±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 253
Total: 253
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Community Forums
02: Home
03: Home
04: Your Account
05: Community Forums
06: Community Forums
07: Downloads
08: Search
09: Home
10: Home
11: Community Forums
12: Home
13: Home
14: Statistics
15: Home
16: Community Forums
17: Home
18: Home
19: News
20: Community Forums
21: Home
22: Community Forums
23: LinkToUs
24: Photo Gallery
25: Community Forums
26: Community Forums
27: Photo Gallery
28: Downloads
29: News Archive
30: Downloads
31: Community Forums
32: Community Forums
33: News
34: Home
35: Community Forums
36: Home
37: Your Account
38: News Archive
39: Search
40: Member Screenshots
41: Community Forums
42: Home
43: LinkToUs
44: Photo Gallery
45: Community Forums
46: Community Forums
47: Your Account
48: Community Forums
49: Community Forums
50: Home
51: Contact
52: Photo Gallery
53: Community Forums
54: Treasury
55: Community Forums
56: Community Forums
57: Photo Gallery
58: Community Forums
59: Home
60: Community Forums
61: Community Forums
62: Your Account
63: Downloads
64: Community Forums
65: News
66: Member Screenshots
67: Photo Gallery
68: Home
69: Member Screenshots
70: News Archive
71: Home
72: Community Forums
73: Home
74: Contact
75: Community Forums
76: Community Forums
77: Community Forums
78: Photo Gallery
79: Community Forums
80: Community Forums
81: Home
82: Member Screenshots
83: Home
84: Community Forums
85: Community Forums
86: Your Account
87: Downloads
88: Home
89: Community Forums
90: Downloads
91: Community Forums
92: Home
93: Photo Gallery
94: Your Account
95: Community Forums
96: Community Forums
97: Home
98: Community Forums
99: Community Forums
100: Photo Gallery
101: Community Forums
102: Community Forums
103: Home
104: Community Forums
105: Community Forums
106: Home
107: Downloads
108: Community Forums
109: Your Account
110: Member Screenshots
111: Downloads
112: News Archive
113: Photo Gallery
114: Community Forums
115: Community Forums
116: News Archive
117: Community Forums
118: Community Forums
119: Community Forums
120: News Archive
121: Photo Gallery
122: Community Forums
123: News Archive
124: Your Account
125: Home
126: News
127: Home
128: Home
129: Community Forums
130: News Archive
131: News Archive
132: Your Account
133: Downloads
134: Home
135: Member Screenshots
136: Home
137: Downloads
138: Home
139: News Archive
140: Community Forums
141: Community Forums
142: Community Forums
143: Downloads
144: Downloads
145: Home
146: Home
147: Home
148: Home
149: News
150: Your Account
151: News Archive
152: Downloads
153: Community Forums
154: News
155: Home
156: Downloads
157: Home
158: Downloads
159: News Archive
160: Downloads
161: Community Forums
162: Community Forums
163: Home
164: Community Forums
165: Community Forums
166: Tell a Friend
167: Community Forums
168: Tell a Friend
169: Photo Gallery
170: Community Forums
171: Photo Gallery
172: Community Forums
173: Photo Gallery
174: Community Forums
175: Home
176: Home
177: Downloads
178: News Archive
179: Community Forums
180: Downloads
181: News Archive
182: Home
183: Photo Gallery
184: Home
185: Member Screenshots
186: Home
187: Home
188: Home
189: News Archive
190: Home
191: Home
192: Downloads
193: Community Forums
194: News
195: Photo Gallery
196: Home
197: Home
198: Your Account
199: News
200: Community Forums
201: Home
202: Your Account
203: Downloads
204: Home
205: Home
206: Member Screenshots
207: Community Forums
208: Community Forums
209: Community Forums
210: Home
211: Home
212: News Archive
213: Community Forums
214: Statistics
215: News
216: Member Screenshots
217: Contact
218: Treasury
219: Home
220: Community Forums
221: Your Account
222: Home
223: Community Forums
224: News
225: Downloads
226: News Archive
227: Home
228: Photo Gallery
229: Your Account
230: Community Forums
231: Community Forums
232: Community Forums
233: Home
234: Home
235: Photo Gallery
236: Your Account
237: Your Account
238: Community Forums
239: Downloads
240: Home
241: Photo Gallery
242: Community Forums
243: Home
244: Community Forums
245: Community Forums
246: Home
247: Member Screenshots
248: Community Forums
249: Community Forums
250: Community Forums
251: Photo Gallery
252: Community Forums
253: Community Forums

