Hobby Boss' new 1/72 Bell AH-1S Cobra attack helicopter is another offering in their expanding, popular series of helicopters. With two decal choices, three wing-mounted rocket and missile options, good detail, rotor-wing fans will appreciate this model.

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I'm a little confused (or maybe I'm not reading the review right), but it looks like it says that it includes the "chin mounted M28A3 armament subsystem with M134 minigun and M129 grenade launcher," while the pictures pretty clearly show an M97 type. The helicopter looks like later type AH-1S (either ECAS/Upgunned, later AH-1E, or Modernized, later AH-1F). From the inclusion of the air data sensor (at least in the painting guide) it appears that this was intended to be the latter, an easy reboxing of the simultaneous released AH-1F kit with other decals.

It appears this was also the case with their UH-1B and C kits.

Hi there,
Actually, I belive they messed up with the plastic - they put F plastic into the S boxes and vice versa. I am currently building their "F" so it is not F at all, but rather early E or? possibly, S(Prod) aka P version (but for some reason with the 20mm gun in a turret...so if P is inteded a new armament station has to be scratchbuilt).
Regards

Yeah, I just looked again, the rotor in the AH-1S kit in the review is definitely the AH-1F rotor.

The AH-1F kit still has the air data sensor though, so it looks mostly like the rotor is wrong. Did you notice any other errors that I haven't picked up on yet? I'm sure I'll have them all after someone else points them out hehe. Now I'm just more interested, because I knew something was up, but didn't look closely enough.

I'll have to check the Squadron walk-around for the AH-1 later tonight, because the more I'm looking at rotors, I'm seeing a lot of export AH-1S that were converted more or less to AH-1F standard with the late AH-1F rotor (as included in the AH-1S kit). The AH-1F kit seems to have the early rotor system. Both kits appear to lack late model intake covers as well, and the F kit lacks the AN/ALQ-144 (which I had thought was a pretty standard by 1991, which I'm guessing is the period for the US camouflage pattern in the F kit). The AH-1S kit also has what appears to be the AH-1F engine and muffler, while the F kit has the sugar scoop exhaust deflector. The more i look, the more I agree with the suggestion that the initial run could've had the names backwards.

Well, the metal rotors were used on all S versions and Possibly on some Fs... However the version HB suggests definetely had the new composite blades. Though it did not have the intake covers. (if my memory tells me correctly.

After looking at the F kit - I am pretty much sure it is easier to build an S-prod (or P if you wish) than any other variant - (and especially and ironically F). For the F version it misses - the new type engine and transmission covers, the sencor bulge on the cowling above the cockpit, the new IR supressor on top of the engine.
The other things are - the old metal rotor woudl fit P better, as well as "toilet" style exaust. The weapon station is given with an old syle cover while on Fs and later S it is mostly "eposed". So using this cover to scratchbuild a waepon station for P would be easier than to build a new exposed turret for either E or F...

Wow, lot of info on this kit. It looks ok, but it seems little it is not a true S although it has the right "look" to me.

I think HB should have point for including two nice colour schemes for this kit.

Thanks for the review