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My father (Phu Bai 67-68) told me the early rockets pods were aimed with the "legendary TLAR sighting system". Before he died in 2020 he told me what this "secret" aiming system was; look at the windscreen, say "That Looks About Right" and fire...
The sheer ingenuity and simplicity of this attack helicopter was the reason why I’ve came to love it, and it inspired a lot of later attack helicopter designs.
What's super impressive is that it's rare for a first gen weapon system to nail the essential elements in that first go. Stub wings, tandem seating, chin gun-- 50+ years later nearly every attack helicopter features the same.
@@_sx_ Not just getting it right but having it ready when it is needed. Bell knew they had a good idea and kept at it. That takes guts as it can sink a company. It reminds me of Lady Lucy Houston, she invested her personal wealth in the final stage of development of the Spitfire. She saw the need for a modern fighter plane with the rise of fascism in Germany, and when the RAF or government didn't act, she did. The Spitfire was ready in sufficient numbers to defend the skies over Britain. If she hadn't done this, history would look very different. Others are responsible as well, as it was an ongoing project but it was dead in the water. Pun intended, as the Spitfire started off as a float plane. Supermarine was a boat builder, hence the name.
I've heard a different story on the Cobra naming. The Army initially WANTED to name it Apache, but assumed that since it was a gunship, and intended for attack, rather than a general mission like utility, that the Apache tribe would take offense, so they opted for Cobra, like you said. Trouble was, nobody actually spoke to Apache tribal leaders who said: "Nah that thing is awesome. We would have been honored." Thus, the Army's NEXT dedicated gunship would be named Apache.
I think given that the Apache is the more advanced and probably the more terrifying looking of the two, I saw the Apache tribe got the better helicopter named after them. The AH-64 just looks meaner. If it was a human fighter, it would be a heavyweight.
I was today years old when I learned that the cobra and Huey share the same main rotor and tail assembly. Impressive video as always man, enjoy the weekend
I used to Wyeth on Hueys, and the odd Cobra. They are very similar, but I recall the control tubes for the main rotors of the Conra being significantly more robust.
They absolutely do not share the same rotor system, the cobra has a computerized stability control while the Huey has stabilizing bars mounted on the main rotor, plus the chord width of the cobras main rotor blades were substantially wider than the huey
I'm not a young man, and Cobras were very old and being replaced by Apaches when I was a kid. The fact that new models are still in production and still in active duty service is astonishing.
@@eryk3146 I'd probably just get stuck in the acknowledged category like the pbj who had a report put in saying it was missing several loadouts, including 350lb bombs, 1600lb armor piercing bombs and even a internal torpedo
@@leopard1419 Don't worry, it's flight manual, that can be found on Google like every other aircrafts and is basically the only source that gaijin accepts, is more than 30 years old and isn't currently used by anyone important so it doesn't matter
My father (who passed last July 87yrs) was instrumental in setting up the first squadrons of Cobras in Vietnam and one of the first to combat certify Cobras. I think the chopper with the Playboy logo on engine cowling is his chopper.
Ol Jarhead here, and witnessed the AH-1 up thru the Zulu Viper, and several sea variants. Just an enlisted grunt, but seeing those skinny locusts roar over before unleashing hell on target got the juices flowin every time. And the Warrant Officers that flew them strutted just like Navy & Marine fighter pilots, just a little bit more gray in the temples. Much respect.
1968 I was in school to become a Huey crew chief and we were introduced to the Cobra which was brand new. We thought of it as a sports car. Huey mechanics could work on them as other than weapons systems and airframe shape were so similar.
Back in those days, when you went to a clinic due to some health issues, you often found the doctor smoking in his office. A sign of the times, indeed.
When I started at my job, there were still ashtrays built into the hallway walls, because engineers often have impromptu discussions outside of offices or conference rooms.
I enlisted in 83 and worked as a crew chief on everything from the G model when I got to my first unit...all the way through the ECAS and Fully Modernized. Finished up as an instructor in the Power train and Rotor block of instruction at Ft. Eustis. You needed to be proactive about learning the Vibrex track and balance system if you wanted to fly front seat on the occasional test flight, but it was worth it. All the power of a Huey squeezed into a 36 inch airframe. Bell set the standard and they were the backbone of the Hunter Killer teams for sure. You never forget your first flight in one! :)
I have flown in both the Iroquois and the Cobra. I rode front seat in the cobra a few years ago. In Georgia there is a group called the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, and they offer rides at airshows and at their base camp in Hampton, Georgia. Huey slicks usually cost around $90-$100 and rides in the cobra are around $700.
