SuperCobra Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Been posting a lot of Cobra pics in the "Just Helicopters" thread and figured it was better to rivive this thread and post them here. Might make it easier for those doing a forum search. I missed this thread the first time it went around. To start here are a couple of good comparison pics of a basic AH-1W and the AH-1W with the Night Targeting System (NTS) which started being phased in around 94-95. Visually (for modellers), there are three major parts of the NTS: a raised nose (to accomodate the laser), a FLIR (the germanium window on the starboard side of the sight), and a new front cockpit (different instrumnet panel layout and a lot more panels and an extended sight). The new Academy/MRC 1/35 "NTS" boxing only gives you the raised nose. The Cobra Company set gives you that and the new cockpit (plus some other stuff you need). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 If you guys want, I'll repost those Cobra pics from the Just Helicopters thread here. lemme know. In the meantime here's a few Army birds from the Army Aviation Museum. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 So now we're playing in correct sandbox, I see. Here's a few more Army snakes now let's see some more of those Marine birds! Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobrahistorian Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) So now we're playing in correct sandbox, I see. Here's a few more Army snakes now let's see some more of those Marine birds! Ray I believe this is the same Cobra that's hanging in the Army Aviation museum, although it looks like it was retrofitted with an M28 turret later in its service life. She's got the correct TAT-102 turret nowadays. She's from the initial production run (note non-standard 6-digit tail number) and I believe she's the fourth production bird. I'll post some when I'm home and have access to all of my photos. I really need to take a week and get everything sorted out. I think I'm approaching 100,000 photos on my machine. Probably 10,000 of which are Cobras and 12,000 of which are Apaches. I'll start with the Snake-on-a-stick we've got here. She was an AH-1F that flew with my unit (1-104th ATKHB) until 2001. Wish I could have been a part of the unit then! Jon Edited October 24, 2008 by Cobrahistorian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I believe this is the same Cobra that's hanging in the Army Aviation museum, although it looks like it was retrofitted with an M28 turret later in its service life. She's got the correct TAT-102 turret nowadays. She's from the initial production run (note non-standard 6-digit tail number) and I believe she's the fourth production bird. I'll post some when I'm home and have access to all of my photos. I really need to take a week and get everything sorted out. I think I'm approaching 100,000 photos on my machine. Probably 10,000 of which are Cobras and 12,000 of which are Apaches. I'll start with the Snake-on-a-stick we've got here. She was an AH-1F that flew with my unit (1-104th ATKHB) until 2001. Wish I could have been a part of the unit then! Jon It's been awhile since I've been there but I only recall two AH-1Gs "hanging" there - the one outside and the one inside they say is the second production - neither of them match the above serial. However, museums have been known to get the markings wrong (as noted on the outside aircraft marked as an AH-1S but on display (backdated?) as an AH-1G. Maybe i missed one or there is another there now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobrahistorian Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Ah... that's right, that's 246. My bad. That's actually a pre-production machine. The label is wrong (confirmed it with Steve Maxham, the museum's director). 248 was the first production bird and is now an AH-1S on display at Hanchey AAF. I used to touch her left wingtip every morning for good luck on my way to go fly. No one else really appreciated the history there, but man, I was in awe! I'll have to find where 252 got off to. A quick side note, 246 is in its correct markings. Her Crew Chief was one of the guys I interviewed for the Cobras book and he confirmed that was his helicopter originally with the NETT and then with the Playboys. Jon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Supercobra, Posting pics of Army birds now I see! Nice walkaround shots of the Rucker birds. I never got any quite that well lit. Here's my next contribution. Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 (edited) Thanks Ray - those were all new ones to me - OK back to Marine AH-1Ws - pre-NTS. First two are HMLA-367 - last one is HMM-161 (Rein): Edited October 25, 2008 by SuperCobra Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Nice shots, sir. So many Cobras, so little time! Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 How often did you fly with this loadout? Nice shots by the way. Here's a couple of N209J, the FIRST cobra. Here's an all sand AH-1F Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 (edited) How often did you fly with this loadout? Nice shots by the way. Here's a couple of N209J, the FIRST cobra. I can't tell if that is a captive (live seeker, inert motor andwarhead) AIM-9 Sidewinder or AGM-122 Sidearm but we used to have a half dozen or so training flights in the syllabus that called for carrying them. Operationally I've carried Sidearm once and Sidewinder once. For training I've fired a live one of each - a rarity. Each squadron only used to get one or two a year to fire (shared amongst 40 some pilots). I'm hestitant to post N209J photos because I probably got most of them from you but here goes, there may be some that people here haven't seen: Edited October 26, 2008 by SuperCobra Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Great pics of N209J you got there. I recognize some, but some look new to me. Here's a few color shots. Note the fairings over the retractable skids in these shots. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 please keep going. A couple of those were new to me... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 She is definately a sweet bird. I've thought about doing her too. In 1/48 I think either the old Lindberg or Aurora kits would be good starting points.Lttile different taper behind the turret that IIRC is captured in these kits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 NICE SHOTS!!! Ok, some of these are probably reposts, but who cares when it's a Cobra! Ray N209J, The second Cobra, and a production bird: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rotorwash Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 NICE SHOTS!!! Ok, some of these are probably reposts, but who cares when it's a Cobra! Ray N209J, The second Cobra, and a production bird: Here are the originals of some of the ones posted above Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Thanks Ray - I'll keep posting my puny little pictures in hopes you've got the hi-res versions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SuperCobra Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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