A final(?) AH-1G Cockpit question

[Anders_Isaksson]

The pilot’s coaming in the Res-Kit cockpit set features this handle.

I am unable to find any photo showing this area on the AH-1G, but managed to find a decent photo of a later Cobra version where this handle is there.

 

So, should the AH-1G have this handle or should I delete this detail because it is a feature only on later versions?

Edited June 18, 2025 by Anders_Isaksson

[Rob Mignard]

It’s the pull handle for the emergency canopy removal system which is not installed on Vietnam G models.

 

MIG

[Anders_Isaksson]

Thanks Rob, glad I asked. 😊

I will remove that detail ASAP.

[Floyd S. Werner, Jr.]

It is not used on the AH-1G.  It is used on the AH-1S (Mod).  It is a canopy jettison handle.  The G model didn’t use a jettison system.  There are yellow handles that were swung in to release the windows/doors in an emergency.

Floyd
 

 

[Anders_Isaksson]

Thanks Floyd! 👍🏻

[BWDenver]

On 6/19/2025 at 11:08 AM, Floyd S. Werner, Jr. said:

It is not used on the AH-1G.  It is used on the AH-1S (Mod).  It is a canopy jettison handle.  The G model didn’t use a jettison system.  There are yellow handles that were swung in to release the windows/doors in an emergency.

Floyd
 

 

Actually Floyd, it was used on the AH-1G.  We had them at Hood in the 227th in 1974.

The black outline around the canopy parts is the Det cord lines of the Canopy Removal System.

This was one of the 7/17 1st Cav birds at Lz Phantom, Ft Hood.  The 7/17 and 21 Cav 2nd AD had camo birds, AH-1G, OH-58A and UH-1H.

 

in the 227th we had a drunked up AH-1G crew chief that decided to prove he could fly one.  So one night he staggered to the bird at Hood Field, fell down twice, as the roving guards watched, untied the bird and lifted off. 

 

He got about 10' off the PSP pad and lost it.  Managed to crash on the pad inverted and not damage another bird.  As they got the to bird to rescue him, he blew the canopy with the det cord that lined the lex canopy.  When I tried to shoot a picture the Gun Plt guys guarding the bird made it clear no photos.

 

Not sure when they installed it, I don't think they had them in Viet Nam.

[Rob Mignard]

Never saw any in Vietnam.

 

Mig

[Floyd S. Werner, Jr.]

16 hours ago, BWDenver said:

Actually Floyd, it was used on the AH-1G.  We had them at Hood in the 227th in 1974.

The black outline around the canopy parts is the Det cord lines of the Canopy Removal System

This was one of the 7/17 1st Cav birds at Lz Phantom, Ft Hood.  The 7/17 and 21 Cav 2nd AD had camo birds, AH-1G, OH-58A and UH-1H.

 

I sit corrected.  It wasn't used in Vietnam then.  LOL  Obviously it was used later in the life.  Not sure when it was changed over.  Love the pics though.  Learned something new today

Thanks

Floyd

[BWDenver]

I covered the tests are Hood between the YAH-1Q and YAH-1S(MOD) around April 1975.  The YAH-1Q had the canopy Removal system, the YAH-1S(MOD) did not have it installed.  So, it was not universally applied.

YAH-1Q, note Canopy Removal System

YAH-1S(MOD)

YAH-1S(MOD) nose turret

 

Another point for the modeler is at what point in time you want to depict the AH-1.  Starting in the late 70's and early 80's the Army adopted a night fighting posture.   Perhaps Floyd can comment on it the AH-1G got the NVG cockpit repaint.

 

This shot of an AH-1G in Korea, circa Dec 1977.  the AC was repainted in Aircraft Green CARC paint, but retained the Dark Gull Gray cockpit

 

To support Night/NVG Ops the cockpits were repainted to flat black, as seen with this AH-1S(MOD), later designated as an AH-1S.  Taken at Ft Carson in Nov 1987 (or I should say that's the date on the file.  Note the 747 blades.

[Floyd S. Werner, Jr.]

6 hours ago, BWDenver said:

Another point for the modeler is at what point in time you want to depict the AH-1.  Starting in the late 70's and early 80's the Army adopted a night fighting posture.   Perhaps Floyd can comment on it the AH-1G got the NVG cockpit repaint.

I only know that when I went through flight school in 1984/85 all the cockpits at Ft Rucker were flat black inside.  I flew AH-1S(Prod)/ AH-1P and AH-1S(FMC)/ AH-1F, but I have pics from that timeframe of AH-1S(ECAS)/ AH-1E that also had flat black.  So sometime before 1984.  I'm not aware of any AH-1G having flat black interior, other than the instrument panel.  Doesn't mean they couldn't have them, but I doubt it.  I think the changed happened in the AH-1S(Mod)/ AH-1S as I've seen both variations in that version.   I don't think that the AH-1Q had flat black cockpit.  I believe it still had a grey interior.  Willing to hear a difference of opinion on this though.

Floyd

Photo of me and my daughter in 1985 before graduation

[BWDenver]

Floyd, I'm inclined to agree about the Q.  It was an interim bird till the S came online.  The Q's were upgraded to the S.  I think the Flt black cockpits came into effect in the '81/82 time frame.

 

The Flt Black cockpits marked the switchover to night tactics and NVG incorporation.  My first flight in a blacked out OH-58A was in the summer 82.

 

Brayn

[BWDenver]

OK, never say NEVER!

 

I was looking for a shot of my "First", a '73 240Z and found this shot of a TX NG bird, 67-15532, with a black cockpit.  It was converted to an AH-1S, and SOC at some point.

 

I'm not sure who took this shot, it is not one of mine but is in my collection.

[stakor]

On 8/27/2025 at 11:16 PM, BWDenver said:

  The 7/17 and 21 Cav 2nd AD had camo birds, AH-1G, OH-58A and UH-1H.

Hi. Would you be so kind as to reveal more photos of AH-1G and OH-58A birds with camouflage? If only there were visible numbers to make decals...

[BWDenver]

I would love to be able to post images of the AH-1 birds with legible TN's in these HQ Master MERDC markings, but I only have a one shot I took with the TN.   And none of the shots I took have legible TN's for OH-58A's.   While I was a modeler at the time, helicopters did not interest me, OPS...

 

 

AH-1G 67-15725 7-17 Lz Phantom Ft Hood 1975, the TN is a best guess as the 4th number is not that legible.  Tops of the rotor blades are OD.

 

AH-1G 67-15593, Ft Hood bird either 7/17th 1St Cav or 2/1 Cav 2nd AD.  Unknown photographer  Note the tops of the rotor blades are OD.  Converted to AH-1F Stored at Fort Drum. To Israeli AF for parts reclamation; noted at Palmachim May 2005. Subsequently scrapped

 

Another internet shot, AH-1G 68-17087  Ft Hood MERDC

 

 

This AH-1G was on the NET team, New Equipment Training)

 

7/17th 1st CAV Ft Hood mid 70's in nonstandard USAF type camo.

 

AH-1G 66-15259, 14th AH-1G produced.  Viet Nam  Converted to AH-1F.

 

Yours Truley, WO-1 Bryan Wilburn, LZ Phantom early 1975  Weekend cobra Ride.  the helmet got me into an incredible amount of hot water while flying for the 377th Mec Co in Korea.  I was ordered to "Immediately REMOVE THAT DAM* VISOR", I still have it somewhere...  

 

Some MERDC birds had camo paint applied to the tops of the rotor blades, as seen in this image.

Edited August 31, 2025 by BWDenver

[BWDenver]

Back on topic, never say never, in this shot of an AH-1G, the cockpit has been repainted to flat black.

 

AH-1G 67-15532 Tx NG Cvt AH-1S, possibly Conroe Tx just north of Houston. (not my shot)

 

Edited August 31, 2025 by BWDenver

[BWDenver]

6 hours ago, stakor said:

Hi. Would you be so kind as to reveal more photos of AH-1G and OH-58A birds with camouflage? If only there were visible numbers to make decals...

I'll have to go through what shots I have of the OH-58's and AH-1G's.  And pass them on to CARACAL...

 

Or maybe Floyd will do a sheet?

 

Edited August 31, 2025 by BWDenver

[stakor]

Great idea! Thanks. Similar pattern was used by Marine Corps. Two AH-1T were painted, but there's no 1/35 1/32 kit.

[usmcski6502]

Hey All!

 

Loving this thread, thanks to all who have contributed. Stakor, to your point, at least two (probably three) AH-1Ts were delivered in 1981 to HMA-169 from Bell in a non-standard brownish-tan color (I believe this served as the base color for the MERDC-like scheme). Modex numbers 22, 23 and 24 are seen in the attached photos; there do appear to be three distinct Bureau Numbers (160826, 161015 and 161016). I can’t find it at the moment, but there does exist a picture from the Bell archives of a section of the first two AH-1Ts pre-delivery in that brown color. I submit the following photos for information purposes only, most without credit, as I don’t know the original owners. Although no Ts survive (most were converted to Ws…at least one was later converted to a Z), how great would it be to get an accurate AH-1T, in any scale?!?

 

Semper,

 

Ski

Edited September 2, 2025 by usmcski6502

[usmcski6502]

[BWDenver]

Fantastic shots, and congrats to the unknown photog.  160742 appears to be the first ground up AH-1T.

 

However, the MERDC tests were conducted at Ft Hood in 1972-1973, so the AH-1T came almost a decade after the tests, and likely was not painted in the MERDC, but were possibly painted in Chemical Agent Resistant Coating, or “CARC” paint.  The US Army started applying the epoxy/polyamide CARC paint as a standard paint in the late ‘70’s.

