Mike Verier - Cobra! the Attack Helicopter

First published in Great Britain in 2013 by
Pen & Sword Aviation
an imprint of
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
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Copyright Mike Verier 2013

HARDBACK ISBN: 978 1 78159 338 7
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PRC ISBN: 978 1 47383 536 8

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Contents

Acknowledgements

T his book is as much about the people associated with the Cobra as the aircraft itself. In over thirty years writing about the Snake it has been a true privilege to have been associated with the skid community, soldiers, Marines or civilians, et al.

The Snake is regarded with the same reverence that the Spitfire or Mustang is; it can bite the unwary, but in all those years I have only ever encountered enthusiasm for it. In taking this long view I have been particularly struck by the similarity of feeling and experience expressed by the men and women who fly the Cobra, whether they be from the Vietnam era or currently serving in Afghanistan.

Equally so the engineers who created the Cobra, those who operate Cobras as warbirds and a growing army of folk who just plain love the thing all of them have contributed to this book and deserve acknowledgement. I hope that they will forgive that space precludes the several pages a full list would require.

There are however some specific names without which this present volume would not exist. Over many years the good folk at Bell Helicopter have endured with unfailing support and patience visits and obscure questions from an itinerant Brit author. The list runs from senior management to the paint shop, and goes all the way back to Charlie Siebel (arguably the father of the Cobra). Most recently it has included Tom Dolney, Bob Leder and Hank Perry who (despite me stalking him over many years and several changes of job) has helped this author on many occasions. Particular tribute too for the late Jim Gooch who opened the first door those many years ago and even trusted me with his Jaguar that I might arrive at Bell in proper style!

Personal contributions and insights from pilots will be evident and include Dan Dugan at NASA and Roger Woolard of the US Customs Service, both of whose stories are consequently recounted here in full for the first time. Buck Simmons account of the first USMC Cobra operations has added hugely to the story. Floyd Werner, Army pilot and Cobraphile gave freely of his archive, and photographer Greg Davies kindly allowed me access to his superb images. In this context I am again indebted to Mike Brady and the incredible team at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation who allowed me not only to fly with them, but also to polish (there are some who would say stroke) their stunning restored G Model.

Many of the unique historic photographs reproduced for the first time in this book are entirely thanks to the tireless efforts of one man. Ray Wilhite has doggedly searched and digitised archive material over many years, uncovering in the process previously lost photos this author has sought for decades. Similarly gratitude to Ray Ball and his Israeli colleagues for that part of the narrative and photos.

Specially commissioned for this book, technical artist Mark Rolfe has created some stunning profiles. His meticulous work amply illustrating the incredible range and diversity of colour schemes worn by the Snake over the years.

On the military side my undying thanks to the Commanding Officer of MCAS New River and his Public Affairs team, ably led by Lieutenant Kristen Dalton, for both the photo-opportunities and the singular privilege of attending Warrior Night and meeting so many of the Cobra veterans I had previously only written about. Thanks also to Colonel Harry Hewson USMC at NAVAIR for the extremely detailed briefing on the Zulu.

In the days before tinterweb, authors had to write letters. A quarter-century ago one such enquiry from an unknown budding Brit author made its way laboriously down the chain of command until it was finally dropped in the lap of an unsuspecting young Cobra pilot in a crew-room at MCAS Camp Pendleton.

The pilot in question was Peyton DeHart. He took the trouble to respond in detail to this strange request, beginning a friendship that is now in its third decade. Also responsible for introductions to many of those noted above and still flying Cobras as a member of the SkySoldiers demonstration team, it is no exaggeration to credit his infectious enthusiasm with being the inspiration and the rock on which three Cobra books have been founded.

Thank you all. I hope the following will serve as an adequate reflection of the enthusiasm and affection you have all shown for a truly great aircraft.

I have tried to tell the story of the worlds first Attack helicopter and the people associated with it in proper historic context. In so doing, I hope that in its own small way it also stands as a tribute to the memory of those who didnt make it back to the crew room.

Mike Verier
Derbyshire

Introduction

A short magazine article on the AH-1 Cobra written almost exactly thirty years ago was to take me on a journey I could hardly have imagined at the time. Even then the Snake had been in service for sixteen years and was clearly a remarkable aircraft. Some five years later I was privileged to meet and interview many of the Bell engineers who had hand-built the Cobra prototype in great secrecy during the summer of 1966.

The Cold War was still with us then so I also talked to US Army crews who were holding the line on the East German border and Marines who had defended freedom in Grenada. I also had my first flight in a Snake.

At the time Bell had just delivered the first Whisky Model and, aside from the eventual adoption of a four-blade rotor as an upgrade, it looked as if Cobra development had reached its zenith. The book that resulted concluded with a summary of the latest developments entitled (fortuitously as it turned out) Epilogue or just another chapter?

A quarter century later I still cannot write the final chapter. The interim Cobra could well serve for sixty years or more and continues to do what it has always done best, protect and support the troops on the ground. As you read these words, somewhere in the world a Cobra is defending its charges be they known as grunts, squaddies, TIC or just the PBI, the soldiers on the ground all know the sound of a Cobra overhead means they can depend on support at close quarters something that still cant be done as well from 30,000ft and 350kts.

Snakes have flown over every continent, from the Arctic to the desert, from tropical jungle to European plains, dense urban environments to desolate mountain regions, on land and at sea. Quite apart from its original combat role the Cobra has mastered Forward Air Control, rescued downed pilots, furthered aviation technology, fought forest fires, arrested drug smugglers, deterred pirates, hauled logs and entered the Warbird circuit having acquired Classic status. Along the way the Snake set the standard for all subsequent attack helicopters and has outlived a surprising number of potential replacements. Whenever a new role arises the Cobra sheds its skin and emerges newer and stronger. Its reliability is legend and the range and breadth of its achievements just continues to grow.