This video is a rip of the main feature on the "Whispering Death - The Cobra Gunship" DVD that is part of the Discovery Wings series. 1996 Discovery Communications, Inc.
Same here. I was watching Ward Carroll’s F-14 tomcat channel and this was the next suggestion. My Marine Corps still had the Cobra. I missed out on the AH-1Z Viper. Great seeing gear I used when I was in. Semper Fi
Yeah from 2000 to 03 they were really on point loved tales of the gun if your not familiar check it out also top tens the tv show with the robot voice breakdown
I was stationed with the 82nd Airborne 85 - 92. I remember training in area J , we were learning how to cross a road, when as I crossed the road I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I turned to my right, with the tree line going up both sides, going uphill. They're at the top of the hill between the tree line in the middle of the road, was a cobra helicopter. Just watching us. We never heard it. It was at that point I knew that I was dead if I had been in enemy territory. I was most impressed with the sleekness and the beauty of this machine. It was something that I had never forgotten , looking up hill to see this helicopter looking down at us A few months later, we jumped into Fort Campbell in 86. After two weeks of training we had a weekend off. My buddy and I went looking for the Cobra simulator. After meeting with the sergeant in charge, he let us both try the simulator for 10 minutes each. We bombed Libya 3 days later . We sat on the tarmac, 4 days, fully geared and parachute ready, all the while Cobra helicopters flew by and landed 24/7. Gave us all a sense of strength, and the knowledge that we would be okay if we had to go into combat. Imo, the cobra is the sexiest and most reliable attack helicopter I have ever seen. And 35 years later, my opinion has not changed
You wouldn't happen to know ssgt Johnnie "MFN" white the third? August 20th 1986 I think he goes by the name flyboy - 1? I bought a storage locker that has a diary and I was hoping to return this diary but can't seem to find the guy.
Truth, both for the Armys AH1S Cobra & more so for equally stealthy superfast superbly armed & upgraded USMC AH1Z SuperCobras. Feared & respected worldwide. Amen.
The most impressive thing about the Cobra is that it was initially a stop gap solution made out of UH1 Huey parts while the Army and Marine Corps searched for a replacement. 10 years later the Army fielded the AH64 Apache but through numerous upgrades the Cobra is still in service with the Marine Corps today.
I was a tank mechanic in Germany, this Col. Kurth explained to me why the helios had to keep creeping to stay outside of the vortex created by the rotors. I am never disappointed watching docs about Kobras!
1st Gulf War vet, and I got some GREAT pictures of these beautiful helicopters flying about 100ft over our position. I loved seeing our Cobras. You knew you were good to go with them in the area.
I went to Poland in 2013 & stayed in Rybnik but did travel to other parts. I found it to be the best place in the world and very very friendly people. I love the food, that's for sure. The food is so cheap compared to Australia and hopefully after Covid I can again come to Poland for a few months. So miss it and the people. I caught an overnight train up north and stayed in a hotel that overlooked a ww2 batttleship. Love the place and hope to be back soon.
Watching Wings and the discovery channell with my father who is a Vietnam AirForce vet. was one of my main inspiration, joys, and fun memories as a child Him and other military family vets dating back to WW2. Me joining the Corps was a legacy passed down. TV is not what it used to be. It's 90% garbage.
Completely agree with your last statement. TV documentaries these days are just loaded with inaccuracies, exaggeration, and cringe-worthy animations when just a sentence or two from a knowledgeable pilot would do. I've found a few very well written documentaries and films from the 90s about military aviation and it honestly doesn't get any better than that. I wonder what happened for low value documentaries to become the norm...
In 2006 I was construction manager living with our US Marines in the Anbar Province at Al Qaim, Iraq and building a new IA base about 11 cliks out side the wire. There were 5 of these birds stationed at the Al Qaim FOB and it was migty comforting knowing these Marine pilots and their magnificent air weapons were a mere 5 minutes of less away while I was on the project site felt doggoned good to this prior service Army Artillery XO. My British security fellows had built a super relationship with our US Marine pilots and were in constant contact with the Al Qaim FOB. GOD BLESS our Unite States Marines, our Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard as well as America's allies.
What base was it? I was at Camp Gannon 2 in 2008, then the "ball sack" Ubadi, for about a month. Although a Cobra mech by trade, I volunteered to be part of a BTT team.
@@davidlindgren7605 All of the Force's and soldiers that were there were the best! Else they would not of been there... They are an entire 'unit' doing exactly what they was trained for ,living on tenterhooks, but consistently aware of there 360° true surroundings, and rethinking and anticipating every move to make , and every move made ; for their own survival and every Comrade/Friend!! We all have to take our 'metaphorical' hat off to each and every soldier. As they was "all" holding their own ,and 'all' doing their best with minimal 'kit'... Every single Soldier is a "Hero" in their own justified way. Whether they believe it or not!!! They're all "Heroes" ! PAST AND PRESENT" ; with balls of steel!!! They made things tactical, and many peoples lives.. were saved from due diligence, and all available 'hardware'! I salute each and every one of our allies for doing their jobs , to the best of their own abilities, and limited resources available at every possible 'God given moment'! And those technological 'whirlybirds' proved to be a veritable essential.. Regards to all military Personnel, 'Past and Present..!!!
Glad I’m an American and not on the bad side of the Cobra. I went to Vietnam in ‘71 with the US Army and saw many Cobras. That’s a badass helicopter. Great documentary, Flyboy.👍
I flew the Cobra from 1969 to 1980 and loved every minute of it. It is truly amazing that the Army realized that with proper training, a high school graduate could perform as well as a college graduate. Yes, we were very young, but we did our job with pride!!! The Warrant Officers were just magnificent.
Was a crew chief 79-82 crewed both 58 and huey at Ft. Hood A7/17 6th Cav. Got to fire the mini gun on a field exercise and that was awesome. Miss those days our warrants where great pilots. Had a few that flew in Vietnam and they really knew how to fly.
You really need a strog backgroud in math. there are always calculations you are making when planning ad flying. Here are some examples: fuel flow per hour, airspeed and power management. Armament management, radio frequecies, navagation, mission requirements. The flying portion has to be automatic as you juggle all the other variables..
I forgot to mention "the college thing". In Vietnam, I believe 70% of all Army Heilcopter pilots were Warrant Officers.. The vast majority of them were high school graduates, so lack of college did not hamper our performance.
I watched the Cobras work one early morning when our base at Long Binh was attacked in the Spring of 1969. I can't fathom that some of those pilots were only in their 20s! They and the Puff gunships were an incredible sight to see.
Regarding the "youth" leading our military, in the 2d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam during 1967-1969, our oldest company grade officer was 25 years old. Our oldest Lieutenant was 23. We actually had a 19 year old Second Lieutenant. Back then you did not have to have a college degree to get commissioned. All you had to do was qualify to go to OCS, and six months later you were a brand new Second Lieutenant.
