Arab Snake...1/48 Bell AH-1F/S Cobra, Royal Jordanian Airforce

14/2024

One of my dad´s rare excursions to the helicopter world.
Revell Germany´s 2009 edition of the initially 1986 released Monogram kit, regarding it´s age it isn´t that bad.
Didn´t want to do the Sand Shark or a single coloured Israeli chopper. Remembered that I had a nice decal sheet from TwoBobs in the stash and my dad and I decided to go for a RJAF Cobra. The sheet comes with "european" numerals for the tail but only found online pics with arabic numerals and a little Jordanian flag, which isn´t included as decal. At first my dad applied no numerals on the tail. Then I found a 1/35 sheet from Star Decals with arabic numerals. Having already applied the rest of the decals and sealed them, my dad didn´t want to paint gloss clear on the tail for the numerals again, so they silver a bit. Also added numerals on the right front side. Sheet didn´t include them. Some RJAF Cobras have/had none in that position. Regarding the flag, didn´t find any.
Camo painted with Tamiya XF-59 Desert Yellow, Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown and Field Green FS34097 from the new AK RC line. Ordnance painted with Helo Drab from the new AK RC line.

Build thread here
https://imodeler.com/groups/serving-under-another-flag/forum/topic/arab-snake-1-48-bell-ah-1f-s-cobra-royal-jordanian-airforce/

The RJAF received 24 AH-1S in 1985, later on, around 2000, 9 more surplus US Army AH-1F. At least one AH-1S was lost in service, 8 or 16 were delivered to Pakistan in 2011. In 2014 about 15 former Israeli AH-1 Tzefa were purchased. 12 RJAF Cobras have been modernized, the rest of the fleet is for sale. Some found their way to Kenya and the Philippines. The RJAF has the Zulu Cobra on it´s wish list now.

20 additional images. Click to enlarge.