The paint was enamel for vehicles, lacquer for helicopters.  The paint was a ” Luslerless” finish, that could be “roughed up” with the introduction of Walnut pellets, such as for anti-glare areas.  The original CARC AC paint was specified as "Aircraft Gree", although in 1982 the Test Board at Rucker tested "Sand" CARC experiments on an AH-1S(FMC) and an OH-58A with OH-58C IR stacks.  I have photos of both taken at Rucker in the mid 80's.

 

At Hood there was one M113 that when painted they lacked the Xylene thinner, so they used gasoline.  The finish came out as a Gloss.  Stuck out like a sore thumb on the motor pool line.

 

Original testing was with UH-1H, AH-1G and OH-58A aircraft.  But 34^th Support decided they needed to paint at least one CH-47C.  I snapped a shot of the bird on the ramp at Bergstrom AFB in Austin Tx.

[BWDenver]

In for a penny…

 

AH-1G 66-15336 with Kaman 747 blades and TOW missiles at Edward AFB and the Army Test Activity.  It was used in testing for the AH-1Q/S program.  93 AH-1G AC were converted to AH-1Q prior to the AH-1S development.  A number of the AH-1Q airframes were converted to AH-1S(MOD) airframes.  Later designated to AH-1S.  The AH-1S had the TSU and rounded canopy.  The crews hated the “Flat Plate” canopies as it impacted the Max VNE.

 

JAH-1S(FMC) “Fully Modernized Cobra” or (MC), painted in Sand CARC for tests at Yuma in 1982 along with an OH-58A.  Original configuration “Fully Modernized Cobra”.  Later redesignated as the JAH-1F.

 

JAH-1F with FFAR rockets, the black tailboom is due to extended hovering at low altitudes.  Above around 5000’ the soothing is just about eliminated.

 

 

My shot of the JAH-1F taken in around 1984 in a Test Board hanger at Ft Rucker.  One of the few with the "sale" mounted optical unit.  This was the basis of a model I did for the DC Nats in 1987.  All week long I listened to “Experts” say “What an idiot, they never painted them like that!”.  On the day of judging I put an 8x10 glossy color shot next to the bird. 

 

On the table at the DC Nats.  When it flashed on the screen that night at the banquette as the "First Place winner in 1/48 helicopters there was an audible “gasp".  There was a 1/48 Aurora Guns A GO GO CH-47A, he had spent 5 years building it, and it was bumped to 2nd.  3 years later he was still screaming about being robbed... 

 

My Sand Snake was a 3 week build...

Edited September 1, 2025 by BWDenver

[usmcski6502]

Holy cow, BW, and I thought Whiskey tailbooms got dirty! Great shots, and congrats on the Sand Snake!

 

I never have figured out the full story on the camo’d HMA-169 AH-1Ts. There were some experiments at camoing Marine Corps Helos in the early 80’s, mostly with water based paints during exercises at 29 Palms, but they predate the gray/green/black USMC “land camo” by at least five years. Before that, everything was “Marine Green”.

 

Semper,

 

Ski

[BWDenver]

Thanks!

 

If you liked the Army birds, here are a few of the USMC's first and finest.

AH-1G 817023 HMA-169 Pendelton circa 1972.  One of the early AH-1G.  Not my shot.  They decided that a single engine bird would not work.  Fortunately the Iranians needed a Hot and high solution, so they paid for the development of the AH-1J.

 

AH-1J 157781 off Vinn N Viet Nam, The J first deployment was MARHUK, Marine Hunter Killer.  This deployment off the coast of North Viet Nam was the basis for the USMC tactics going forward.  LPD above the blade.  the painted wing leading edges, horizontal stabilizer leading edges and wing root area with thermal paint to protect the bird from the blast of the Zuni missiles.

 

The MARHUK shots came from this gentleman.  For the life of me can't remember his name.  I tracked him down at 8th & I USMC HQ for Mike Verier for his book on cobra's.  I interviewed him and got serval shots.  Before Mikes book came out MARHUK was unknown outside of the Sea Cobra community.

[usmcski6502]

Ahh, yes! Vietnam Marine Cobras are some of my favorites. From the original G models of VMO-2 to the MarHukers of “Pistol Pete” HMA-369 (I actually sailed to Kuwait just before OIF I on a MarHuk ship, the USS Dubuque, with nine AH-1Ws and one CH-53E aboard). If I’d only known then, the history of the operation. A couple of the original nine airframes from MarHuk survive; one at the airfield at Camp Pendleton, and another is being restored at the former MCAS El Toro, where it’s being restored to it’s 1972 markings. 

I’ve seen those pics before, I have a bunch more on an external hard drive I need to look for (his name is on the tip of my tongue). Some of my most prized possessions are two original helmets used during MarHuk (I’ve attached a pic).

 

Semper,

 

Ski

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2025 by usmcski6502

[Tank]

4 hours ago, usmcski6502 said:

one at the airfield at Camp Pendleton

Never knew it’s history of that bird or maybe Randy Smith mentioned it and I forgot. It sits in the picnic area outside MAG-39 HQ.