@Matt Hooper just last week I did cry for a reason. We as a society in America haven't given gratitude to our 17 to 25 years old Citizens who are serving. They are the ones who are implementing our objectives in foreign lands. Even now in Afghanistan who are those saving our reputation? They are the 17 to 25 years old Marines, Airforce, Army and Navy service members. I am 52 years old Marine Veteran and not everyday goes by I don't ask higher power to guide this young men and women to come back home in peace. Semper Fi to all those who are serving and those who plan to serve this beautiful country we have.
Former AH-1W & Z mechanic here, love learning about the history of the machines that I loved (most of the time) wrenching on. Wish I had stories to tell, but my service was pretty boring.
When I enlisted they were pushing me to choose a field involving mechanics because my mechanical skills they said were off the chart. I chose combat support and they put me in artillery. In 2003 we deployed to Iraq (Tango 5/11) It was an unforgettable experience with plenty of stories to tell. But I still keep a high respect for the veterans such as yourself. These machines and aircraft would be nothing without the crew members who maintain and service them. Think about how many lives you’ve saved because of your trade, the pilots, crew members, troops on the ground, and countless others by the deletion of terrorists. We prevail because of our teamwork and dedication to country, and your skills and knowledge are just as essential as the rounds in our howitzers, those aircraft up there, the 0311’s and F.O’s down in the dirt, the CO’s calling the shots, to the admin in the rear. We share a roll like individual teeth on a gear. We mesh tightly and work together and as a whole were a fine tuned and well oiled machine. It wouldn’t matter what gear you start removing the teeth from to end up with the same fate in the end. Every tooth is vital. The level of attention to detail, and organization of the aircraft mechanics parts and tools will forever be a skillset I’ll always admire and likely never achieve, and I’m sure you’ve got some awesome stories that I would love to hear! Thank you for service and sharing your experience here with us all!
My brother was 173rd 67-69 II corps central highlands Vietnam on the trail. He said his heart was lost to the cobra the first time he saw one roll in on close ground support. Heres a heart felt WELCOME HOME to all vets from a military brat that was blessed to get both his dad and brother back home because of the men and machines like these. Thank you.
It’s great to hear an F-16 pilot paying tribute to the Cobra attack helicopters which fly much slower and are more vulnerable to ground fire than the F-16
I'm grateful to whoever posted this and to every pilot. I never experienced combat duty but Whispering Death was forever emblazoned in my memory during my stay at FTCKY. Summer, company formation somewhere in the land bet the lakes, wooded, a pair of snakes were running one of perhaps their patterns.- like an epiphany I guess, when one buzzed us on the road in the wooded area, it was on us and gone with only enough time for me to view the blinking white light underneath it. You know, had it been in combat that you never would have heard the shot that got ya. The pair ran a couple more patterns and when you were now looking and listening, you NEVER knew what direction your doom was coming from, but you did know, it was a certainty.
I was never a pilot, front seat was always the smallest guys in the platoon. And we were the gunner. That shooting is likely a 1st year private like I was, but my Major always got the kills.
The flying super tank. Amazing innovation. Nothing but respect and admiration for the front line soldiers. They deserve unlimited care after leaving the forces. So many people's lives and futures of country saved.
I shit on the graves of those degenerate war criminals. They slaughtered millions of civilians in Vietnam. Basically everyone running when they seen that awesome flying tank of your hero`s come down on them, was considered a enemy and a legit target. Any civilian who seen that would run and get gunned down. Fuck your propaganda
@@Archangelm127 He's not 100% wrong. There are a lot of people that have joined the military and done horrible things. But where he is wrong is by judging them all the same. Not everyone in the military is a baby killing murderer. Anyone that's had to fight in a war has seen or done things that nobody should have to see or do. They've seen the absolute worst side of what we can be. And they deserve a hell of a lot better care than a VA hospital.
2 different times the pilots of 2 Cobras gave me rides (test flights). One at nite, the 2nd early morning. I had made sheet metal repairs to both access doors. One of my most joyous thrills. Thanks again.
@@hippiesaboteur2556 That’s mind boggling to try, & imagine how that all went down. I would love to find just a interview on that story alone. It has to be absolutely insane.
@@hippiesaboteur2556 & then think about how many 10s, if not 100s of millions of dollars of equipment that was too. He’s gotta get a kick out of that shit.
I miss those old birds. I was Aircraft Armorer when I was active duty. I worked on the AH1F Cobra, OH58D(I) Kiowa Warrior & UH60A Blackhawk. Been out since ‘02 and still think about those old birds.
I was attracted to this video because of the title “Whispering Death - The Cobra Gunship”. I did not hear the words “Whispering Death” in the narrative. The first mention of the TOW missile on the Cobra was in reference to Gulf Storm. I don’t know about any other aircraft that previously had the name of “Whispering Death”. In 1972 I flew the two Bravo model Hueys in Vietnam that had the TOW missiles attached. They were test aircraft. This was before the Cobras had them. Our unit was known as the First Air TOW Team. There was a captured NVA document that referred to our aircraft as “Whispering Death” and we adopted that title.
The name “Whispering Death” was first used by the Japanese in ww2 to describe The British Bristol Beau fighter (The 10 gun terror) that was its first use.
@@CameTo tow missle uses an infrared sensor on the missle and bore sight and has a small(and very long) wire connecting the missle to the launcher that then is used to steer the missle relative to the bore sight. If the wire connection breaks you are out of luck. It happens alot. Very effective if the wire stays intact.
Back in the late 90's, a buddy and myself were contracted to do some civilian work on Camp Lejeune. We were driving a Jeep Cherokee down one of the dirt roads on the base pretty fast kicking up a dust trail. I was in the passenger seat and looked out my window. What did I see? A Cobra just over the treetops, at our 5 o'clock position. It pulled ahead of us, pitched up in a steep bank, and circled us 3 times and took off back over Highway 17. I looked at my buddy and said, "Jim, were dead." Some Corba pilot had used us for "target" practice" that day. LOL. One of the coolest things we saw on a job where we got to see lots of cool stuff.
Hearing a grown man saying dadadadadadadadadada while he fires 2 miniguns off the front of a flying war machine has got to be the funniest thing I've ever heard
We were so happy to see these when Charlie was breathing down our necks in Vietnam. The Cobras & the Phantoms were always heaven sent to our great relief.
An outstanding look at the development, battle-hardening and evolution of the Cobra. What a helluva machine. Thanks for brilliant factual commentary & footage. God Bless America, the civilised Christian world needs your iron courage. My unreserved deepest respects to all US military servicemen for their sacrifice. You guys are never forgotten.
