XOH-1 at 1997 Akeno Airshow

When the development of OH-1 started in 1992, OH-1 was called as "New Small Observation Helicopter", OHX. Later four aircrafts, prototype XOH-1 were built and first flight was in August 1996. The developmental flight test was conducted by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Technical Research and Development Institute of Japan Defense Agency and Japan Ground Self Defense Force, from 1997 to 1999 at JGSDF Akeno Airfield.

In 1997 Camp Akeno Airshow, XOH-1 #1, #2 and #3 were static displayed for the first time.

#1 prototype OX-1 is colored in red and white.

#1 prototype XOH-1 conducted the flight test of performance, flight characteristics and engine suitability. Thus #1 equipped the standard pitot tube and alpha / beta transducer on the nose boom, and low speed airdata sensor system on the top of rotor hub.

#1 XOH-1 was different from the production OH-1. First of them is fairing cover of main landing gear strut, nothing in production OH-1.

#2 prototype OX-1 is colored in white and black.

#2 prototype XOH-1 conducted the flight test of envelope expansion and flight load survey. Same as #1, #2 equipped the standard pitot tube and alpha / beta transducer on the nose boom, and low speed airdata sensor system on the top of rotor hub.

Second of differents from OH-1 is straight-shaped exhaust pipe and the adding plate on aft fuselage to prevent hot exhaust gus. On the production OH-1 the curve-shaped exhaust pipe is equipped and the plates were removed.

#3 prototype OX-1 is colored in camouflage.

#3 prototype XOH-1 conducted the flight test of onboard equipments and mission suitability. Thus #1 equipped the low speed airdata sensor system on the top of rotor hub. #3 is the first helicopter in Japan to kill the target drone using air-to-air missile.

Third of differents from OH-1 is the pendulum absorbers on root of main rotor blade. On the production OH-1 these were removed.