@@RinkyRoo2021 ....only for so long like 7 years after you leave and such or what ever it may be for said project. And if this was 94 then it has been 30 years so far and the whole stealth whatever is being adapted by lots of countries by now. And while most counties were working on something similar it isn't a breach to say broad ideas or experiments...you just can't say the details of what and how it works. I can say we are working on a plane that can fly in atmo and out like in Stargate Sg1 x 302 program. But if i say how we are doing it then im in trouble.
Great birds! I started my Army career off in 1990 and worked on ECAS models, ( Armament Dawg here.) By 1991/1992, my unit turned in the ECAS birds and got 'F' models. Had the 'F' models until the mid '90s when the Army started retiring them and transitioned to Kiowa Warriors. I'm looking forward to your future videos on the Cobra. Thank you!
I was a 68J also. Worked AH1Q in Germany from 76 to 79. AH1G whenbI got back to the states. Then moved over to a new attack unit and worked some ECAS before getting the new Modernized S. I got out in 82 and was able to work Cobras in Fresno at the AVCRAD.
Range, speed, and firepower. With a mini-gun, rocket pods, and a 40mm grenade launcher, It's essentially a Marine Corps heavy weapons platoon strapped to a high performance sports car in the sky. It really was an ingenius helicopter and might be the most beautiful one that's ever flown.
At 12:00 is a ship from my Platoon, 1st platoon (Playboys), 334th AHC ("First With Guns"), 145th Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade. First Gunships platoon in VN, 1st Cobras in VN. I was a Crew Chief on the oldest Cobra in the Platoon, '68-'69.
The 114th AHC (Knights) arrived in RVN in May of 1963. Their gun platoon was called the Lancers at that time, but became the Cobras shortly there after.
"Interim Solution 2: Attack Helo Boogaloo" It's the story of a group of dancers saving the community center by blowing up the evil developer's bulldozers with attack choppers.
The ship allegedly got it's famous nickname when the engineers from Bell - Textron were visiting different Army helicopter units in RVN to get feedback from gunship crews as to what a dedicated "attack" helicopter should be able to do. They were visiting the 114th Assault Helicopter Co. at Vinh Long Army Airfield in the Mekong Delta and noticed the call sign of the gunship platoon of the 114th. That call sign was "Cobra". That name seemed to fit the idea of the long, slim and dangerous version of the Huey airframe envisioned by Bell. So...the "Huey Cobra" was born. I flew with the 114th's First Lift Platoon (Red Knights) out of Vinh Long as a crew chief / door gunner from 11/69 to 10/70.
We were doing vehicle ID class in OSUT and the Iroquois came up on a slide. One of the guys called it the "Iraqis" and just couldn't understand why would name a helicopter after the country we were warring with. I don't know why that has stuck with me so long but has.
Funny thing..... the word Iroquois is a nonsense word with no actual meaning. A British Anglican bishop got tired of trying to say "Hauddenosaunee" (which is the correct endonym for the six nation confederacy) and came up with the word that was both simple to say and yet remained exotic enough that he could pass it off as being Native American. Thus, it exists along other bs American names like "Idaho" and "Vermont."
I was a crew chief/door gunner on "C" model Hueys in Vietnam (66-67). 1AB 145 Abn 71st AHC. When they brought the prototype to show off in Vietnam in 67 we all thought it was a real hot rod. Later I went to flight school and eventually retired as a Warrant Officer, having flown both Hueys and Cobras. During my aviation career I've flown and qualified in at keast a half dozen different helicopters and fixed wing aircraft but my all time favorite was the AH1 Cobra. There is nothing that compares to it...
There won't be another. The Z is the final straw for the Cobra. The Marines will either move away from attack helicopters entirely, or get something new. The AH-1Z is just the temporary solution until that decision is made. No one except Marines are flying the Cobra, and the Army is leaning towards abandoning the attack helicopter as well, so it's likely both will slowly retire the Cobra and Apache.
I remember my step father in a picture on a shake test of the cobra . I worked drive systems test in the 90s, and they had a stealth cobra. It was a proof of concept and looked like the panels were installed over the Cobra's original skin. In 97 they were still building new ones in Arlington.