Great Documentary. Thank you. My last major operation before DEROS was Lam Son 719. When we relocated to Quang Tri (51 of us) we occupied a Quonset Hut like those in the documentary. Prior to having to billet us the local Cobra Unit had both Quonset Huts and took their 60 pilots and moved out of one hut and all doubled up in the other so we would have a base of operations. When I left 8 weeks later those 60 pilots were 24. 36 had been killed over Laos. Our unit stayed at Khe Sanh or Quang Tri and we only had one of our 51 KIA. That was not a great time to be a helicopter pilot.
I spent 3 years in Iraq and 3 in Afghanistan and I am here to tell you the CH53, the CH47, the Army Cobra and especially the (called Silent Death by Al Qaeda and Taliban) Cobra were ever present for American and Allied ground forces support. American construction accomplished our USAID missions in a large part due to the support of these airborne warriors.
I have to thank you all for what you've done pilots ground troops anybody thank you all for my life in America thank you brothers for what you have sacrificed
My job in the marines was avionics for hueys and cobras. 6324- mcas new river. The flir camera fell on my face one time while we were putting it back on. Broke my front teeth. Lol these helicopters are amazing
The USA, the only global superpower to fail in two wars against poorly equipped fanatics. But Top Gun was a great film, and Tom Cruise didn't look like a religious nut then.
My dad flew Cobra's in Vietnam, if I remember right he was shot down three times but never said how and as a kid those kinds of details never entered my mind to ask. I do know that he trained other pilots up until I think it was 95/96 at Silverbell heliport in Arizona, even let me sit in one of the flight sim trainers once.
Huge respect for your father! I am 53 now but when I was young technician in the semiconductor industry I worked with allot of these older guys who were Vietnam Vets. I loved thier stories. One like your father had been shot down twice had to blow the bird before leaving. One of favorite stories was the grease pencil he used on the wind shield as sites.
I a Jacksonville NC native and am proud of our military! Some of these shots are from the old abandoned Camp Davis in Holly Ridge NC where they still use the old airstrip for maneuvers. Some also look to be from near the Innercoastal Waterway due to the sawgrass you can see being blown around. Not knocking the video, just proud!
I was in the Army and stationed in South Korea in the early 1990’s and would love watching the hunter/killer teams of helos flying on training missions. You’d see a flight of three or four Cobras at elevation and then out of the blue a scout helo would pop up flying low and fast. The scout would “designate” a “target” (often civilian vehicles or even military convoys, sometimes a building,) and the gunships would dive in on mock gun runs. It was an awesome sight!
I like to read the comments and hear about other people's stories. And I'm so grateful for our armed forces. My dad was in the Korean War and my husband's dad was on the Midway.
@@s4ss.m8 I've usually seen the 240 (altho i thought it was the gulf, not the bravo) on the ramp but haven't/don't they also (sometimes) mount the M-2 on the ramp as well??
I recall two of these appearing in the sky suddenly while a Colonel and I sat in a jeep with binoculars looking into the field in front of us at activity there. We were on top of a high hillside and those two choppers appeared to our right with no warning, just suddenly there they were. They were awesome. The pilots both looked at us, gave us a thumbs up and they swept off towards our front. I was happy as could be they were "ours". An enemy could be struck fearful by those for good reason. They're awesome birds.
Rest in Peace Col. Miller and thank you for your service to our nation, and Rest in Peace Col Larry Mckay who came to his aid in An Loc. Sadly, both have passed.
My kid brother in law took training at Ft Rujer. Was stationed 50 mi from us here in NC. He would routinely fly over us training,and landed in the field 1 x ,touched down and took bk off. Once he was flying w a seasoned pilot and he did a 360 circle above us. A damn spectacular sight to see up close.
My father flew the AH-1G Cobra in '70-'71. B Troop 2/17 101st Airborne Air Assault. Even during this time of the war his area of operations was brutal (DMZ area), sometimes flying 10 combat hours a day according to his flight record. He died from Agent Orange exposure. I've been told by some soldiers if it wasn't for the Cobra they wouldn't have made it out of combat. I am proud of my father's service but I miss him so much.
Sorry for your families loss of your father :( People can’t really relate what the sacrifice is unless it affects someone close. My grandparent’s (being Canadian) lost much family and friends in the Second World War, I still have the memorabilia given to them due to relatives death and cherish them. Your father sent many men home in exchange for his close combat and exposure.
@@willrussell490 ThankYou for sharing a very personal story about your life and some details about your father’s mission’s. I just watched an eye opening and heartbreaking documentary last night that showed pictures from the First World War and the use of chemical weapons ( mustard gas and so on). I sat in the temporary comfort of my living room seeing men (soldiers), women and children with chemical burns, wandering blinded and suffering with open wounds. Your story hit home after seeing that, I pray these sorts of horrors remain in the past but NEVER forgotten. I don’t blame the soldiers as what they see is death and cruelty coming at them (legally?). I can see myself fighting just the same then grieving and crippled with guilt as well. Sorry again for the loss (too early) of your father but sounds like you know he was someone’s real life hero on the battlefield. Sure being in a Cobra you’d would be an intimidating foe but you’d also be a high value target as well. Talk about stressful!
In 1970 I was part of the artillery, and my MOS was 13E20 (fire direction control). All of our list of weapons were; 105 155, 175mm canon, Honest John rocket, and the AH-1Cobra helicopter gunship! While I served in combat, the only the only item I saw that wasn't fired was the Honest John.
I loved being a Huey and Cobra airframes mech. Joined in 1994, retired 20 years later just as the AH-1Z was coming of age. Definitely a tight airframe to work on, the damn designers must've thought the Marines were enlisting midgets and kids to fit into this tight spaces lol. Made some great friends, and lost some as well. I'd do it all over in a heartbeat!
Danny Jones...My son was a Marine Corp chopper mechanic. While going to visit him one time, the water pump went out on my pickup. We replaced it, not that big a deal, but some of the bolts were a pain in the ass. After we were done, I made a joke about not having any parts left over, (I'm more of a farmer type mechanic) ya know, if you get it running you're good to go. Anyway he said, "at least we didn't have to wire all the nuts". Made me laugh.
I was a "Snake doctor in the 9th infantry Division from 1975-77. We worked on the AH-1G Cobras. The original models didn't have any access panel on the right side of the cobra where the oil cooler was located. It was a miserable job changing the cooler on the ones that did have a small panel on that side , it was a night mare on the ones who didn't. It seems like it was 17 man hours just to put the bolts in the fan on the cooler . Nylon lock nuts, 1 flat of the nut at a time with an open end wrench seemed like it took an eternity to get them all tightened up.
I still remember when O'grady was rescued and it felt like all of America was cheering for him and the brave Marines then went in after him! I loved those Cobras!!! I was an Army brat and the last 4.4 years of my dads career were stationed at Ft. Hood Texas. Back then it was the 1st Cav and 2nd Armored Divisions stationed there. Man wed see those cobras and sometimes got to see them in action and that was a rare treat. Other times there coukd be 4 or so riding shotgun with a much larger group of helicopters, usually a bunch of Huey's with a number of those big chinook copters. Theu all together made 1 heck of an impressive noise as they approached, then over flew, then transitioned away with the sounds changing during the flight. From bone jarring wap wap wap, then smoother as they flew away. Bit Cobras are bad ass!!!
These fly over my home daily. Always can hear those 2 bladed older models from the newer models. Pretty cool to see. That and atlas v missile launches to space. :)
AH-1G - 540 rotor system, elastomeric bearings, 27" rotor chord, Rotor dia. 44ft., T53-L-13 turbine engine rated @1400 SHP, equipped with either M-18 Minigun pods, (never liked them) M200 pods, M158 pods, M159 pods XM-35 20mm system (my favorite) and M28 system equipped with twin M134s or M124 and M129 or two m129s. We carried either Fletchette (2000 steel darts), 10 or 17lb HE FFARS, or WP or CS rockets. Nails and 17pounders were my favorite. Hats off to the Loach Drivers. Had one who every night set 10 whiskey shots in front and shook out the first two. By the 10th straight
Having been in the infantry having cobra fire support in combat and later going to flight school and FLYING Cobras in combat, I would never refer to one as "WHISPERING Death." "Really noisy death that you can hear for miles" is a better term! :)
As a young boy growing up near Marine Corp Tustin Air Base, where the Vietnam Cobra and Huey pilots trained, I probably heard the Cobra approach, fly over, and depart the skies above me more than any non-military person here. Being a typical boy fascinated with model planes and model rockets and all things aeronautic, I paid close attention to overhead aircraft and I could distinguish an approaching Cobra from miles away. There was absolutely NOTHING about these gunships that could be considered "whispering". In fact, quite the opposite. Cobras are the LOUDEST approaching aircraft I ever heard. The distinctive thumping of the rotors alone could be felt vibrating the ground below you when it was still 100's of yards away.
Saw 2 of these in Vietnam 1970 attacking the side of a mountain in Phuoc Tuy (Australian AO) They were in the distance, each in turning slowly in a spiral. On each swoop on the mountain, a puff came up and then after 2 seconds an extended BUURP. Impressive. Didn't know what they were until years later. I had a semi auto SLR (FN) and that sound was incredible to me.
I'd hide too if a Cobra was after me. Ha! One beautiful mean looking bird. Like a black widow. What have we here, said the spider to the fly. Thanks Flyboy! Kudos and Godspeed amigo!
It's interesting. "Whispering Death" was originally the nickname of the British twin-engine, two-seater WW2 Bristol Beaufighter. Commissioned in 1939 variations of the plane saw action throughout Europe and laster SE Asia, particularly in Burma and New Guinea. A tough, armoured plane the Beaufighter was originally armed with four 40mm cannons upfront, which were later was replaced with six .303 Browning machine guns. The Bristol Beaufighter was mainly used as an anti-shipping and ground attack aircraft, but it was particularly effective when used at low altitudes over the jungles of SE Asia, where its tree-top attacks would surprise enemy ground troops and installations, hence, "whispering death". The Beaufighter was frequently confused with the more lightly armed Beaufort Bomber by Japanese pilots who had learned to attack the Beaufort bombers head-on. Mistaking the Beaufighter for the bomber almost always proved fatal. My father and a number of uncles served PNG and nearby islands during WW2. The Beaufighter was always a welcome sight overhead.
The Bristol Beaufighter had 4 canon, six forward firing .303 machine guns, one operated by the navigator at the back. Could carry 1 14 inch torpedo or 8 4 inch rockets for anti ship attacks.
Sure glad the pilots and crews got out. I know several pilots, crew chiefs, and door gunners that went down. Some came home some didn’t But I Got news for you. When things are really really bad and getting worse. We called for the FAST MOVERS. THE COBRAS were good for backing up interdictions and extractions But give me fast movers and napalm when you only have minutes left. The most important thing I learned from my experience in the military is politicians judges bureaucrats MSM and the military industrial complex are corrupt beyond belief. May God bless and keep the the men that served
I grew up right by the Bell Helicopter Plant, at the height ofthe Vietnam war. They were turning out hueys and cobras one an hour. They had a shakedown flight right off the lines, and came in low over my elemetary school all day....ill never forget the wispering growl they made.....gives me goosebumps when i hear them now
Thank you again and again for your service JAR HEAD'S STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS AND PREVALE. VICTORY...THANK ALL THAT SERVED AS MEMORY OF THE EVENT.
Thanks Cobra pilots. You made a lot of searches in front and beside us in Vietnam. And made a lot of spectacular and helpful runs. I like Cobras. And Loaches.
Wow ! that blew my mind, the bit about the chopper pilot saying mosquitos splatting human blood on the screen, that place must have been fucking SAVAGE !
Watched many “Pink Teams” working up close after enemy contact in Vietnam. 2 Cobras and a Low Bird working together. The AH-6 would locate targets, drop smoke, and get out of the way. The two Cobras working together was amazing to watch and saved our asses many times.
46:11 is the AH-1(4BW ) which is one of the origins of the AH-1Z Viper which is now in service and has replaced the AH-1W Super Cobra which was recently retired back in October. The 4BW is just a modified AH-1W and the narrator did get the prediction of the latest Cobra being called the Viper correct.
I was on the evaluation team for the Super Corbra "W" at NAS China Lake in 1986. We maintained two that were retrofitted from "T" models. Now they're gone and the "Z" is the shit. I'm old
@@ghostmost2614 wow that’s interesting and I know that the AH-1T Sea Cobra has the camera on the nose like the Super Cobra and also the flare boxes mounted on the winglets whereas on the AH-1Z those are on the sides of the chopper and built in.
one time i was at my local gun range, and i recalled the segment at 21:02 and i began making those same sounds "gadam gadam heh he heh" while shooting my 38 caliber revolver. For a few seconds, I imagined I was a Huey Cobra!
That young Cobra pilot was my lieutenant in HMLA 269. One of the finest officers I served with and a gentleman. Do not let his boyish demeanor confuse you. He was and is a true warrior.
The vietcong, A worthy Adversary my dad would say. My dad has some amazing and some pretty scary stories from his time in Nam. He came back a pot head. LOL But a badass nonetheless
whispering? well thats all wrong. i spent 5 yrs in HMLA 367 listening to the distinctive blade slap. i came to tears with pride several times seeing our squadron in the air
They flew many Sorties over Vietnam in support of our gun batteries in I Corps. 1969. I was impressed as a gunner on G/3/11 Artillery support. Wow, very impressive to this new guy in country.
1979 Ft Hood, My 1CAV MP unit provided security to keep reporters and Russians out of the area where I got to see a demonstration of the Cobra, The Apache (Both with newer weapon and firing platforms) along with the XM1-Abrams tank (X for experimental). We were used to Hueys and M60 Sheridan tanks, seeing all this futuristic firepower blasting vehicles and tanks down range was quite exciting for a 20 y/o.
