Cobras Still Flying?

I don't know about the Army but I believe the USMC still fly them, probably national guard too. Some are being converted to firefighting uses which could explain colorful ones.

The top picture you posted is very close to what I saw. I just caught a glimpse of it, but enough to know it was a Cobra and the tail boom was red. You are probably right about the USMC Sea Cobras and National Guard. There are a lot of Guard helos around here, but it's been a lot of years since I saw a Cobra.

Thanks for the pix and the help. I appreciate the input.

The Army is no longer flying the Cobra, sadly. As for the Marines, from what I know (Supercobra, back me up here) they only fly the W model now. The one you saw was most likely one of the new firebomber conversions like the pics above.

yeah at least in 2nd MarDiv all the HML/A's are flying AH-1W's right now... might be a few T's still around don't know...

and yeah it is sure nice to see one of them flying... we liked to watch them do target practice when we were deployed... they'd be whizzing by about 20 yards up and BAM!!! no more target... I think they look so graceful...

The Marines fly only the AH-1W Fleet wide. The AH-1Ts were phased out after Desert Storm. Right now, they're waiting on the Zulu update.

QUOTE: and yeah it is sure nice to see one of them flying... we liked to watch them do target practice when we were deployed... they'd be whizzing by about 20 yards up and BAM!!! no more target... I think they look so graceful...

I agree 100%. Helicopters in general just look ungainly in the air. The Cobra is the exception though, it looks like it belongs there.

When I lived in Clarksville I ran a land surveying crew and we did a lot of work in the Ft. Campbell vicinity. It was a real kick to watch them doing assault practice. Occasionally they'd throw in a few A-10's for fun and once I saw them get joined by some F-4's. Of course this was back in the 70's to

Question was already answered but thought I would jump in anyway to shoot off my mouth and show my knowledge. All USMC Cobras are now AH-1W with the exception of three AH-1Zs at Patuxent River. Those Zs were converted from AH-1Ws. All AH-1Ws will eventually be converted into AH-1Zs although there will probably also be some new build AH-1Zs to make up for shortfalls. All AH-1Ts were converted to AH-1Ws - there were also a lot of new build AH-1Ws. The last Ts were converted in the early 90s. No more Ts left anywhere (not even museums, boneyards, etc) that I know of. The AH-1Js actually stayed in the fleet (with the reserves) longer than the AH-1Ts. By the mid 90's the Js were gone (boneyard and museums) except for one at Pax river as a chase bird - that one went to the museum in the late 90s. The Js at Davis Monthan were held in reserve for awhile but the finally ended up getting struck in the late 90s. A lot of them have found their way to museums or gate guards (Miramar, Pax River, Quantico, Charlotte, Patriots Point, Pensacola, Camp Pendleton, Intrepid) or as training aids on ships and fire pits. None (Js) in civilian hands that I know of. Marines reuse everything that is why you will never see an AH-1T (or an AH-1W) in a museum.

There's a really nice J model at the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum in NY. From what I could tell, it didn't fly in Vietnam, but certainly had some combat experience in Desert Storm. It is surprisingly intact for a museum bird. I got into her last year for some research and took a bunch of photos.

The San Diego Air and Space Museum has a nice AH-1S. If I remember correctly from the placard, it saw action in Desert Storm.

Yeah, what the other guys said! Isn't it amazing what the Corps can do with the systems that the army has gotten rid of? I'm actually working on a 1/35 -1W right now. I always felt better knowing those snakes were on station while I was playing in the mud.

Just think...the new AH-1Z (reman birds) will have a few parts that were in a AH-1T over 20 years ago! I remember when our maintenance guys were going through phase on CH-46Es and in some parts under the floor boards were patches with "Budweiser" and "Pabst Blue Ribbon" on them...left over from Vietnam. Our youngest Phrog was build in 1974. Our oldest was built in 1969. The Navy SAR HH-46Ds were built in 1965 and 1966!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cobrahistorian There's a really nice J model at the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum in NY. From what I could tell, it didn't fly in Vietnam, but certainly had some combat experience in Desert Storm. It is surprisingly intact for a museum bird. I got into her last year for some research and took a bunch of photos.

Somewhere around here I have a list of the AH-1J bureau numbers that served in Vietnam, the first four during evaluation (157757-157760), and seven more in the Gulf of Tonkin in '72. I think the one on the Intrepid (159218) is too new to have been there.

Sadly, the first AH-1J (157757) ended up in the crash fire rescue pit in Yuma, AZ. When I first saw it there it was almost prestine - that was before I realized its history. By the time I went back to rescue it, it was a hulk. That one should of been in a museum but the guys at the Boneyard probably gave it up for fire training because it was the oldest. Hopefully we can keep at least one Whiskey of the Zulu production line to preserve it.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dragonfire Just think...the new AH-1Z (reman birds) will have a few parts that were in a AH-1T over 20 years ago! I remember when our maintenance guys were going through phase on CH-46Es and in some parts under the floor boards were patches with "Budweiser" and "Pabst Blue Ribbon" on them...left over from Vietnam. Our youngest Phrog was build in 1974. Our oldest was built in 1969. The Navy SAR HH-46Ds were built in 1965 and 1966!

