Bell AH-1G Cobra – “Widow Maker”, 11th Armored Cavalry, US Arrmy, Vietnam, 1971 1/48

Corgi Aviation Archive 1/48 scale US51208: Bell AH-1G Cobra “Widow Maker”, 11th Armored Cavalry, US Arrmy, Vietnam, 1971. Limited Edition of 1,600 Pieces.

Length 13.25 inches Rotor span 11 inches

The 11th Armored Cavalry of the US Army has one mission: to provide the most capable and lethal arms-opposing force in the world. The members of the “Blackhorse” are known for their brutal training in the Mojave Desert.

Designed to meet an urgent US Army requirement for a helicopter gunship, the Bell AH-1 Cobra-sometimes called The Snake-was first flown on September 7th, 1965. Troop-carrying Hueys depended on the Cobra for fire support; it was fast and very maneuverable, and its narrow 38-inch airframe made for a difficult target. Its main armament was its three-barrel 20mm Gatling gun mounted in a chin turret, but it was also capable of using a variety of other weapons including rocket pods, cannon pods, minigun pods and missiles. Replaced by Apaches in the 1990s, the Cobra now serves the US Forest Service as a firefighter.