“COBRA”
A Brief History of AH-1G/S/F Helicopter
Serial Number 66-15318
1st Cavalry Division
9th Infantry Division
C Troop 1/9th Cavalry
5th Cav Regiment 3/5th Cav
D Troop 3/5th Cav
US Army Aviation School
385th Attack Helicopter Regiment
Fort Rucker, Alabama
Arizona Army National Guard
The information for this document has been compiled from Vietnam
Helicopter Pilot’s
Association (VHPA) database, the Aircraft’s Log Books and personal
re-collections of US Army Aviators.
Written by Don Callison
This AH-1G, will hereafter be referred to simply as “Snake or
Cobra 318 or just 318”. Although a 1966 model, the helicopter was purchased
by the US Army in November, 1967.
Destined for a Combat unit in South Vietnam’s IV Corps the helicopter
was transported by ship and arrived at the 611th Transportation Company
in February 1968. The 611th was an Aviation, Direct Support Maintenance
Unit stationed at Vinh Long in the Delta region of the Republic of South
Vietnam. One of the 611th’s many duties were to prepare newly arrived aircraft
for delivery to the units in the field.
Arriving shortly after TET ’1968, 318 awaited assignment. It
was parked in a protective revetment on the airfield. On the 12th of February,
during a mortar attack on Vinh Long, a mortar round landed in the Cobra’s
revetment and caused extensive damage.
The severe damage was beyond the repair capabilities of the
611th and 318 was shipped back to the States to “ARADMAC”, the Army’s Repair
facility at Corpus Christi, Texas. At that time, the helicopter had logged
a total of just 3 flight hours.
ARADMAC completed repairs and test flying on 5 May 1969. With
15 hours now logged the aircraft was returned to Vietnam.
June 1969, Snake 318 was assigned to C Troop, 1st Squadron,
9th Cavalry Regiment,
(C 1/9th ) of the 1st Cavalry Division.
Flying with the Weapons Platoon, 318’s Callsign Became “Dashing
Cavalier”. Historical data for this period is scarce. The tour of duty
with the Charlie Troop in the Phu Bai area of III Corps was very short.
By August the bird had logged 65 hours of flight time.
On the 24th of August, Dashing Cavalier 318 sustained “Extensive
Combat Damage” and was transferred to the 303rd Transportation Company
at Ton Son Nhut for repairs.
In early September, 1969, repairs were completed and the Cobra
was sent to IV Corps in the Delta and was assigned to D Troop, 3rd Squadron
of the 5th Cavalry Regiment,
(D 3/5th) “Light Horse”. Cobra 318 flew in the unit’s Gunship
Platoon. Their call sign was “Crusader”
The new home station was Dong Tam. This base was about
20 miles East of Vinh Long and situated on the north bank of the Bassac
branch of the Mekong River.
On September 11th, Crusader 318 was on an “Armed Reconnaissance”
mission near the river town of Tra Vinh. The pilots were attacking a target.
At approximately 1000 feet and diving at 150 knots the aircraft was struck
in the nose by enemy ground fire. The crew was not injured and the aircraft
commander made a precautionary landing in a relatively safe area. After
inspecting the damage, the helicopter was flown back to Dong Tam.
By October, Crusader 318 had flown 123 hours with Light Horse.
While on a “Close Air Support” mission the helicopter was again attacking
a target. It was at 800 feet and 120 knots when it was struck by a Rocket
Propelled Grenade (RPG). The crew was unharmed but the ship caught fire
as parts of the armament system, fuel system, hydraulic system and main
transmission were damaged by shrapnel.
The pilots were forced to land. They were immediately picked
up but the Cobra was recovered later and sling load flown back to the 611th
Trans. Co. at Vinh Long.
Records show that while Crusader 318 was on the ground and waiting
to be picked up, the VC and NVA did another 17,400 dollars worth of damage
to her.
The war was over for this Snake.
In November 1969 she was returned to ARADMAC in Texas with 218
hours logged. Over 200 of them as Combat hours.
Cobra 318 remained in Texas until April 1970 when she was sent
to the Bell Helicopter factory at Fort Worth, Texas.
January 1972, Cobra 66-15318, with a total time of 343 hours,
was assigned to the 1st Cavalry division at Fort Hood, Texas.
318 was assigned at Fort Hood, Texas until May 1979. During
that time it was again assigned to C Troop 1st Squadron of the 9th Cavalry
Regiment and later to C Troop 4th Squadron of the 9th Cavalry Regiment.
From May 1979 to December 1980, Snake 318 was returned to the
Bell Textron Plant at Fort Worth, TX where it was modified to an “S” Model
Cobra, Tank Killer. Obvious changes were the flat plate canopy glass panels,
and TOW missile pods on the winglets. Not so obvious are the advanced sighting
system, tractor tail rotor, IR suppressant exhaust and engine and transmission
upgrades to enhance performance.
After completion to an AH-1“S” Model, 318 remained at Bell’s
Amarillo TX. site.
By July 1981, 318 had again been modified. Up graded to a “Modernized
S” with a 20 mm cannon installed in the nose turret and advanced optical
sighting systems. At that time it was also modified with an “Instructor’s
flight control boost system”. This was to allowed a flight instructor to
not only fly the Snake from the front seat but enabled him to safely over-ride
a student’s control input made from the rear seat controls.
Cobra 318 arrived at the Home of Army Aviation, Fort Rucker,
Alabama in August 1981.
After it was repainted with “School” colors, “visibility orange”
panels and enlarged serial numbers, 318 went into service teaching Army
Aviators how to fly Cobras.
During her 12 years as a training helicopter at Fort Rucker,
318 was seriously damaged only once. A “Hard landing” in 1987 caused enough
damage to keep her on the ground for repairs for six months.
318 finished her tour at Fort Rucker in 1994 and was re-designated
an “F” Model and re-assigned to the Arizona National Guard.
From August 1994 until May 2001 this Cobra was stationed at
Silver Bell Army Heliport, Marana, Arizona with the 385th Attack helicopter
Regiment.
Her last re-location was to Fort Drum, New York where she was
“Moth-balled” and later offered for “adoption”.
At the time of retirement, Cobra 66-15318 had logged over 7000
hours of flying time.
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