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...
The AFV ASSOCIATION was formed in 1964 to support the thoughts and research of all those interested in Armored Fighting Vehicles and related topics, such as AFV drawings. The emphasis has always been on sharing information and communicating with other members of similar interests; e.g. German armor, Japanese AFVs, or whatever.
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 3:40 am
Post subject: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]
This Cobra was found by Doug and I when we visited the Bicycle Lake airfield at Fort Irwin. We were actually there to see the Kiowas that the Observer Controllers (OC) fly, and this was sitting out back. A little history if you didn't see it in a prior post. This Cobra belonged to the Arizona National Guard and was flown here about 5-7 years ago while they were here on a rotation. SFC Shirley, head of maintenence, said the bird broke down and was left when the unit returned to Arizona. Then a package arrived from Arizona that had the birds paper work and "Keys", and it has sat, undisturbed ever since. They actually asked if we had a "low-boy" to take it away. I contacted the post museum and they were surprised and interested.
I contacted the VHPA and they told me none of the Kiowas (10) serial numbers that I sent them had served in Vietnam, but the Cobra was a different story. The records on this bird cover Jan 1968 till Dec 1975. While in Vietnam, this bird was assigned to C Troop, 1/9 Cav, 1st Cav Div. from Feb 1968 till July 1970. Here is the interesting part that many of you armor enthusiasts will love, esspecially Dontos. This aircraft wasn't damaged while flying, or even by the enemy. Instead, the write up states the following; "This major Combat Damage while on the ground was caused by recoiless rifle, with the mission function of being parked in an unprotected location, search and rescue operations were not required, Helicopter was recovered". Shot by what seems to be friendly fire, haha.
After being shipped off for repairs, the bird spent Feb 1972 till April 1975 at Fort Hood, with the 1st Cav, 5th Army. Then from May 75 until that October, it was in maint at Corpus Christy. Then October till December of 1975 it was at Fort Campbell with the 101st Airborne, 1st Army. Thats when the records of the VHPA end. Obviously it made its way to the Arizona ANG.
Not the colorful history of being shot on a straffing run or tank killing but different and almost humerous all the same. Doug, if you have some better pictures, esspecially of the nose, post them. Also, is there a way to post this on "Officers Club" without doing all this typing again?, if so and you can do it easier than I, go ahead. There are some people their that would like the story.

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 3:54 am
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

Jeff,
Yep, I'll get it into the "Officer's Club"...if not tonight, tomorrow (can use the cut and paste function...or, just link it to here...which I think I will...)

Reading that account, and being familiar with the modus operandi of an air cav sqdn. , I can make a reasonable guess what happened:

1/9 Cav was organized pretty much like 2/17th, which I was in before morphing into a "Blackhorse". As such, they also had a "Delta Troop"...an aerorifle troop with gunjeeps. See:

www.vhpamuseum.org/9th...roop.shtml

Now, the pics there show only M60 MG jeeps, but it's not unlikely they had some 106mm RR's like we did at Delta Troop, 2/17th. Well, you can see where this is going.... something sloppy mighta' happened and nobody wanted much to talk about it, which might be why the reports are kind of scarce on details. Coulda' been one got away from them, or somebody forgot to consider backblast...something like that. It happened with 2.75 FFAR's, why not the RR's?

That's my guess. I'll check my pics of the same bird, but I think I went for the same angles as you did (that happens a lot, I notice).

1/9th is pretty well represented, Alpha-thru-Foxtrot Troops over at:
www.vhpamuseum.org


Last edited by Doug_Kibbey on Wed Feb 08, 2006 4:21 am; edited 2 times in total
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 4:01 am
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

We shot the same angles because "great minds think alike" haha. Your might take the same angle, but they seem to be of better quality. The one picture you took that I really liked, was of the M26 Pershing in the morning light from a low front angle, awsome! I'm still working the L19 Bird Dog research through some contacts at Kirtland AFB, I'll keep you and everyones else posted.

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 4:36 am
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

I just recieved an E-mail from John Conway of the VHPA. He says he knows a number of pilots that flew with C Trp. 1/9 Cav, and that he'll attempt to reach them and find out "the rest of the story", if there is one. Could prove to be real interesting! He was surprised to see that all the Kiowas on post were "virgins" as far as being in SEA.

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 4:42 am
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

"JP" has excellent contacts in that group...he may even be able to locate pics of the same aircraft from that period. The VHPA is pretty much a nexus of interaction among these units, even though many have their own websites (usually with links to/from the VHPA).

I've lost track of the number of contacts I owe to participationg on John's website...
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Roy_A_Lingle
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1997
Location: El Paso & Ft Bliss, Texas
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 7:07 am
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

Hi Folks!

"He was surprised to see that all the Kiowas on post were "virgins" as far as being in SEA."

KIOWAS (as in OH-58) in SEA?

I don't remember ever seeing a KIOWA during my time over there. All the LOHs I remember were the OH-6 Chayus (Sp-?).

Confuzed,
Sgt, Scouts Out!

