1/72 Fujimi AH-1F Cobra

Gallery Article by Nat Krairojananan on Dec 10 2013

Constitution Day in Thailand

 

 

Royal Thai Army AH-1F Cobra

The AH-1F Cobra entered into the Royal Thai Army (RTA) service in 1990. It reached the RTA requirement for light attack helicopter that was able to destroy enemy tanks or strongholds. RTA has only four Cobras in Attack Rotating Wing Unit, 3rd Rotating Wing Squadron, Army Aviation Center in Lopburi Province. Six more ex-US Army Cobras will be refurbished and sent to Thailand within 2013.

This AH-1F model was from Fujimi, Japan. The initial production of this kit was in 1983. The details are not as good as the Hasegawa or Hobby Boss models. The panel lines are raised. The cockpit details were limited. But the fit was superb. I used a minimal amount of putty around the engine compartment. The canopy fit was quite poor.

 

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This model was built almost out-of-the box. I added some extras including a PE cable cutter from True Details (long out of production, hope it comes onto the market again), scratch-built IR lamp on the left ski, tie down rings, blade antennae, canopy opening handles and seat belts. I replaced all loop antennae with small gauge wire. An IR jammer was also added into the top of the engine. Weapon systems included in this box consisted of 8 TOW missiles (‘heavy’ TOW configuration) and two 19-tube M-261 rocket launchers.

I painted my Cobra with GSI Mr. Color 304 olive drab with a little drop of black. Post shading was done by various green colors. I kept the weathering quite subtle by using enamel wash and pastel here and there. Fluid leakage and panel fading by heat were reproduced from free-hand airbrushing of gray and brown. I was satisfied with the results.

The RTA Cobra decals were from Siam Scale, the one and only Thai decal company now. This sheet provided roundel, serial numbers and essential Thai language stencils for an RTA AH-1F and an UH-60. I chose Ser.No. 9997 for my model because of my friend who pilot this particular aircraft.

Nat Krairojananan

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Photos and text © by Nat Krairojananan