Their armament has varied over the years, but the original loadout included an M28 turret that could hold two 7.62 NATO Miniguns, two M129 40mm grenade launchers, or one of each seven 70mm rockets in an M158 launcher or 19 rockets in an M200 launcher and in the chin turret, an M18 7.62 NATO Minigun pod or an XM35 armament subsystem with an XM195 three-barrel 20mm cannon. They became a popular gunship with the Marines as well and were used by the US military for decades. With instrumentation and technology far more advanced than the original Vietnam-era equipment, and cameras instead of weaponry, the USFS Firewatch Cobras were a huge asset in fighting wildfires. Related: Reliving History Through Firefighting Artifacts at San Diego Firehouse Museum With instrumentation and technology far more advanced than the original Vietnam-era equipment, and cameras instead of weaponry, the USFS Firewatch Cobras were a huge asset in fighting wildfires. They were also big targets that were lightly armored and vulnerable to ground fire. Huey’s simply were not effective enough to defend hotly contested areas. “The Forest Service thanks all the pilots, mechanics, aerial supervisors, and program managers that made the Cobra program a success.”īell first introduced the formidable AH-1 Cobra in 1967 for use in Vietnam as a faster, better-armed, and more aggressive gunship to escort transport helicopters like the UH-1A Huey and CH-47A Chinook. Robert Baird, USFS Director of Fire and Aviation Management for Region 5, said in a statement, “ served the Forest Service for 19 years and reached their maximum lifespan after flying approximately 7,600 flight hours with the Cobra program. One of the two USFS AH-1A Firewatch Cobra attack helicopters that are being retired after 19 years of service. 16, N109Z and N107Z, the last two active birds of their breed, were officially retired in Redding, California. After their final flight on Saturday, Oct.
The US Forest Service took ownership of 25 retired Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters from the US Army 19 years ago as part of a new program to combat wildfires. It may sound like a war scene from 1967, but it’s a sight that could have been seen in many places throughout the American West up until Saturday - more than a couple of dozen Cobra attack helicopters that once flew combat missions over Vietnam have been flying wildfire-fighting missions in the US for almost two decades. Other choppers fly by as comms crackle in the pilots’ headsets while an air tanker sets up for a pass. An AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters hover above, surveying the devastation. Fire cracks and races furnace-hot below, consuming trees, vegetation, and structures, chasing animals, and forcing people to run panicked with what little they can and find safety. The sound of rotor chop fills the sky, sending choking-thick smoke in tight-whipped swirls. This article was originally published Oct.
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