13 Facts About Cobra helicopter

1.

Bell AH-1 Cobra is a single-engined attack helicopter developed and manufactured by the American rotorcraft manufacturer Bell Helicopter.

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2.

The AH-1, being a dedicated attack Cobra helicopter, being equipped with stub wings for various weapons, a chin-mounted gun turret, and an armored tandem cockpit, from which its was operated by a pilot and gunner.

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3.

Several decades, the AH-1 formed the core of the US Army's attack Cobra helicopter fleet, seeing combat in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and the Gulf War.

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4.

In US Army service, the Cobra helicopter was progressively replaced by the newer and more capable Boeing AH-64 Apache during the 1990s, with the final examples being withdrawn during 2001.

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5.

Cobra helicopter created a mockup of its D-255 helicopter gunship concept, named "Iroquois Warrior".

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6.

The principal amongst these changes was the repositioning of the tail rotor from the Cobra helicopter's left side to the right, which facilitated an increase in the effectiveness of the tail rotor.

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7.

US Marine Corps quickly became interested in the Cobra helicopter, opting to order an improved twin-engine version in 1968 under the designation AH-1J.

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8.

Bell AH-1 Cobra is a dedicated attack helicopter, built to provide close air support and to escort friendly troop transports.

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9.

The visual design of the Cobra helicopter was intentionally made to be sleek and be akin to that of a jet fighter.

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10.

The slim profile of the helicopter allegedly provided defensive benefits by making it harder for opponents to accurately hit it with small arms fire, although man-portable air-defense system did prove to be effective against the Cobra.

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11.

Typically, the Cobra helicopter would avoid hovering at any point in an active engagement; instead, emphasis was placed on maintaining speed and mobility.

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12.

The service, which had long sought a more capable successor to the Cobra helicopter, had procured a large fleet of AH-64 Apaches since receiving the first example of the type during early 1984.

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13.

The Cobra helicopter fleet was considerably older than the Apaches, which contributed to several fatal crashes of the type.

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