I started by using the main fuselage section of Fujimi’s Q-8 AH-1S Step III Cobra. Supplied in this kit is the upper fuselage section for a Japanese Defense Force Step II Cobra.  The Step II Cobra is similar to the AH-1G Cobra with some slight differences. The AH-1 S in both the step II and Step III versions have a flat window and they attaches to the fuselage differently than the G Model Cobras.

I would use the nose section and windows from the AH-1J Sea Cobra which has no chin turret and has the rounded windows carried on the G model Cobras. 

I started the kit by working the cockpit area, I added seat belts to both seats and used some brass wire to simulate the air conditioning hoses to each of the cobra seats. I filled in gaps on either side of the cockpit with strip styrene. I re-cut the upper fuselage halves to accept the rounded windows of the AH-1J Cobra and scratch built a weapons site system for the gunner, using pieces from my scrap box. I glued the fuselage halves together and used cyanoacrilate to fill small seams down the center of the fuselage. I reworked the engines air intake system by building up the ramped vents and adding fine nylon mesh, styrene and photo etch scraps to complete the main engine air intake.

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Next I rebuilt the turret system by deleting the 20mm rotating cannon and adding a 7.62 rotating cannon and 40 mm grenade launcher. I used an old minigun from an Academy MH-60 helicopter and aluminum tubing to build the weapons system for my Cobra.

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I added strip styrene, old photo etch, and brass rod to rebuild the rotor head and give the kit a little more detail. The rotor hear was painted with Model Master Metalizer Aluminum non-buffing paint and the rotors painted with Polly Scale scale black and painted red tips on each of the blades. I replaced the tail rotor with an old Monogram Cobra kit that was part of my model scrap yard. The tail rotor was painted aluminum and scale black with yellow tips.

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I painted the entire helicopter Model Master Field Drab (FS 30118) and added a black watercolor wash, when dry. I clear coated the helicopter and applied some scrap decals from around the house. I wanted to add the shark’s mouth to the helicopter and with some reference material I started masking and painting. I started by painting the mouth area red and used friset film, mask each row of teethe and painted them white. I hand painted the black outline of the mouth and added some more small detail to the teethe with the black paint. The helicopter was dull coated. I added the red beacon light on the rotor head cowling and added small tie down loops to each skid. Attached the main rotor assembly and the tail rotor and finally a completed AH-1 G Cobra with Shark Mouth.

Bob

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