US Intelligence translated a quote from a Taliban commander addressing his warriors: “Do not shoot at the small gray helicopters; they will destroy you”. Semper Fi, Marines ✊
The Cobra is alive and well for the American Naval and Marine use if you have been in heavy combat you appreciate there assistance and thank there aircrews for their combat skills and dangerous missions! God bless them!
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I guess from the amount of new activity this video is getting, that it's trending again.
It's in TH-cam algorithm and is bein recommended. Great vid, thank u.
Just appeared in my feed this evening. Not going to ignore as looks good.
Same here. I was watching Ward Carroll’s F-14 tomcat channel and this was the next suggestion. My Marine Corps still had the Cobra. I missed out on the AH-1Z Viper. Great seeing gear I used when I was in. Semper Fi
That is correct.
Its working. And an Excellent Doc. Well done flyboy
I remember when Discovery and History Channel were really good.
Yeah....actually WANTED to watch and didn't have to worry about "American Pickers" or "Pond Stars". Trash TV now....damn shame
Yeah when you actually learned instead of being indoctrinated for a agenda!
@@thewatcher4552 yeah, there is no agenda here, just war propaganda and indoctrination, light stuff….
@@jameshunter744 who cares about somebody's hoarding or sharks, used to love watching ol' gunny on military channel😇
Yeah from 2000 to 03 they were really on point loved tales of the gun if your not familiar check it out also top tens the tv show with the robot voice breakdown
I was stationed with the 82nd Airborne 85 - 92. I remember training in area J , we were learning how to cross a road, when as I crossed the road I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I turned to my right, with the tree line going up both sides, going uphill. They're at the top of the hill between the tree line in the middle of the road, was a cobra helicopter. Just watching us. We never heard it. It was at that point I knew that I was dead if I had been in enemy territory. I was most impressed with the sleekness and the beauty of this machine. It was something that I had never forgotten , looking up hill to see this helicopter looking down at us A few months later, we jumped into Fort Campbell in 86. After two weeks of training we had a weekend off. My buddy and I went looking for the Cobra simulator. After meeting with the sergeant in charge, he let us both try the simulator for 10 minutes each. We bombed Libya 3 days later . We sat on the tarmac, 4 days, fully geared and parachute ready, all the while Cobra helicopters flew by and landed 24/7. Gave us all a sense of strength, and the knowledge that we would be okay if we had to go into combat. Imo, the cobra is the sexiest and most reliable attack helicopter I have ever seen. And 35 years later, my opinion has not changed
Thank you for your service sir .
You wouldn't happen to know ssgt Johnnie "MFN" white the third? August 20th 1986 I think he goes by the name flyboy - 1? I bought a storage locker that has a diary and I was hoping to return this diary but can't seem to find the guy.
Truth, both for the Armys AH1S Cobra & more so for equally stealthy superfast superbly armed & upgraded USMC AH1Z SuperCobras. Feared & respected worldwide. Amen.
Semper Fi 🇺🇸
@@paulsuprono7225 Always!!!
The most impressive thing about the Cobra is that it was initially a stop gap solution made out of UH1 Huey parts while the Army and Marine Corps searched for a replacement. 10 years later the Army fielded the AH64 Apache but through numerous upgrades the Cobra is still in service with the Marine Corps today.
It didn't finish it's crayons so not allowed to retire
The Cobra takes up less space in a hangar aboard ship.
I was a tank mechanic in Germany, this Col. Kurth explained to me why the helios had to keep creeping to stay outside of the vortex created by the rotors. I am never disappointed watching docs about Kobras!
Coleman Bks by any chance?
1st Gulf War vet, and I got some GREAT pictures of these beautiful helicopters flying about 100ft over our position. I loved seeing our Cobras. You knew you were good to go with them in the area.
Same here.
Huge respect for all of you guys....no matter when you're watching....32nd air base Łask, Poland here...just thank you...
Love Poland ! Stay strong out there !
I went to Poland in 2013 & stayed in Rybnik but did travel to other parts. I found it to be the best place in the world and very very friendly people. I love the food, that's for sure. The food is so cheap compared to Australia and hopefully after Covid I can again come to Poland for a few months. So miss it and the people. I caught an overnight train up north and stayed in a hotel that overlooked a ww2 batttleship. Love the place and hope to be back soon.
Watching Wings and the discovery channell with my father who is a Vietnam AirForce vet. was one of my main inspiration, joys, and fun memories as a child Him and other military family vets dating back to WW2. Me joining the Corps was a legacy passed down. TV is not what it used to be. It's 90% garbage.
My father was a vet also, he worked mainly with livestock/farm animals.
I decided to train in mechanical engineering and am a veteran o 35 years.
Completely agree with your last statement. TV documentaries these days are just loaded with inaccuracies, exaggeration, and cringe-worthy animations when just a sentence or two from a knowledgeable pilot would do. I've found a few very well written documentaries and films from the 90s about military aviation and it honestly doesn't get any better than that. I wonder what happened for low value documentaries to become the norm...
I really don't watch TV, or movies, they are manufactured garbage, my opinion. History is important, that's why it is being erased
@@Celtics-fj5le so true! People don't realize the mind is powerful, What you put into it will control you!
@@hughjaanus6680 Thankfor your service!👊🏾 What branch
In 2006 I was construction manager living with our US Marines in the Anbar Province at Al Qaim, Iraq and building a new IA base about 11 cliks out side the wire. There were 5 of these birds stationed at the Al Qaim FOB and it was migty comforting knowing these Marine pilots and their magnificent air weapons were a mere 5 minutes of less away while I was on the project site felt doggoned good to this prior service Army Artillery XO. My British security fellows had built a super relationship with our US Marine pilots and were in constant contact with the Al Qaim FOB. GOD BLESS our Unite States Marines, our Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard as well as America's allies.
What base was it? I was at Camp Gannon 2 in 2008, then the "ball sack" Ubadi, for about a month. Although a Cobra mech by trade, I volunteered to be part of a BTT team.
YOu're darn right! I'm very proud to be an American. Always trying to do the right thing.The Americans are the best!!!!
@@davidlindgren7605 Well; a lot of us still are.
@@davidlindgren7605 All of the Force's and soldiers that were there were the best! Else they would not of been there...
They are an entire 'unit' doing exactly what they was trained for ,living on tenterhooks, but consistently aware of there 360° true surroundings, and rethinking and anticipating every move to make , and every move made ; for their own survival and every Comrade/Friend!!
We all have to take our 'metaphorical' hat off to each and every soldier. As they was "all" holding their own ,and 'all' doing their best with minimal 'kit'...
Every single Soldier is a "Hero" in their own justified way.
Whether they believe it or not!!! They're all "Heroes" ! PAST AND PRESENT" ; with balls of steel!!! They made things tactical, and many peoples lives.. were saved from due diligence, and all available 'hardware'!