_________________
"You can never have too much reconnaissance."
General G.S. Patton Jr.
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail
bsmart
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 2523
Location: Central Maryland
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:23 am
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

I was looking at the 'dataplate' stencil. I find it interesting that the aircraft is not a AH-1G gunship but a TH-1F dual control training bird. That in itself might make it a rare bird. I thought the G model was the first of the Cobras. I wonder if some early production airframes were built as trainers before the weapons systems were ready so they could start conversion training of Huey pilots?

_________________
Bob Smart ([email protected])
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:05 pm
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

- Roy_A_Lingle
Hi Folks!

"He was surprised to see that all the Kiowas on post were "virgins" as far as being in SEA."

KIOWAS (as in OH-58) in SEA?

I don't remember ever seeing a KIOWA during my time over there. All the LOHs I remember were the OH-6 Chayus (Sp-?).

Confuzed,
Sgt, Scouts Out!


Roy,
OH-58A's were just coming into service and finding their way into the units, generally NOT as direct replacements for the OH-6A, which was the preferred scout aircraft right up to '72. Here is one of the first ones to enter service with the 101st:

www.vhpamuseum.org/air...H-58A2.jpg

www.vhpamuseum.org/air...OH-581.jpg

Doug
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:07 pm
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

- bsmart
I was looking at the 'dataplate' stencil. I find it interesting that the aircraft is not a AH-1G gunship but a TH-1F dual control training bird. That in itself might make it a rare bird. I thought the G model was the first of the Cobras. I wonder if some early production airframes were built as trainers before the weapons systems were ready so they could start conversion training of Huey pilots?


Bob,
I believe that will turn to be a post-war modded airframe...that canopy was not seen in Vietnam...nor the gun that was mostly missing from this aircraft.

Doug
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 2:01 pm
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

AHA!!!!! I got it now....mis-labeled. There IS such an animal as a "TAH-1F" Cobra Trainer. Somebody just forgot that lil' ol' "A" in there. This is why I'm skeptical of taking nomenclatures, S/N's, and tail numbers as gospel. Irregularities can, and do, occur.

There's a TAH-1F that makes the airshow circuit, too. Just "Google" for "TAH-1F".

Jeff...check the interior again...TAH-1's usually had dual controls....look in the front (gunner's) seat for these.
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Uhu_Fledermaus
Aircraft Demolition Expert

Offline Offline
Joined: Nov 28, 2004
Posts: 4369
Location: Blaricum, The Netherlands ~GMT+1
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 2:35 pm
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

Shocked I'm just a bit googled Laughing

www.airliners.net/sear...entry=true

some nice pics there

fled
Rolling Eyes
Back to top
View user's profile ICQ Number MSN Messenger Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 3:51 pm
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

If I remeber correctly, it did have forward controls, but didn't all Cobra's? If the shot is shot, shouldn't the gunner be able to try and land that thing?
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 4:02 pm
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

- SFC_Jeff_Button
If I remeber correctly, it did have forward controls, but didn't all Cobra's? If the shot is shot, shouldn't the gunner be able to try and land that thing?


The front-seater in a conventional Cobra has a set of side-mount controls for emergency operation, but nothing like the feel of the center stick of the pilot. The front seat is dominated by the reflex sighting gear that displaces the joystick. Real touchy, is what I heard. See pic of this arrangement:
www.vhpamuseum.org/air...ntseat.jpg
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
SFC_Jeff_Button
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1311
Location: Ft Hood, TX
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 8:02 pm
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]
Here are pictures that I took today when I revisited the Cobra, (I was actually there to schedule my Kiowa flight for next week but thats another story). The pictures should be as follows;
1. front left nose shot
2. chain gun mount (no date seen)
3. left wing (if thats what they are called) note birds nest
4. right wing inside data plate, dated May 78, door that opened to wing had 1972 date.
5. eng pic 1 (left side of bird)
6. eng pic 2 (left side of bird)
7. rocket pods
8. rotor blades (one had a date of 1989, and stated it had a 2 year or 200 hour warranty)
9. Sight Unit Stabilized Telescope as seen from right side of bird.
I found this additional info on this Cobra. It was built under contract number 20114/20533, which covered serial numbers 67-15450 through 15869, (about 419 birds). The original designation was AH-1G-BF. This bird was the first of 13 Cobras converted to TAH-1F configuration, but all 13 were later redesignated as AH-1F. I'm trying to get the museum interested in this bird before it becomes a target! As I left the airfield, a Hummer, forklift and two flat beds passed me, I hope they weren't headed for it!

_________________
SFC Jeff Button "High Angle Hell"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 8:27 pm
Post subject: Re: History of Cobra Doug and I found at Ft Irwin...

Jeff:
Two quick details (it's getting confusing with two thread open. perhaps they should be merged...)

" The gunner also had simple flight controls to allow him to fly the machine if push came to shove. "

"378 AH-1Gs were also converted to AH-1F specification from 1979 through 1982, including 41 dual-control TAH-1F trainers"

Souce: www.faqs.org/docs/air/avcobra.html
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board
Page 1 of 2
All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Go to page 1, 2  Next



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum