Bell AH-1 Cobra

On September 7, 1965, the AH-1 prototype designated as Model 209 took to the skies for the first time. In April 1966, the Model 209 gained a successful evaluation in opposition to contesting helicopters. Afterward, the United States Army signed a contract for the delivery of one hundred and ten helicopters. The Model 209 has been in use for the next six years in testing armaments and equipment.

The Bell AH-1 Cobra has a length of 16 meters including rotors, a fuselage length of 13.5 meters, an exterior height of 4.11 meters, a tail height of 4.08 meters, and a width of 3.15 meters with stub wings. The main rotor diameter is 13.4 meters and the man rotor area is 141 square meters. It has a blade section of NACA 0009.3 mod.

The helicopter is powered by a single T53-L-13 turboshaft engine designed by Lycoming at the Lycoming Turbine Engine Division in Stratford, Connecticut. It is a turboshaft type with a 5-stage axial and 1-stage centrifugal compressor, a reverse flow combustor, and a 2-stage high pressure and 2-stage power turbine. It produces a maximum thrust of 1,100 horsepower. It has a length of 1.5 meters and a diameter of 0.5 meters.

The Cobra has a maximum speed of 149 knots and a never exceed speed of 190 knots. The travel range is 310 nautical miles. It can fly up to 11,400 feet and can climb at a rate of 1,230 feet per minute. The maximum takeoff weight is 4,309 kg while the empty weight is 2,635 kg.

The AH-1 Cobra could be loaded with various armaments such as 2×7.62 mm multi-barrel Miniguns or 2 x M129 40 mm grenade launchers, or one of each weapon in the M28 turret. It can also be loaded with 70 mm rockets- seven rockets fitted in the M158 launcher or nineteen rockets fitted in the M200 launcher, and M18 7.62 mm Minigun pod or XM35 armament subsystem with XM195 20mm cannon.