I salute each and every one of our allies for doing their jobs , to the best of their own abilities, and limited resources available at every possible 'God given moment'!
And those technological 'whirlybirds' proved to be a veritable essential..
Regards to all military Personnel, 'Past and Present..!!!
11 clicks….. that’s a lot of clicks🤯
I once got a ride in the front seat of a Cobra when I was stationed in Germany in 1987. It remains one of the best experiences of my life.
Glad I’m an American and not on the bad side of the Cobra. I went to Vietnam in ‘71 with the US Army and saw many Cobras. That’s a badass helicopter. Great documentary, Flyboy.👍
Thank you for your service. Welcome home
I flew the Cobra from 1969 to 1980 and loved every minute of it. It is truly amazing that the Army realized that with proper training, a high school graduate could perform as well as a college graduate. Yes, we were very young, but we did our job with pride!!! The Warrant Officers were just magnificent.
Was a crew chief 79-82 crewed both 58 and huey at Ft. Hood A7/17 6th Cav. Got to fire the mini gun on a field exercise and that was awesome. Miss those days our warrants where great pilots. Had a few that flew in Vietnam and they really knew how to fly.
I was never too good in math. Do you think I could have flown one? I did graduate from college? Math was not my strong point.
You really need a strog backgroud in math. there are always calculations you are making when planning ad flying. Here are some examples: fuel flow per hour, airspeed and power management. Armament management, radio frequecies, navagation, mission requirements. The flying portion has to be automatic as you juggle all the other variables..
I forgot to mention "the college thing". In Vietnam, I believe 70% of all Army Heilcopter pilots were Warrant Officers.. The vast majority of them were high school graduates, so lack of college did not hamper our performance.
I watched the Cobras work one early morning when our base at Long Binh was attacked in the Spring of 1969. I can't fathom that some of those pilots were only in their 20s! They and the Puff gunships were an incredible sight to see.
Regarding the "youth" leading our military, in the 2d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam during 1967-1969, our oldest company grade officer was 25 years old. Our oldest Lieutenant was 23. We actually had a 19 year old Second Lieutenant. Back then you did not have to have a college degree to get commissioned. All you had to do was qualify to go to OCS, and six months later you were a brand new Second Lieutenant.
@Matt Hooper just last week I did cry for a reason. We as a society in America haven't given gratitude to our 17 to 25 years old Citizens who are serving. They are the ones who are implementing our objectives in foreign lands. Even now in Afghanistan who are those saving our reputation? They are the 17 to 25 years old Marines, Airforce, Army and Navy service members. I am 52 years old Marine Veteran and not everyday goes by I don't ask higher power to guide this young men and women to come back home in peace. Semper Fi to all those who are serving and those who plan to serve this beautiful country we have.
There were Warrant Officers that were 19 coming out of Rucker or Wolters heading to Viet Nam
@@jackmoore9039 Thank you for your service Sir!. God bless you.
"Puff the Magic Dragon".
Former AH-1W & Z mechanic here, love learning about the history of the machines that I loved (most of the time) wrenching on. Wish I had stories to tell, but my service was pretty boring.
When I enlisted they were pushing me to choose a field involving mechanics because my mechanical skills they said were off the chart. I chose combat support and they put me in artillery. In 2003 we deployed to Iraq (Tango 5/11) It was an unforgettable experience with plenty of stories to tell. But I still keep a high respect for the veterans such as yourself. These machines and aircraft would be nothing without the crew members who maintain and service them. Think about how many lives you’ve saved because of your trade, the pilots, crew members, troops on the ground, and countless others by the deletion of terrorists. We prevail because of our teamwork and dedication to country, and your skills and knowledge are just as essential as the rounds in our howitzers, those aircraft up there, the 0311’s and F.O’s down in the dirt, the CO’s calling the shots, to the admin in the rear. We share a roll like individual teeth on a gear. We mesh tightly and work together and as a whole were a fine tuned and well oiled machine. It wouldn’t matter what gear you start removing the teeth from to end up with the same fate in the end. Every tooth is vital. The level of attention to detail, and organization of the aircraft mechanics parts and tools will forever be a skillset I’ll always admire and likely never achieve, and I’m sure you’ve got some awesome stories that I would love to hear! Thank you for service and sharing your experience here with us all!
My brother was 173rd 67-69 II corps central highlands Vietnam on the trail. He said his heart was lost to the cobra the first time he saw one roll in on close ground support. Heres a heart felt WELCOME HOME to all vets from a military brat that was blessed to get both his dad and brother back home because of the men and machines like these. Thank you.
Had the pleasure of flying the F model. Lots of fun.
G here.
I masterbated when i flew it
@Garry 🇬🇧 english is second language but i was with family they let all of us master it.
Me too
It’s great to hear an F-16 pilot paying tribute to the Cobra attack helicopters which fly much slower and are more vulnerable to ground fire than the F-16
@@mgoblue0970 Afghanistan proves that superior military technology doesn't guarantee victory.
@@maitaimik where would you rather be right now?
@@victorhopper6774 I'm happy where I am thanks.
I'm grateful to whoever posted this and to every pilot. I never experienced combat duty but Whispering Death was forever emblazoned in my memory during my stay at FTCKY. Summer, company formation somewhere in the land bet the lakes, wooded, a pair of snakes were running one of perhaps their patterns.- like an epiphany I guess, when one buzzed us on the road in the wooded area, it was on us and gone with only enough time for me to view the blinking white light underneath it. You know, had it been in combat that you never would have heard the shot that got ya. The pair ran a couple more patterns and when you were now looking and listening, you NEVER knew what direction your doom was coming from, but you did know, it was a certainty.
I was able to get a reality check...shitting myself in a fire fight...and saying thank you, too the cobras...and the warthogs....good times!💀
I was never a pilot, front seat was always the smallest guys in the platoon. And we were the gunner. That shooting is likely a 1st year private like I was, but my Major always got the kills.
The flying super tank. Amazing innovation. Nothing but respect and admiration for the front line soldiers. They deserve unlimited care after leaving the forces. So many people's lives and futures of country saved.
I shit on the graves of those degenerate war criminals. They slaughtered millions of civilians in Vietnam. Basically everyone running when they seen that awesome flying tank of your hero`s come down on them, was considered a enemy and a legit target.
Any civilian who seen that would run and get gunned down.
Fuck your propaganda
@@TheTurkturk hahaha sounds like someone else propaganda got to you first 🤣
@@timothy2935 Well said.
@@TheTurkturk You do realize that "Full Metal Jacket" was not a documentary; it was a very complex and often satirical film... right?
@@Archangelm127
He's not 100% wrong. There are a lot of people that have joined the military and done horrible things. But where he is wrong is by judging them all the same. Not everyone in the military is a baby killing murderer. Anyone that's had to fight in a war has seen or done things that nobody should have to see or do. They've seen the absolute worst side of what we can be. And they deserve a hell of a lot better care than a VA hospital.
2 different times the pilots of 2 Cobras gave me rides (test flights). One at nite, the 2nd early morning. I had made sheet metal repairs to both access doors. One of my most joyous thrills. Thanks again.
Jealous I am !
The cobra save my life so many times I love it
Damn, 3 aircraft at the same intersection in 2 days, & survives 8 total crashes. That should be a medal in its own.
God damn right dude i was thinkin the very same thing
@@hippiesaboteur2556 That’s mind boggling to try, & imagine how that all went down. I would love to find just a interview on that story alone. It has to be absolutely insane.
@@hippiesaboteur2556 & then think about how many 10s, if not 100s of millions of dollars of equipment that was too. He’s gotta get a kick out of that shit.
Documentary starts at 14:48 after the fluff piece.
I miss those old birds. I was Aircraft Armorer when I was active duty. I worked on the AH1F Cobra, OH58D(I) Kiowa Warrior & UH60A Blackhawk. Been out since ‘02 and still think about those old birds.
I was stationed at New River back in the early 70's...we were a Training Squadron for 53's...46's...OV-10's and Cobra Gunships...badass bird.
Now its full of Ospreys, ' 53's, and Zulu model cobras, Vipers.
@@twright3802 53 K's...we were only at E's back then.
Cool that was my last duty station.
@@thewatcher4552 they still have The Hanger Bar just outside the Base off Hwy 17?
If you’re talking right out the main gate at new river it’s called the Eagle Globe and Anchor, as 2013 when I got out
I was attracted to this video because of the title “Whispering Death - The Cobra Gunship”. I did not hear the words “Whispering Death” in the narrative. The first mention of the TOW missile on the Cobra was in reference to Gulf Storm. I don’t know about any other aircraft that previously had the name of “Whispering Death”. In 1972 I flew the two Bravo model Hueys in Vietnam that had the TOW missiles attached. They were test aircraft. This was before the Cobras had them. Our unit was known as the First Air TOW Team. There was a captured NVA document that referred to our aircraft as “Whispering Death” and we adopted that title.
Is a TOW a bit like a maverick missile, either optical, IR or laser guided, or is it something else?
The name “Whispering Death” was first used by the Japanese in ww2 to describe The British Bristol Beau fighter (The 10 gun terror)
that was its first use.
@@CameTo tow missle uses an infrared sensor on the missle and bore sight and has a small(and very long) wire connecting the missle to the launcher that then is used to steer the missle relative to the bore sight. If the wire connection breaks you are out of luck. It happens alot. Very effective if the wire stays intact.
Back in the late 90's, a buddy and myself were contracted to do some civilian work on Camp Lejeune. We were driving a Jeep Cherokee down one of the dirt roads on the base pretty fast kicking up a dust trail. I was in the passenger seat and looked out my window. What did I see? A Cobra just over the treetops, at our 5 o'clock position. It pulled ahead of us, pitched up in a steep bank, and circled us 3 times and took off back over Highway 17. I looked at my buddy and said, "Jim, were dead." Some Corba pilot had used us for "target" practice" that day. LOL. One of the coolest things we saw on a job where we got to see lots of cool stuff.
I flew in the first generation Cobra in 1969 in the skies of Vietnam. It was a great ride.
Memories brought back. I was the Squadron Flight Surgeon for the rescue of Scott O’Grady and remember it well.
Everyone featured is a brave man and we in the states all owe our gratitude to them.🇺🇲
Damn right we do.
Hearing a grown man saying dadadadadadadadadada while he fires 2 miniguns off the front of a flying war machine has got to be the funniest thing I've ever heard
In context this was probably the biggest marine aviation mission of the 90's besides desert storm. Give it a few years and 2000's will be all action.
We were so happy to see these when Charlie was breathing down our necks in Vietnam. The Cobras & the Phantoms were always heaven sent to our great relief.
Thank you for your service
Angels on your shoulders?
An outstanding look at the development, battle-hardening and evolution of the Cobra. What a helluva machine. Thanks for brilliant factual commentary & footage. God Bless America, the civilised Christian world needs your iron courage. My unreserved deepest respects to all US military servicemen for their sacrifice. You guys are never forgotten.
Great Documentary. Thank you. My last major operation before DEROS was Lam Son 719. When we relocated to Quang Tri (51 of us) we occupied a Quonset Hut like those in the documentary. Prior to having to billet us the local Cobra Unit had both Quonset Huts and took their 60 pilots and moved out of one hut and all doubled up in the other so we would have a base of operations. When I left 8 weeks later those 60 pilots were 24. 36 had been killed over Laos. Our unit stayed at Khe Sanh or Quang Tri and we only had one of our 51 KIA. That was not a great time to be a helicopter pilot.
Being a hard to impress A-10 enthusiast - i gotta say . . . I'M IMPRESSED WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL MARVEL ! God bless our soldiers ! :~D
I spent 3 years in Iraq and 3 in Afghanistan and I am here to tell you the CH53, the CH47, the Army Cobra and especially the (called Silent Death by Al Qaeda and Taliban) Cobra were ever present for American and Allied ground forces support. American construction accomplished our USAID missions in a large part due to the support of these airborne warriors.
Our Marine Corps Super Cobras were in country as well. Especially in Afghanistan. They saved many a ground pounder.
God bless you!!!! Thank you!!!!!
I have to thank you all for what you've done pilots ground troops anybody thank you all for my life in America thank you brothers for what you have sacrificed
Army don’t fly Cobra, it’s an attack helicopter used by the USMC
My job in the marines was avionics for hueys and cobras. 6324- mcas new river. The flir camera fell on my face one time while we were putting it back on. Broke my front teeth. Lol these helicopters are amazing
Rip to the 8 blue mack pilots who give it their all in AN LOC. Legends to never be forgotten.
Massive respect to all the men & women of all services of the US military from everyone in Britain.
The USA, the only global superpower to fail in two wars against poorly equipped fanatics. But Top Gun was a great film, and Tom Cruise didn't look like a religious nut then.
The cobra is still one of the very best bits of kit our military owns.
This was my time in the Marines. Good to see those old war birds in action again.
Welcome Home Brother 🇺🇸
@@sarge420
Thank you, sir. 👍
My father was a helicopter gunship pilot in Vietnam, he flew Huey's and cobras.
My dad flew Cobra's in Vietnam, if I remember right he was shot down three times but never said how and as a kid those kinds of details never entered my mind to ask. I do know that he trained other pilots up until I think it was 95/96 at Silverbell heliport in Arizona, even let me sit in one of the flight sim trainers once.
Semper Fi to your dad. Great bird he flew
Huge respect for your father! I am 53 now but when I was young technician in the semiconductor industry I worked with allot of these older guys who were Vietnam Vets. I loved thier stories. One like your father had been shot down twice had to blow the bird before leaving. One of favorite stories was the grease pencil he used on the wind shield as sites.
