Our Aircraft’s History

AH-1S-BF “Cobra” (S/N 70-16084; MSN #20028) ~ She was originally built as an AH-1G in 197o and delivered to the US Army in November 1972 from Fort Worth, Texas as part of the Troop C, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 6th Air Cavalry Combat Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas in December 1972.

  • February 1976 – Converted to an AH-1Q at the Bell Helicopter Facility, Amarillo, Texas
  • April 1976 – 235th Attack Helicopter Company, Fort Knox, Kentucky
  • July 1977 – Deployed to Wurzburg, Germany
  • March 1978 – Corpus Christi Army Depot, Texas; Converted to an AH-1S
  • October 1978 – Troop C, 7th Squadron, 17th Calvary, 6th Air Calvaly Combat Brigade , Fort Hood Texas
  • December 1984 – 1st Squadron, 6th Calvary, Fort Hood, Texas
  • October 1985 – 4th Squadron, 9th Calvary, For Hood, Texas
  • January 1987 – 1106th Aviation, Classification Repair Activity Depot, California Air National Guard (ANG), Fresno, California
  • July 1988 – Troop Q, 4th Squadron, 107th Armored Cavalry Squadron, Ohio Air National Guard in North Canton, Ohio.

She finally arrived at MAPS Air Museum in May 1994 on indefinite loan from the US Army’s TACOM Life Cycle Management Command where the Cobra is maintained by Crew Chief, Jim Boyea.

Museum display notes: The AH-1 on display at MAPS is painted and marked as it was with Troop Q, 4th Squadron, 107th Armored Cavalry Squadron, Ohio Air National Guard right next door to MAPS in North Canton, Ohio!

Specifications & Performance (AH-1G):

  • Crew: 2 (1 pilot, 1 co-pilot/gunner)
  • Role: Attack helicopter
  • Nation of Origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
  • First Flight: September 7, 1965
  • Entered Service: 1967
  • Retired in the United States: 2001 (US Army); In service in other countries 
  • Produced:  1967-2019
  • Number Built: 1,116
  • Unit Cost: $11.3 million (1995 U.S.)
  • Engine: 1x Lycoming T53-L-13 turboshaft, 1,100 shp
  • Rotor diameter: 44′
  • Length: 53′
  • Height: 13′ 6″
  • Weight: Empty/Max – 6,600 lb/10,000 lb
  • Cruise Speed: 165 mph
  • Max Speed: 171 mph
  • Range: 357 mi
  • Service Ceiling: 11,400 ft

Armament, notable (AH-1G):

  • 2 x 7.62 Miniguns or 2 x M129 40mm grenade launchers or one of each, in the M28 turret
  • 2.75 70mm rockets
  • M18 7.62mm Minigun pod or XM35 armament subsystem with XM195 20mm cannon

Museum display notes: The AH-1 on display at MAPS is painted and marked as it was with its final location in the Ohio Nation Guard here in North Canton, Ohio. On loan from the US Army, the Cobra was relocated to MAPS Air Museum for static display in May of 1994 where it is maintained by Crew Chief, Jim Boyea.

Designed to replace: Lockheed AH-56 “Cheyenne”

Replaced by: Boeing AH-64 “Apache”

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