I flew UH-1C gunships and the one advantage it had over the Cobra was the two door gunners. (Two extra pairs of eyes, and the ability to shoot out the sides of the aircraft.)
I always wondered what could be done with a couple of Dillion miniguns in addition to the helmet aimed, 30mm chain gun. This in conjunction with composite survivable designs that can stop a .50 cal, and survive a 23mm would be pretty useful against insurgents.
I was trained as 67n20 for Huey's but when I entered Vietnam my unit was short of Cobra mechanics so I started working on the snakes for the whole year I was there in 1970 and 71 when I returned to state side I went back to crewing UH1H's until discharge. I loved the Cobra Plus it was a kick to fly and fire the gun turret.
I drive by the old Bell plant in Niagara Falls, NY everyday. They called it the Iroquois Warrior because Niagara Falls is in old Iroquois territory, specifically Tuscarora.
I've always loved this chopper. Probably my favorite heli ever, even over the Apache (but barely). Definitely not the retractable skids though, looks better with fixed skids for sure!
That is not why the AH-56 was canceled. It was canceled because the Air Force didn't feel comfortable with the Army being able to provide its own close air support and they wanted their A-10. Thus, we ended up with a worse attack helicopter and a shitty plane.
No, their not.Megaprojects has a good video on the subject. Long story short; when the AF was created, they had to provide the Army with Close Air Support.(The Key West Agreement). The Army was prohibited from having armed Aircraft. The only reason the Army got the Cobra was because the AF didn't have anything slow enough for escort missions. When the AH-56 came into play, the War was ending, budgets were tight, and the AF lost their frigging minds.
Cobras were named after the 114th aviation company 3rd aviation aviation battalion VN, In vinh long on the Mekong river, south of Saigon This was a army outfit under MACV. White Knight and Red knights were the slicks & Gold knight was the command ship (road service). 14:33
I actually know what happened to the cobra shaped collective head they showed on the door gunners controls. My father had it for a bit and there’s a story documenting it in the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot Association newsletter archives
The cobra head was not lost. My father was a test pilot at bell and later an engineer. He personally donated it to the Vietnam Helicopter pilots' Association with bell helicopter's permission. (He wasn't about to sacrifice a 40 year career doing something stupid)You can read about it on their wesite. It was passed down from president to president. It did not come up missing until recently. You can read about that on their website too.
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New vid suggestion : "why there is no modern tanks using Recoiless rifle"
Iroquois, correctly pronounced. Ear-ah-kwah no Ear ah coy.
@RedWrenchFilms do a vid on the pby catalina1!1!1!1!!!1!1!!1!1
@@onlyrandomvids2907 Backblast!
My father (Phu Bai 67-68) told me the early rockets pods were aimed with the "legendary
TLAR sighting system". Before he died in 2020 he told me what this "secret" aiming system was; look at the windscreen, say "That Looks About Right" and fire...
Also known as the Mark 1 eyeball
Or the mark 2 Instincts
@@citizenblue
Sometimes you might have to use the mark 3 senses
Or Mark 4 guts
The sheer ingenuity and simplicity of this attack helicopter was the reason why I’ve came to love it, and it inspired a lot of later attack helicopter designs.
Same! Plus it looks badass!
What's super impressive is that it's rare for a first gen weapon system to nail the essential elements in that first go. Stub wings, tandem seating, chin gun-- 50+ years later nearly every attack helicopter features the same.
I was going to like your comment, but it's at 209 right now, so I'll give a 👍
@@_sx_ Past experiences with Huey gunships also helps
@@_sx_ Not just getting it right but having it ready when it is needed. Bell knew they had a good idea and kept at it. That takes guts as it can sink a company.
It reminds me of Lady Lucy Houston, she invested her personal wealth in the final stage of development of the Spitfire. She saw the need for a modern fighter plane with the rise of fascism in Germany, and when the RAF or government didn't act, she did. The Spitfire was ready in sufficient numbers to defend the skies over Britain. If she hadn't done this, history would look very different. Others are responsible as well, as it was an ongoing project but it was dead in the water. Pun intended, as the Spitfire started off as a float plane. Supermarine was a boat builder, hence the name.
I've heard a different story on the Cobra naming. The Army initially WANTED to name it Apache, but assumed that since it was a gunship, and intended for attack, rather than a general mission like utility, that the Apache tribe would take offense, so they opted for Cobra, like you said. Trouble was, nobody actually spoke to Apache tribal leaders who said: "Nah that thing is awesome. We would have been honored." Thus, the Army's NEXT dedicated gunship would be named Apache.
I think given that the Apache is the more advanced and probably the more terrifying looking of the two, I saw the Apache tribe got the better helicopter named after them. The AH-64 just looks meaner. If it was a human fighter, it would be a heavyweight.
the ah-1z and it's pilots would like to argue that, lol@@TheS1E2A3L4
@@TheS1E2A3L41 looks like it is saying it will kill you.
The other says I am going to kill you and you cannot stop me.
@@TheS1E2A3L4 I dunno about that mate, the AH-1Z Viper's one hell of a machine. I think they'd have been well served with either machine.
What kind of revisionist bs is this?
I was today years old when I learned that the cobra and Huey share the same main rotor and tail assembly. Impressive video as always man, enjoy the weekend
It’s crazy how interchangeable they are remember when I was taught that
I used to Wyeth on Hueys, and the odd Cobra. They are very similar, but I recall the control tubes for the main rotors of the Conra being significantly more robust.
Same
I was a UH-1H and AH-1G helicopter mechanic. The Huey had a different rotor system than the Cobra. The Cobra had the 540 rotor system, no sway bar.
They absolutely do not share the same rotor system, the cobra has a computerized stability control while the Huey has stabilizing bars mounted on the main rotor, plus the chord width of the cobras main rotor blades were substantially wider than the huey
I'm not a young man, and Cobras were very old and being replaced by Apaches when I was a kid.
The fact that new models are still in production and still in active duty service is astonishing.
If my memory serves the US Marine Corps still uses the newer models as well as the newer versions of the Huey.
The Huey is still made in many different variants mostly for Civilian use.
@@Killerduck0213 Yep, the new huey is the UH-1Y which replaced the older UH-1N, and the new cobra is the AH-1Z which replaced the AH-1W.
Why didn't they put 4 rotors on the Huey in the first place?
@@robzilla730 OG Huey was single engine. 4 rotors might have been too much for the original engine to run. Just guessing here.
someones gotta make a historical report for warthunder now
Oh like they’d listen to their players😂
Leak the document.. oh
Waiiiittttt~
*ban*
@@eryk3146
I'd probably just get stuck in the acknowledged category like the pbj who had a report put in saying it was missing several loadouts, including 350lb bombs, 1600lb armor piercing bombs and even a internal torpedo
@@leopard1419
Don't worry, it's flight manual, that can be found on Google like every other aircrafts and is basically the only source that gaijin accepts, is more than 30 years old and isn't currently used by anyone important so it doesn't matter
Oh god pls no, I beg them. Because this time it's the freakin' *CIA* that's gon' get ya
My father (who passed last July 87yrs) was instrumental in setting up the first squadrons of Cobras in Vietnam and one of the first to combat certify Cobras. I think the chopper with the Playboy logo on engine cowling is his chopper.
Ol Jarhead here, and witnessed the AH-1 up thru the Zulu Viper, and several sea variants. Just an enlisted grunt, but seeing those skinny locusts roar over before unleashing hell on target got the juices flowin every time. And the Warrant Officers that flew them strutted just like Navy & Marine fighter pilots, just a little bit more gray in the temples. Much respect.
As soon as you mentioned the standard ashtray equipment, i was sold
Ahhh, , , the 60's. . .
1968 I was in school to become a Huey crew chief and we were introduced to the Cobra which was brand new. We thought of it as a sports car. Huey mechanics could work on them as other than weapons systems and airframe shape were so similar.
Simplified logistics must have been sweet
The built-in ash trays were a hilarious sign of the times.
Back in those days, when you went to a clinic due to some health issues, you often found the doctor smoking in his office. A sign of the times, indeed.
The control stations for the SAGE ground control intercept system had ashtrays built in.
@tis7963
Doctors used to smoke while in the room with a patient, who was also probably smoking too.
When I started at my job, there were still ashtrays built into the hallway walls, because engineers often have impromptu discussions outside of offices or conference rooms.
I built the Revell 1/32 Huey Cobra as a kid back in '71 - one of my favorite models.
Same from '74
History of Mi-24/35 or Mi-8/17 Series Would be a Great Video and Would Greatly Complement the Heli Content.
Tbh with his video style and voice any piece of equipment would be interesting
100% agreed tho
oh yeah that'd be wonderful
Oooooo I have a friend who would 100% love to see a vid on the MI-8s
I enlisted in 83 and worked as a crew chief on everything from the G model when I got to my first unit...all the way through the ECAS and Fully Modernized. Finished up as an instructor in the Power train and Rotor block of instruction at Ft. Eustis. You needed to be proactive about learning the Vibrex track and balance system if you wanted to fly front seat on the occasional test flight, but it was worth it.
All the power of a Huey squeezed into a 36 inch airframe. Bell set the standard and they were the backbone of the Hunter Killer teams for sure. You never forget your first flight in one! :)
I have flown in both the Iroquois and the Cobra. I rode front seat in the cobra a few years ago. In Georgia there is a group called the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, and they offer rides at airshows and at their base camp in Hampton, Georgia. Huey slicks usually cost around $90-$100 and rides in the cobra are around $700.
I rode on one of those Hueys on a trip to Georgia a few years ago! Very much worth it, it was such a cool experience. :)
I worked at Bell in the 90s. They had a stealth cobra at plant 5. It looked like it was all add on, and probably heavy.
Wouldn't that be classified?
@@RinkyRoo2021 ....only for so long like 7 years after you leave and such or what ever it may be for said project.
And if this was 94 then it has been 30 years so far and the whole stealth whatever is being adapted by lots of countries by now.
And while most counties were working on something similar it isn't a breach to say broad ideas or experiments...you just can't say the details of what and how it works.
I can say we are working on a plane that can fly in atmo and out like in Stargate Sg1 x 302 program. But if i say how we are doing it then im in trouble.
Great birds!
I started my Army career off in 1990 and worked on ECAS models, ( Armament Dawg here.)
By 1991/1992, my unit turned in the ECAS birds and got 'F' models. Had the 'F' models until the mid '90s when the Army started retiring them and transitioned to Kiowa Warriors.
I'm looking forward to your future videos on the Cobra. Thank you!
I worked on ECAS birds in the mid 80's, also in armaments. I was a 68J. Were yo a 68J or 68M?
@@steveasman1506 68J
I was a 68J also. Worked AH1Q in Germany from 76 to 79. AH1G whenbI got back to the states. Then moved over to a new attack unit and worked some ECAS before getting the new Modernized S. I got out in 82 and was able to work Cobras in Fresno at the AVCRAD.
Range, speed, and firepower. With a mini-gun, rocket pods, and a 40mm grenade launcher, It's essentially a Marine Corps heavy weapons platoon strapped to a high performance sports car in the sky. It really was an ingenius helicopter and might be the most beautiful one that's ever flown.
I dont know why, but the early models with the grenade launcher are the coolest. Not very efficient, but really cool.
At 12:00 is a ship from my Platoon, 1st platoon (Playboys), 334th AHC ("First With Guns"), 145th Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade. First Gunships platoon in VN, 1st Cobras in VN. I was a Crew Chief on the oldest Cobra in the Platoon, '68-'69.
The 114th AHC (Knights) arrived in RVN in May of 1963. Their gun platoon was called the Lancers at that time, but became the Cobras shortly there after.
"Interim Solution 2: Attack Helo Boogaloo"
It's the story of a group of dancers saving the community center by blowing up the evil developer's bulldozers with attack choppers.
This should be the actual plot of Stardew Valley
The ship allegedly got it's famous nickname when the engineers from Bell - Textron were visiting different Army helicopter units in RVN to get feedback from gunship crews as to what a dedicated "attack" helicopter should be able to do. They were visiting the 114th Assault Helicopter Co. at Vinh Long Army Airfield in the Mekong Delta and noticed the call sign of the gunship platoon of the 114th. That call sign was "Cobra". That name seemed to fit the idea of the long, slim and dangerous version of the Huey airframe envisioned by Bell. So...the "Huey Cobra" was born. I flew with the 114th's First Lift Platoon (Red Knights) out of Vinh Long as a crew chief / door gunner from 11/69 to 10/70.
So it had nothing to do with the Bell p-39 cobra?
AH-1 Cobra is so amazing
that ~15 minutes video is not enough. We need continuation about it later development and capabilities.
We were doing vehicle ID class in OSUT and the Iroquois came up on a slide. One of the guys called it the "Iraqis" and just couldn't understand why would name a helicopter after the country we were warring with. I don't know why that has stuck with me so long but has.
