Bell AH-1F "TZEFA"

[kingjason14]

Originally Posted by MichaelS

The earlier model of the Cobra was what I was trained on in 1969 BC. Was told we were all going to Europe and had all the tactics down pat for shooting Rooskie targets. Some very exciting times low leveling over the wetlands that give Savannah Ga it's name. Also may have inadvertently beat up a few little farms and towns.

Two weeks before we were to graduate all of our orders were changed to an exotic far eastern country. Of course, as per US Army SOP (standard operating procedure) once I got there all the "REMF's" (sorry this is a G rated forum) had them snatched up for themselves. I followed a slightly different path but still got to do a bit of "low leveling".

Looking forward to your mastery on this subject young fella.

Originally Posted by Miles Linnabery

Dear MichaelS:
Nother story, My father was a Vice President of Bell Helicopter, I got a fair number of test rides through the years. One that sticks was the first Cobra with the chief test pilot. 2 foot over the sage brush at 45 * angle at 250 mph WOW
Miles

I am so jealous of both of you! My dream of youth was military flight (different back story), I learned that the Army allows rotor wing flight without college, so I went delayed entry, past the AFAST at Ft. Lewis, got a slot as an Aeroscout Observer (93B) and signed a 5 year contract with dreams of Warren Officer Flight. Then the seated height limit was lowered 5cm, and my contract was voided. I signed as a 13F under the pretense that I could reclassify after one year. in the end, I did get to see helicopters.

[Miles Linnabery]

Dear Mike:
to add insult to injury, I got in the Model that retracted the skids.
Miles

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by kingjason14

I am so jealous of both of you! My dream of youth was military flight (different back story), I learned that the Army allows rotor wing flight without college, so I went delayed entry, past the AFAST at Ft. Lewis, got a slot as an Aeroscout Observer (93B) and signed a 5 year contract with dreams of Warren Officer Flight. Then the seated height limit was lowered 5cm, and my contract was voided. I signed as a 13F under the pretense that I could reclassify after one year. in the end, I did get to see helicopters.

When I was in flight school in 1969 BC we started with about 250 - 275 in "Miserable Wells", TX. (west of Ft. Worth). Only about 125 - 150 made it through that. On the same base they had Crew Chief school. The wash outs usually went there. The whole thing was planned to make sure the Army had plenty of pilots AND ground crew.

Two thirds of the class that made it through Primary went to Ft. Rucker in AL. They all became Huey or Shithook drivers. About 60 of us went to Savannah Ga. for a special new Cobra school at Hunter AAF. (Used to be a B-47 / B-52 base for the USAF in the 50's). My class was the first to graduate in Nov 69 from there. We were supposed to go to Europe to be based along the East / West wall. Almost all of the group graduated. A few guys washed out because they couldn't get the hang of instrument flying in a helicopter. Trust me it isn't easy.

Looking back I think that Nixon and his bunch starting planning the Cambodian invasion about this time so a few weeks before we graduated our orders were changed. They needed cannon fodder. The Cambodian thing was in June or so of '70. I was up north in I Corps so I wasn't directly involved. Our units did fly a lot extra during that time to provide diversions and to try to interdict the stuff coming down the Ho Chi Minh trail. Being over the Ho Chi Minh trail in a tiny little Loach is a very lonely feeling let me tell ya!

Out of my graduating class of 60 or so more than half were KIA, mostly from the Cambodian "incursion" down around the Parrot's Beak. In November I lost my "stick buddy" Lesley who I had roomed with and had had the same instructors with all the way through flight school. He flew a "Charlie Model" gunship. One of the ones with the huge Sharks teeth. When the call went out that there was a "Shark" down we flew over where the crash was and all that was left was a pyre of black smoke and some twisted metal.

Sorry to go on about this but I lived a lot of history that the world seems to have forgotten, I have a Purple Heart patch on the back of my wheelchair. Whenever someone says "Thank you for your service" I always say "This isn't for me. It is for my 50,000+ brothers that earned theirs the hard way". That really makes people think.

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by Miles Linnabery

Dear Mike:
to add insult to injury, I got in the Model that retracted the skids.
Miles

Yes. I remember reading about them. I am pretty sure they did away with that idea because of the extra weight. Also Cobras were so fast that slicks just couldn't keep up as it was.

[Miles Linnabery]

Dear MichaelS:
It was not so much the weight but the Zero Defect problem, If the skids did not deploy one did not walk away from the landing. I grew up with very interesting dinner conversations. Did you drink the water in Mineral Wells Texas? We had to drive through to go to scout camp would bottle water from home for the road trip.
Miles

[Isaac]

I had this kit in my hand today. It is very good looking. But I have to agree with Theo, it is too yellow in color. I did not purchase it.


Isaac

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by Miles Linnabery

Dear MichaelS:
It was not so much the weight but the Zero Defect problem, If the skids did not deploy one did not walk away from the landing. I grew up with very interesting dinner conversations. Did you drink the water in Mineral Wells Texas? We had to drive through to go to scout camp would bottle water from home for the road trip.
Miles

Don't remember much about Miserable Wells. However the stewardess school in Ft. Worth.....

[asaf]

HI THEO ,brilliant start and probably great finish


WITH NO INTENTION TO HIJACK

made a repaint for the Kartonowa kolekcia older cobra (approved by author) in 3 variants ,but still siting on the bench.

tsefa (israeli ah1f )+redbull cobra 1/33

[yaelb]

Thank you all for your comments and I am glad to see that this model brings back so many memories to you.

The build continues with the seats and the cockpit parts. Not too complicated but some parts are really tiny....

[yaelb]

I is unclear to me why the pictures came out upside down, so here they are again.