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Bell AH-1 Cobra

🇺🇸 United States ·first flew 1965· attack helicopter

🚁 helicopter turboshaft ✓ still flying
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. Ah-1cobra 1: United States Army· Public domain
  2. 2. Bell AH-1 SuperCobra: Communication Specialist Seaman Mark Hays· Public domain
  3. 3. 2021-11-19 Cobra Sangley 003: 15th Strike Wing· Public domain
  4. 4. AH-1G Cobra Vietnam: United States Army Heritage and Education Center· Public domain
  5. 5. AH-1S Cobra: Wikimedia Commons· CC BY-SA 3.0
  6. 6. Air-to-air left front view of an AH-1S Cobra helicopter on a mission during Exercise Gallant Eagle '86 - DPLA - 044ed75d7dc4b11e3c24813506230f48: Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center. 1994· Public domain
  7. 7. Dargot 28062011 AH-1 (remix): Oren Rozen· CC BY-SA 3.0
  8. 8. JGSDF AH-1S 20140420-02: Crescent moon· CC BY 3.0
  9. 9. Two cobra helicopters at Multan: SyedNaqvi90 at English Wikipedia· Public domain
  10. 10. USFS AH-1 (cropped): Akradecki· CC BY-SA 3.0
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
Bell AH-1 Cobra, photo 1 of 10
1/10 United States Army· Public domain

what is it?

The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a single-engined attack helicopter developed and manufactured by the American rotorcraft manufacturer Bell Helicopter. A member of the prolific Huey family, the AH-1 is also referred to as the HueyCobra or Snake. The AH-1 was rapidly developed as an interim gunship in response to the United States Army's needs in the Vietnam War.

How to recognise it: 1 turboshaft engine · 13.4 m main rotor

base stats

  • speed 276 km/htop speed
  • range 574 kmwithout refuelling
  • size 4,309 kgmax take-off weight
  • built 1,116made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

  • First flew 61 years ago, in 1965.
  • Top speed is 2.1× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
  • Rotor of 13.4 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.

turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.

spec sheet

first flight
1965-09-07
introduced
1967
retired
2001
status
still flying
number built
1,116
role
attack helicopter
origin
🇺🇸 United States
makers
Bell Textron
engines
1× Lycoming T53-L-13
crew
2
length
16.2 m
rotor diameter
13.4 m
height
4.1 m
max take-off weight
4,309 kg
top speed
276 km/h
range
574 km
ceiling
3,475 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q219629, Wikipedia: Bell AH-1 Cobra (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.

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