logo Banner
White Dot
barWheeledbarTrackedbarAerialbarNavalbarScifibarMiscbarSitemapHome Index
Black Dot
<< Previous Cobra Index Next >>

5

  • Cobra model canopy can be removed from cockpit section to view pilot & weapons officer controls and instrument panels. Rear pilot usually fires wing stub rocket pods, can also fire chin turret gun when in stowed position. Front weapons officer / gunner (WO/G) fires chin M28 turret ( Emerson TAT-141 system ) with M134 minigun and M129 40mm grenade launcher (ammunition tray mounted underneath cockpit). During emergency, WO/G can take control of chopper and fire external rocket pods. U.S. Army Helicopter Weapon Systems (listed by model No.) - tri.army.mil/LC/CS/csa/aaarmsy2.htm

  • Rollover : ( Rollover JPG link ) M28 turret comes in 3 configurations : 1) Minigun + Grenade Launcher ( as shown in model ), 2) twin M134 miniguns, 3) twin M129 40mm grenade launchers. Miniguns are electrically-operated Gatlin guns (multi-barrel gun on rotary axle), it reduces barrel overheat and wrap by distributing fire across multiple chambers. Trade-off between gun and mortar is that minigun possess phenomenal direct saturation fire up 4,000 rounds/minute, while mortar projects fragmentation / concussion within localized firing arch. AH-1 Cobra M28 Series - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Helicopter_Armament_Subsystems#AH-1_Cobra

  • Cobra pict

    AH-1G Cobra (front) Weapons Officer/Gunner station. Handle bars controlled nose-mounted mini-guns and grenade launcher.

    Gunner has extra set of flight controls in case pilot was incapacitated.

    This was Capt. Marco Cordon station during 21 June 1972 SA-7 shoot-down incident over An Loc - South Vietnam

    Instrument Panels
    (Alphabetical Listing) | UScockpits.com

    Cobra pict

    AH-1G Cobra (rear) Pilot station. Pilot controlled rocket firing from externally mounted rocket pods or mini-guns.

    This was Capt. Mike Brown station during 21 June 1972 SA-7 shoot-down incident over An Loc - South Vietnam

    Cobra Croatia Index | Public.Carnet.hr
    Cobra pict

    Circa 1969, AH-1G Cobras onboard USS Point Cruz transport. Ship named after WW2 battle on Guadalcanal island, 7-10 Nov 1942.

    USS POINT CRUZ (CVE-119)
    (later AKV-19) | Navsource.org

    Cobras wrapped in protective canvas against salty sea air during trans-Pacific voyage.

    Need for Cobras was such that they were assembly on-ship once it docked in South Vietnamese port rather than off-crated for land assembly

     
    Cobra pict

    AH-1G taking off from transport vessel after assembly for designated units. No weapons were installed yet.

    USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) | Wiki

    Depending on unit allocation, these vessels can dock in Cam Ranh Bay, Da Nang, or Vung Tau, or Saigon (50 miles inland, much like Houston shipping channel).

    Cam Ranh Bay was one of the largest port / airbase in SE Asia. Used by 19th-century French colonialists for Indochina conquest, then Russian Czarist fleet for 1905 Tsushima naval battle against Japan, 1942 Japan invasion of Malaysia. Abandoned in 1944, but rebuilt by US in 1964.

    Cam Ranh Bay | Wiki

    After 1975 North Vietnam allotted base to Soviet navy. Nowadays, Communist Vietnam is considering "open port" policy to generate revenue, even potentially having Indian naval fleet based there. Hey... anything for a buck in Communist eyes.

     
    Cobra pict Cobra grey paint primed, cockpit section airbrushed acrylic Tamiya Dark Grey, nose section painted flat black
    Cobra pict

    Cockpit, nose, tail fins, rear rotors masked off with Walmart blue paint trimming tape.

    It has less adhesive quality than regular beige masking tape, hence less tendency to pull off underneath painted surfaces

    Poster sticker white putty used for masking edges around cockpit, propeller shaft, engine exhaust port.

    Sticker putty has more adhesive power for edge / irregular surfaces than children play puddy (which is better suited for flat smooth model surfaces)

    Cobra pict

    Fast forward abit, Cobra fuselage airbrushed Tamiya acrylic US Olive Drab.

    Tail fins hand-painted Testor enamel International Orange.

    Propeller blades airbrushed Tamiya acrylic Flat Black, shaft section hand-painted Testor enamel Chrome Silver.

    Beige masking tapes, taped back to back, will be cut into thin stripes for Cobra seat belt & shoulder harness straps
    Cobra pict

    Oozing hue appearance around model crevices accomplished via mixing Tamiya acrylic Flat Black with US Olive Drab for darker shade, then lightly airbrushed into area.

    Further weathering done by mixing Testor enamel Flat Black with US Olive Drab, then converting it to Paint Wash (via adding extra paint thinner) for hand-painting into designated crevices.

    Once dried, excessive paint oozing around crevices removed with cotton swab dipped in paint thinner in gently swipe motion

    Cobra pict

    Final weathering result, with appearance of dust & dirt collected around fuselage rivet and crevice areas.

    Model ready for decal placement, and installation of rocket tubes, canopy, propeller
<< Previous Cobra Index Next >>
black line