Their might be a Zulu that started off as an AH-1J over 30 years ago. The first two AH-1Ts were actually made from the last AH-1J while still on the production line. These were later made into Ws. One of these is still flying at China Lake and could be a Zulu someday (but that is the one they should save for a museum). Imagine one airframe that went from a J to a T to a W and then a Z.

That's what you call stretching the tax payers' dollar. An airframe with direct links to the 3 generations before it.

Only in the Corps, Dragonfire, only in the Corps. LIke we're so fond of saying "we do more with less than any other service out there." What will they name it when we're upgrading the -Z model in 10 years or so? The -Z+? SuperDuper Cobra?

QUOTE: Originally posted by LemonJello Only in the Corps, Dragonfire, only in the Corps. LIke we're so fond of saying "we do more with less than any other service out there." What will they name it when we're upgrading the -Z model in 10 years or so? The -Z+? SuperDuper Cobra?

Actually, somewhere I have read the name as the AH-1Z "Viper".

From what I've seen, the AH-1Z will retain the official name of Super Cobra.

Lemonjello: You're right, we're running out of letters for the next upgrade. Maybe Navy/Marine Corps will buy into the cancelled RAH-66 project...about 50 years from now.

Man....I wish the Museum of Flight here in Seattle had a Cobra in its line up.
In fact there isn't any military helos at all

CHOPPERFAN...Is that the aircraft that went down in california or is it just making a standard dump run?

I think the aircraft that went down in California was a C-130. Wing broke loose.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Papa-Echo-64 Man....I wish the Museum of Flight here in Seattle had a Cobra in its line up. In fact there isn't any military helos at all CHOPPERFAN...Is that the aircraft that went down in california or is it just making a standard dump run?

Just making a pass on a fire on the opposite side of the ridge.
The effect was caused by the use of a telephoto lens.
Dragonfire is correct. It was a C-130A that broke apart in California/Nevada.
There was a PB4Y-2 Privateer that went down that same year. That's what caused the entire bombing fleet to be grounded.
They are steadily getting back in the air now.

Thanks guys!

It good to see those old birds helping out!

But its also sad to loose these aircraft and crew just because some Jerk or Jerks were careless with a cigerette or a camp fire or worse!! ARGHHHH!!!!!

Kick the tires and light the fires!

I agree, Troy.
I'm a smoker BUT!!! When deer season rolls around they don't even leave the house when I go out. I take a pouch of Redman or Levi Garrett.
I do not, I repeat DO NOT, smoke in the woods!!!

In June I saw several Cobras and UH1's serving out the rest of their days at the small airfield on the White Sands Missile Range NM. I think they were used for "target" practice or surrogate vehicle training. Every now and then you would see one hovering or even flying in the pattern, but never anywhere else.

But, with FT Bliss and the Army's Air Defense Artillery School next door, I'm sure they would end up in a fiery ball thanks to a PATRIOT , or my favorite, a Stinger missile.

Originally posted by Papa-Echo-64 Man....I wish the Museum of Flight here in Seattle had a Cobra in its line up. In fact there isn't any military helos at all There is an AH-1S further south in the museum at the Airport in Arlington (WA not BC). If you get down there the Evergreen Museum down south of Portland is nice too. Seattle MOF has the Hiller Hornet (YH-32?) - sort of a military helo. Reply DBFSS385 Member since September 2003 From: Connecticut Posted by DBFSS385 on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 4:17 PM Just as a footnote I'm pretty sure the JSDF and IDAF are both still flying J or S models. I also think Spain got a few and maybe Taiwan.. Our VFW has a beautiful S model that was a warbird J model. Be Well/DBF Walt Reply Anonymous Member since November 2005 Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 7:28 PM Here's a list of countries still flying Cobras: U.S.: AH-1W & AH-1Z (in development) Israel: AH-1F (AH-1S Step 3) Taiwan: AH-1W Turkey: AH-1W & AH-1P/S (AH-1S Step 1 and 3) Pakistan: AH-1F (AH-1S Step 3) Japan: AH-1S Bahrain: AH-1F Iran: AH-1J (how they managed to keep them flying is anyone's guess) Jordan: AH-1F South Korea: AH-1S Thailand: AH-1F Still quite a few Cobra operators out there. Reply Edit tho9900 Member since July 2004 From: SETX. USA Posted by tho9900 on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 8:07 PM definitely not a dying breed... a mainstay of the USMC and I don't think it will be going anywhere soon unless they force one of those Joint Service choppers on everyone like they did the JSF fighter... of course the Corps still got its' way with the VTOL version... ---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it! Reply MusicCity Member since January 2004 From: USA Posted by MusicCity on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 8:31 PM Man! Is this thread STILL getting hits? Glad to see you guys are having fun with it. Wonder why there aren't any Cobras in private hands. There are lots of fighters (prop and jet) so why not some helos? I can think of nothing better than flying to work in a Cobra Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page Reply Anonymous Member since November 2005 Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 8:40 PM "Wonder why there aren't any Cobras in private hands." Because if they're not in a museum, they're still flying in some far off country.. I do think that there are a few in private hands. They probably got them from DRMO auction and are now restoring them. Reply Edit 12 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login Register SEARCH FORUMS FREE NEWSLETTER SIGN UP By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy. FORUMS PRODUCT REVIEWS READER GALLERY HOW TO VIDEOS SHOP ABOUT US FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER SIGN UP By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy. More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy