AH-1G Huey Cobra
Anti-Strella Kit and Tailfin

Fireball Modelworks, 1/32 scale

Reviewed by Floyd S. Werner Jr.

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What is the sexiest aircraft ever designed?  There are many answers to that but one that is often overlooked is the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. 

I may be biased a bit as I flew three Army versions of the Cobra in my time.  Granted the Marines have been able to add ugly bulk to it, but the basic Vietnam-era design is sleek, powerful, and deadly.  Thirty-six inches wide at the cockpit the Cobra is as deadly as its namesake. 

With the re-release of the Revell AH-1G the venerable kit is again readily available.  The one big drawback of this kit is that the kit as molded only allows you to do the earliest versions of the AH-1G.  It was proven that by moving the tail rotor to the right side of the tail boom that the tail rotor was more effective.  This modification was on all later Vietnam-era Cobras and beyond.   

Until now you have had to scratchbuild this tail, which was beyond most modelers, but thanks to Fireball you can now have a late Vietnam Cobra with minimal work.  My example was bubble free and absolutely gorgeous.  You get seven pieces of resin to replicate the toilet bowl (Anti-Strella) exhaust, the regular exhaust pipe, the intakes on the engine panel, and the tail fin. 

The whole set is cast in a white resin that is superbly detailed and designed to fit on existing kit panel lines.  The detail on the tail is exquisite.  The tail even includes the stiffening rivets found on the real thing.    

The instructions are on an 8x10 piece of paper that is adequate for the job.  The instructions offer hints and tips to mate the set to the kit. 

As a Cobra driver, I have to say that this set is greatly overdue.  Fireball has produced a wonderful conversion set and now an example of a later Vietnam-era Cobra can be built by anyone with a little experience.  Let’s hope that this is just the beginning of a flurry of Cobra items for the Revell kit. 

I highly recommend this set without reservations and not just for the helicopter modelers.  If you haven’t seen this kit it is very nice and with this set it will be even nicer.  

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Fireball Modelworks for the review copy. 

Fireball Modelworks Conversions are available by visiting http://www.fireballmodels.info
 or by calling (+1) 256-538-8200 or by emailing Joseph Osborn at joseph@josephosborn.org

Review Copyright © 2004 by Floyd Werner
This Page Created on 28 December, 2004
Last updated 28 December, 2004

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