😳........🤣
Thanks for hanging on to this memory - can't imagine actually h e a r i n g someone say that 👍👍
Funny thing..... the word Iroquois is a nonsense word with no actual meaning. A British Anglican bishop got tired of trying to say "Hauddenosaunee" (which is the correct endonym for the six nation confederacy) and came up with the word that was both simple to say and yet remained exotic enough that he could pass it off as being Native American. Thus, it exists along other bs American names like "Idaho" and "Vermont."
Didn't know that insult@@petergray2712 probably why God let it be buried; to not offend the Proto-Americans.
Hard to imagine 1/4” steel plate around the seats was considered armored ..
@dirtdevil70 it is compared to 1/32 aluminum and glass...
Epic thumbnail. Cobra looks great with Gundam colors
Love your videos and would really like to see more on aircraft like this one
I'm excited about this series. Thank you, and may there be plenty more like this to come.
I was a crew chief/door gunner on "C" model Hueys in Vietnam (66-67). 1AB 145 Abn 71st AHC. When they brought the prototype to show off in Vietnam in 67 we all thought it was a real hot rod. Later I went to flight school and eventually retired as a Warrant Officer, having flown both Hueys and Cobras. During my aviation career I've flown and qualified in at keast a half dozen different helicopters and fixed wing aircraft but my all time favorite was the AH1 Cobra. There is nothing that compares to it...
Do you think the next AH-1 model will reset from Z to AA? Like on an Excel spreadsheet
💀💀
Maybe the Cobra II..
AA means anti-aircraft in the military terminology, so it would give a wrong impression.
@@herrakaarme Maybe they could just add the Amram
There won't be another. The Z is the final straw for the Cobra. The Marines will either move away from attack helicopters entirely, or get something new. The AH-1Z is just the temporary solution until that decision is made. No one except Marines are flying the Cobra, and the Army is leaning towards abandoning the attack helicopter as well, so it's likely both will slowly retire the Cobra and Apache.
I thought I knew a lot about the Cobra, but I had no idea the original design had retractable skids! It's so weird seeing it fly around without skids!
They look meaner with the skids
This was a great documentary! Thank you for the effort. I really enjoyed it.
I remember my step father in a picture on a shake test of the cobra . I worked drive systems test in the 90s, and they had a stealth cobra. It was a proof of concept and looked like the panels were installed over the Cobra's original skin. In 97 they were still building new ones in Arlington.
I flew UH-1C gunships and the one advantage it had over the Cobra was the two door gunners. (Two extra pairs of eyes, and the ability to shoot out the sides of the aircraft.)
I always wondered what could be done with a couple of Dillion miniguns in addition to the helmet aimed, 30mm chain gun. This in conjunction with composite survivable designs that can stop a .50 cal, and survive a 23mm would be pretty useful against insurgents.
He actually made the AH1 history video, LET'S GOOO!!
I was on a youtube tank binge all of last year, now I’m moving on to ships and helicopters. Great vid. Consider an Apache video!
That cobra head handle is LIT! Just subscribed!
Waiting for part 2
…”At that same time in the early sixties people were starting to make the new T.A.C.O From Bell”
When asked , who won the Vietnam war ? Always answer " Bell helicopter"
4:29 that helicopter looks so like a OV10 Bronco with rotors
Ha! That is great; yes, it does.
The AH-56 sits at or near the top of the short list of aircraft that SHOULD have been produced. It’s up there with the F-20, F-16XL, and YF-23.
Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
Could not agree more..,
GREAT video! Great historical pictures & very informative. I loved it!! Thank you!
Awesome video, was really looking forward this one on the Cobra, and I'm glad I finally caught it! Subscribed and looking forward to the next part!
Funny to see how much effort was put into making the AH-1 as sleek as possible only for to later versions to get more bloated.
This is a really well researched, narrated and edited essay, thank you for all your hard work.
Immediate Sub and Like.
Very kind - thanks so much.
Hell of a transmission - Good stuff . Thanks
we have seen the transport helicopter and the gunship, so next we need to see them combined in one
I think the AH-56 needs a reboot.
They had one of these on display at the museum on Ft Campbell, KY be back in the 80s. Probably still there.
Incredible photos and footage!
11:20 Getting aHEAD of ourselves… good one Red Wrench
I flew in a cobra two years ago. It was awesome. They told me the Huey flies like a school bus while the cobra is a sports car.
The Cobra is my favorite helicopter
I love the JGSDF versions, the Japanese camo is just soooo beautiful 🤩
Still the best looking attack helicopter.
Amazing video. Cant wait for the follow up!
I was trained as 67n20 for Huey's but when I entered Vietnam my unit was short of Cobra mechanics so I started working on the snakes for the whole year I was there in 1970 and 71 when I returned to state side I went back to crewing UH1H's until discharge. I loved the Cobra Plus it was a kick to fly and fire the gun turret.
Great video, very informative
It's wild to think that the Cobra may still be flying after the Apache's retired & replaced!
Hard to say. Boeing still has the Apache in full production, in Mesa, AZ.
Where’s the next installment video?
Imagine being a grunt, door gunner or UH-1 pilot seeing one of these for the first time, in which it’s effortlessly pulling ahead of them in cruise? 😂
Also, I like the marketing in which they put a literal snake head over the collective stick
Been thinking of that strategy for years
NCD rotted my brain, I saw saddam husein in the thumbnail.
The last place they’d expect…
I drive by the old Bell plant in Niagara Falls, NY everyday. They called it the Iroquois Warrior because Niagara Falls is in old Iroquois territory, specifically Tuscarora.
My dad used to work on AH-1's, they were fun and powerful machines.
What happened to the follow up videos?
Some designs you get correct right away
I will never stop cheyenne posting
Pancaked the Huey and strapped some mini guns and rocket launchers to 'em, Fuk' yeah!!
I worked on the Cobra from 1985 to 1988 for the US Army. 67Y10 They were just starting to phase in the Apache when I left.
Great video thanks!
Very Good.
Thank you.
Where sequel? :(
He didn't mention the bell kiowa
The ash-tray 10:30 is hilarious.
Yes I've been waiting for this
More please
Patiently waiting for part 2 😢
🎉 nice vidéo... Well done documented too... congrats bro 🙏
Nice vídeo Man
Finally, AH-1 video.
7:40 I bet seeing that much tech back then was amazing
Wish the video was longer, I was really enjoying it! Any chance you’ll be posting the follow up video soon?
Ngl as interesting as cobra is ... Im still after that tease you gave at end of is-6 vid lol
I've always loved this chopper. Probably my favorite heli ever, even over the Apache (but barely).
Definitely not the retractable skids though, looks better with fixed skids for sure!
Great video...👍
The most impressive thing is both crewmen got their own ashtrays!
I just purchased a $50K truck and it doesn’t even include *one* ashtray
^ This is a $35-50 feature. Smokers package. Also comes with the 12v lighter coil.
That is not why the AH-56 was canceled. It was canceled because the Air Force didn't feel comfortable with the Army being able to provide its own close air support and they wanted their A-10. Thus, we ended up with a worse attack helicopter and a shitty plane.
I think you're confusing it with the Comanche
No, their not.Megaprojects has a good video on the subject. Long story short; when the AF was created, they had to provide the Army with Close Air Support.(The Key West Agreement). The Army was prohibited from having armed Aircraft. The only reason the Army got the Cobra was because the AF didn't have anything slow enough for escort missions. When the AH-56 came into play, the War was ending, budgets were tight, and the AF lost their frigging minds.
@@AHappyCubno, he isn't
Excellent timeline. Never knew about the 207. 👍👍👍
The first Cobra was gorgeous
Well done 👍🏼
Cobras were named after the 114th aviation company 3rd aviation aviation battalion VN, In vinh long on the Mekong river, south of Saigon This was a army outfit under MACV. White Knight and Red knights were the slicks & Gold knight was the command ship (road service). 14:33
THX alot !!!
I did always like the Oh-58 model. Hughes came out with the md500. But I'll always be partial to Bell
Rolling in hot!
An ashtray. Amazing!
I actually know what happened to the cobra shaped collective head they showed on the door gunners controls. My father had it for a bit and there’s a story documenting it in the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot Association newsletter archives
So after AH-1, what you think of doing Mil Mi-24 next?
The cobra head was not lost. My father was a test pilot at bell and later an engineer. He personally donated it to the Vietnam Helicopter pilots' Association with bell helicopter's permission. (He wasn't about to sacrifice a 40 year career doing something stupid)You can read about it on their wesite. It was passed down from president to president. It did not come up missing until recently. You can read about that on their website too.
My test pilot friend says never ever try to loop a Cobra.
Great vid! Cheyenne deserved better...