Bell AH-1W SuperCobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra (also called HueyCobra) owes its existence to the Vietnam War. While the proof of the air cavalry concept was being proven every day, the US Army was also losing huge amounts of helicopters to ground fire. Equipping the troop-carrying “slicks” with door guns helped, and arming the UH-1 Iroquois/Huey with weapons was another interim solution. Clearly, however, the solution lay with a dedicated attack helicopter that could defend the troop carriers.
Bell, the manufacturer of the UH-1, had been also experimenting with a concept of a heavily armed, turreted, and thin fuselaged helicopter. The US Army awarded a proof-of-concept contract to Bell, which replied in a heavily modified Model 47 called the Sioux Scout. It failed to win any orders, but Bell kept at it. This resulted in the Model 209, based on components of the UH-1 and the original conceptual design. With the Vietnam War intensifying, the Army issued a requirement for an interim solution, which the Model 209—built and tested in only eight months—won easily. The Army ordered 110 AH-1Gs in April 1966 and the type was in action in Vietnam a year later.
With the success of the AH-1 in Vietnam, the USMC requested a version as well, but with twin engines (for more safety over water) and bigger armament. This resulted in the AH-1J: besides twin engines, it also carried a 20mm gatling cannon in the turret. Though the AH-1J only saw brief action in the Vietnam War before American involvement ended, the Marines loved it. AH-1Js were also supplied to Iran before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, and these were used against Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War. Marine AH-1s, alongside upgraded Army AH-1S Cobras, have seen action in every American conflict since Vietnam, with considerable success. Though the US Army withdrew their Cobras by 1995 in favor of the AH-64 Apache, the Marines continually upgraded their Cobras, culminating in the current AH-1Z Viper, which is practically a new helicopter. While not as potent as the Apache or the Mi-24 Hind, the Cobra represents the first and classic attack helicopter.
This AH-1W is Bureau Number 165395; this helicopter was probably delivered to the USMC in the late 1980s. It served with HMLA-269 ("Gunrunners"), where 165395 saw combat over Iraq. After returning home, 165395 was transferred to VMX-1 at MCAS Yuma, Arizona as a testbed, and was retired in late 2022. It was then placed on display in the MCAS Yuma airpark.
As the newest arrival in the Yuma airpark, 165395 is in excellent condition, and retains the blue/gray camouflage used by Marine helicopter units. The VMX-1 emblem is carried on the engine covers. I got this picture in June 2023.
Bell AH-1W SuperCobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra (also called HueyCobra) owes its existence to the Vietnam War. While the proof of the air cavalry concept was being proven every day, the US Army was also losing huge amounts of helicopters to ground fire. Equipping the troop-carrying “slicks” with door guns helped, and arming the UH-1 Iroquois/Huey with weapons was another interim solution. Clearly, however, the solution lay with a dedicated attack helicopter that could defend the troop carriers.
Bell, the manufacturer of the UH-1, had been also experimenting with a concept of a heavily armed, turreted, and thin fuselaged helicopter. The US Army awarded a proof-of-concept contract to Bell, which replied in a heavily modified Model 47 called the Sioux Scout. It failed to win any orders, but Bell kept at it. This resulted in the Model 209, based on components of the UH-1 and the original conceptual design. With the Vietnam War intensifying, the Army issued a requirement for an interim solution, which the Model 209—built and tested in only eight months—won easily. The Army ordered 110 AH-1Gs in April 1966 and the type was in action in Vietnam a year later.
With the success of the AH-1 in Vietnam, the USMC requested a version as well, but with twin engines (for more safety over water) and bigger armament. This resulted in the AH-1J: besides twin engines, it also carried a 20mm gatling cannon in the turret. Though the AH-1J only saw brief action in the Vietnam War before American involvement ended, the Marines loved it. AH-1Js were also supplied to Iran before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, and these were used against Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War. Marine AH-1s, alongside upgraded Army AH-1S Cobras, have seen action in every American conflict since Vietnam, with considerable success. Though the US Army withdrew their Cobras by 1995 in favor of the AH-64 Apache, the Marines continually upgraded their Cobras, culminating in the current AH-1Z Viper, which is practically a new helicopter. While not as potent as the Apache or the Mi-24 Hind, the Cobra represents the first and classic attack helicopter.
This AH-1W is Bureau Number 165395; this helicopter was probably delivered to the USMC in the late 1980s. It served with HMLA-269 ("Gunrunners"), where 165395 saw combat over Iraq. After returning home, 165395 was transferred to VMX-1 at MCAS Yuma, Arizona as a testbed, and was retired in late 2022. It was then placed on display in the MCAS Yuma airpark.
As the newest arrival in the Yuma airpark, 165395 is in excellent condition, and retains the blue/gray camouflage used by Marine helicopter units. The VMX-1 emblem is carried on the engine covers. I got this picture in June 2023.