the wings would have the same effect. There would be something holding them back however. No rocket motor generates full thrust instantly. The 2.75" I used needed to build up thrust so that they accelerate quickly. They were also more heaviest towards the warhead. The motor section is lighter and most of the length. That is why being in trim was critical. The rocket will weather-vane into the relative wind until it builds some velocity. So there would be some hold-back mechanism but I'd guess the effect wouldn't be much more than the back blast pushing the other way a moment later. I was told by younger pilots that the new motors generate high thrust more quickly now (shooting at a hover no doubt requires it) but you still wouldn't want them to slide right off easily.

I flew Helicopter Gunships in Vietnam and was an armament officer as a side duty. I only have experience with the 2.75 inch rockets but a lot. In normal operation there was a slight pull as the motor had to build thrust before leaving the tube. It was a largish spring device sort of like a cartridge extractor. In the "Bravo" and "Charlie" model guns (with 7 shot pods) we set the intervalometers to fire the right side rockets first then we'd be firing one at a time out of the left. The aircraft would be pulled forward by the rocket before it left the tube. With Cobras and old gunships (Hogs) with the larger (19 shot) pods we would fire in pairs and the ship would generally hold still. I could babble on endlessly but it was an art and took a lot of practice. I made some lucky shots but basically sucked then and still do. :)