“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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