1/72 Bell AH-1S Cobra Hasegawa 00535
Thanks to the Helicopter Group Build, I found and bought this kit which I might have looked over otherwise. The last chopper kit I built must have been Revell’s H173 Sikorsky H-19 Rescue kit way back when, so being part of the group build was great motivation to give a whirlybird another try.
This Bell AH-1S Cobra kit from Hasegawa (#00535) looked really nice and didn’t seem too difficult. The most frustrating part of the build was having to fix the landing skids multiple times as I kept using them to handle the model – took me a while to figure out that I’d NEVER pick up or hold an aircraft by its landing gear, so why was I doing it with a helicopter?
Also had a minor setback as I couldn’t figure out with the decals were melting away the paint and gloss coat, but then I figured out that I forgot that I coated the decals with Decal Film and didn’t trim any the excess.
Thanks for the Group Build gents. I'm also glad I no longer have the image of Arnold in the back of my head yelling, ‘GET TO THE CHOPPA!”
5 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Spiros Pendedekas said on August 3, 2022
A wonderful result, George! Love it!
Robert Royes said on August 3, 2022
Great looking Cobra!
John vd Biggelaar said on August 3, 2022
Beautiful Cobra, George @georgeswork
One of my favorite helicopters.
Well done.
George R Blair Jr said on August 3, 2022
This was a quick build, George (@georgeswork). Well done on building a fierce-looking machine. The reason you keep using the skids as handles is because they do look like handles. I have done the same thing many times with the same results.
John Healy said on August 4, 2022
Nice work, George. That’s a great looking kit. I never knew Hasegawa did it.
Lis said on August 4, 2022
Very good work! Nice Cobra!
Bernard Bedeur said on August 4, 2022
Nice, well built and intimidating helicopter George.
I have not built a chopper in 40 years. Never too late..
George Schembri said on August 5, 2022
Spiros (@fiveten), Robert (@roofrat), John (@johnb), George (@gblair)
2nd John (@j-healy), Lis (@lis), Bernard (@bernardbedeur)
Thanks for the comments gentlemen, glad you all like the Cobra. But I gotta say, I am glad I tried this chopper but I think it'll be a while before I try another. Fixed winged seems to have my fancy.
Participating in a the GB is a great way to focus on a kit which may have been overlooked.
Cheers
Allan J Withers said on August 5, 2022
Nicely done George, looks good, I've built two Cobras so far with a few more to do.
George Schembri said on August 5, 2022
Thanks Allan (@kalamazoo),
It'd be great to see one (or both) of your Cobras. You work wonders with your choppers.
Allan J Withers said on August 6, 2022
Thanks George, I posted my Super Cobra in April 2017, my AH 1G is in the Fangs GB from early 2020, here's a couple of pic's
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
George Schembri said on August 8, 2022
Looking good Allan (@kalamazoo)!
You know, seeing those canopies triggered a memory - I might have built an early cobra back in the 70's.