Cobra sets record in '68

IMHO the original AH-1G was one of the most beautiful pieces of engineering art I've ever seen. Right up there with the corvette, chevelle, F-4, etc, etc, etc. As that was a time when things were still defined by an actual drawing, done with ink on mylar.....to me, they are artworks as much as engineering designs. The cobra has gotten progressively uglier as it has gotten progressively improved at it's mission........but for pure looks that kill the original was as pretty a machine as have ever been brought to life...

QUOTE: Originally posted by dkmacin On this date, 25 October, in 1968, the Bell Cobra set the record for sustained level flight at cruise speed of 200 MPH. Don

What is your source of reference for this claim?

I dunno Snakedriver, I seem to remember a photo of a certain CW2 in-country with a bright white bone dome on!

The Army in its infinite wisdom has decided to cancel my IERW class and bump me back to class 005 from 003. I'll be starting a month later, which screws up a number of things for me (like my wedding!), but I get to stay home a little longer... Oh well

The orange flight suit, the white bone domes and the vegetation would put this stateside. Those big buzz numbers were on our training birds at Cobra Hall (aka Hunter
Field, Savannah, GA), however I recall that in late '69 they were followed by an Alpha character and had a few splashes of high- viz paint applied. My SWAG on this is '67 or '68 at a stateside training facility.

Bob,

I didn't notice the Chinese hat, but with buzz numbers like that, I was thinking it was Stateside. If the Chinese Hat is still fitted to the airframe, that puts this photo at mid-67, and if it is in-country, its gotta be at Bien Hoa.

And the Chinese hat on top of the rotor tower. I'll bet it's with the NETT Team in Vung Tao.

Thanks Jon! My fav is the early AH-1G's.

I talked to a Nam pilot who flew Both Hueys and Cobras and he loved the Cobra, the grunts loved the fast response and its weed eating features!

"Company B now has a LZ for the Hookers over......"

Great pic, PE!!

That's a real early bird. TAT-102 turret, blue canopy, etc...

One hell of a Bird indeed! The Corvette of the helo's!