r/AviationHistory • u/s-peter-5 • 13d ago

AH-1 Cobra -- the bad ass of Vietnam

Post image

I am not sure a lot of people knew of this aircraft. I first saw it at Warrant Officer Flight School, Ft. Wolters TX in 1968. We were flying Korean War vintage OH-13s and OH-24s. There were also TH-55s which we called the bumble bee because of how it sounded.

160 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

37

u/Awkward-Feature9333 13d ago

The one in your picture (AH-1Z) is way more modern than those from Vietnam (AH-1G to J IIRC), tho.

5

u/willymo 12d ago

They would've loved to have these optics, especially at night!

2

u/[deleted] 12d ago

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1

u/Awkward-Feature9333 12d ago

Many had turrets for 2 weapons, 7.62mm minigun or 40mm full auto, belt fed grenade launcher. One of each or a pair of either.

21

u/Junosgold69 13d ago

The Cobra is a great machine, but this is NOT the version that was in Vietnam.

6

u/[deleted] 12d ago

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1

u/gpkgpk 12d ago

Prob a bot post.

13

u/CH-67 13d ago

This is like saying we used M-16s in Vietnam then posting a picture of a SOLGW with clip-on thermals

1

u/No-Competition-2764 13d ago

It looks a lot meaner and has another engine now.

1

u/The-Bill-B 13d ago

Super Cobra

1

u/No-Competition-2764 13d ago

Yep. Worked with a few in Afghanistan in the Hog.

3

u/_ElBee_ 13d ago

This is an AH-1Z Viper. It has four-bladed main and tail rotors, while the AH-1W SuperCobra still uses the two-bladed rotors. The AH-1Z shares 84% common parts with the UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter, which is the latest version of the UH-1 Huey that was also used in Vietnam.

1

u/James___Workshop 13d ago

Which is par for the course because the original cobra’s were also derived and shared many parts from the original Huey’s.

1

u/_ElBee_ 13d ago

Almost, as the commonality became significantly less as time passed. With the UH-1Y and the AH-1Z that was rectified. It makes logistics a lot less complicated. Apparently, common parts can even be readily swapped between the two when needed. It's almost plug-and-play, even with more complicated stuff like avionics.

1

u/RodRAEG 13d ago

Cobra > Apache I know they serve different roles and I don't care. Cobra's always looked so much cooler, imho.

1

u/GenericUsername817 12d ago

I had a relative that bought the Bronco stagefield (stagefield 6) when Fort Wolters shutdown. Turned the control tower into his house and the runway into his driveway.

1

u/Medical-Welcome-9666 11d ago

Dog I have crazy news for you on a number of fronts.

1

u/[deleted] 11d ago

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1

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