I a Jacksonville NC native and am proud of our military! Some of these shots are from the old abandoned Camp Davis in Holly Ridge NC where they still use the old airstrip for maneuvers. Some also look to be from near the Innercoastal Waterway due to the sawgrass you can see being blown around. Not knocking the video, just proud!
Its nothing an army can do to gain my deepest respect than do whatever possible to rescue one of their OWN, God Bless you ALL
That Soldier/Pilot who crashed his helicopter 8 times and survives deserves the MEDAL OF HONOR -- ASAP !!!.
I was in the Army and stationed in South Korea in the early 1990’s and would love watching the hunter/killer teams of helos flying on training missions. You’d see a flight of three or four Cobras at elevation and then out of the blue a scout helo would pop up flying low and fast. The scout would “designate” a “target” (often civilian vehicles or even military convoys, sometimes a building,) and the gunships would dive in on mock gun runs. It was an awesome sight!
These guys stay with you and come in no matter how hot the area is. So chill to talk on the net with, too.
I like to read the comments and hear about other people's stories. And I'm so grateful for our armed forces. My dad was in the Korean War and my husband's dad was on the Midway.
"all we have is two 50cal machineguns"
Compared to the cobra, that's not much but out of context that sounds pretty funny.
I was thinking the exact same thing. Like two Ma Duce wasn’t shit….
I was thinking the same thing.
im1who84u you stole the words out of my mouth
Plus the 240B on the Ramp.. that's no slouch either
@@s4ss.m8 I've usually seen the 240 (altho i thought it was the gulf, not the bravo) on the ramp but haven't/don't they also (sometimes) mount the M-2 on the ramp as well??
As a civi. I admire the Cobra air ship, but the Apache has my heart..... Thank you all who serve to keep the world safe.
The world safe ? You couldn't even keep New York safe, Americans can talk the talk yet fail to walk the walk.
I recall two of these appearing in the sky suddenly while a Colonel and I sat in a jeep with binoculars looking into the field in front of us at activity there. We were on top of a high hillside and those two choppers appeared to our right with no warning, just suddenly there they were. They were awesome. The pilots both looked at us, gave us a thumbs up and they swept off towards our front. I was happy as could be they were "ours". An enemy could be struck fearful by those for good reason. They're awesome birds.
I’m a USN/USMC flight test engineer. I get up in the morning and can’t wait to get to work. Helping the warfighter do their job right.
Rest in Peace Col. Miller and thank you for your service to our nation, and Rest in Peace Col Larry Mckay who came to his aid in An Loc. Sadly, both have passed.
My kid brother in law took training at Ft Rujer. Was stationed 50 mi from us here in NC. He would routinely fly over us training,and landed in the field 1 x ,touched down and took bk off. Once he was flying w a seasoned pilot and he did a 360 circle above us. A damn spectacular sight to see up close.
I can't get enough of the AH-Cobra footage. Awesome machine!
We were detailed to illuminate targets on the range for the cobras. When the minigun let loose it was f'n amazing.
My father flew the AH-1G Cobra in '70-'71. B Troop 2/17 101st Airborne Air Assault. Even during this time of the war his area of operations was brutal (DMZ area), sometimes flying 10 combat hours a day according to his flight record. He died from Agent Orange exposure. I've been told by some soldiers if it wasn't for the Cobra they wouldn't have made it out of combat. I am proud of my father's service but I miss him so much.
Sorry for your families loss of your father :( People can’t really relate what the sacrifice is unless it affects someone close. My grandparent’s (being Canadian) lost much family and friends in the Second World War, I still have the memorabilia given to them due to relatives death and cherish them. Your father sent many men home in exchange for his close combat and exposure.
@@JasonBrockStick - Thank you for your kind words.
@@willrussell490 ThankYou for sharing a very personal story about your life and some details about your father’s mission’s. I just watched an eye opening and heartbreaking documentary last night that showed pictures from the First World War and the use of chemical weapons ( mustard gas and so on). I sat in the temporary comfort of my living room seeing men (soldiers), women and children with chemical burns, wandering blinded and suffering with open wounds. Your story hit home after seeing that, I pray these sorts of horrors remain in the past but NEVER forgotten. I don’t blame the soldiers as what they see is death and cruelty coming at them (legally?). I can see myself fighting just the same then grieving and crippled with guilt as well. Sorry again for the loss (too early) of your father but sounds like you know he was someone’s real life hero on the battlefield. Sure being in a Cobra you’d would be an intimidating foe but you’d also be a high value target as well. Talk about stressful!
In 1970 I was part of the artillery, and my MOS was 13E20 (fire direction control). All of our list of weapons were; 105 155, 175mm canon, Honest John rocket, and the AH-1Cobra helicopter gunship! While I served in combat, the only the only item I saw that wasn't fired was the Honest John.
I went to high school with “Mick” played football with him. We all respected him, he acted like a pro then and he’s a pro now
I took a ride in a Cobra in 2022. Worth every penny!
I loved being a Huey and Cobra airframes mech. Joined in 1994, retired 20 years later just as the AH-1Z was coming of age. Definitely a tight airframe to work on, the damn designers must've thought the Marines were enlisting midgets and kids to fit into this tight spaces lol. Made some great friends, and lost some as well. I'd do it all over in a heartbeat!
It doesn’t feel like you’re getting into the Zulu cockpit. It feels like you’re putting it on, just feels right.
Danny Jones...My son was a Marine Corp chopper mechanic. While going to visit him one time, the water pump went out on my pickup. We replaced it, not that big a deal, but some of the bolts were a pain in the ass.
After we were done, I made a joke about not having any parts left over, (I'm more of a farmer type mechanic) ya know, if you get it running you're good to go.
Anyway he said, "at least we didn't have to wire all the nuts". Made me laugh.
I was a "Snake doctor in the 9th infantry Division from 1975-77. We worked on the AH-1G Cobras. The original models didn't have any access panel on the right side of the cobra where the oil cooler was located. It was a miserable job changing the cooler on the ones that did have a small panel on that side , it was a night mare on the ones who didn't. It seems like it was 17 man hours just to put the bolts in the fan on the cooler . Nylon lock nuts, 1 flat of the nut at a time with an open end wrench seemed like it took an eternity to get them all tightened up.
They knew when VC were around by bloody mosquitoes hitting the helicopter windshield. That’s wild.
Yeah. That resonated with me as well.
They knew they were close when mosquitoes started hitting their windshields
Why were the mosquitoes bloody?
@@hughjaanus6680 they were filled with blood from feeding on the VC
@@Andingo86 But why were they already bloody hitting the windshield?
@@hughjaanus6680 they were filled with blood in there stomachs from feeding on the VC. They didnt have blood on them
I helped build the Kearsarge in Pascagoula, MS. It is a great ship!
I still remember when O'grady was rescued and it felt like all of America was cheering for him and the brave Marines then went in after him!
I loved those Cobras!!! I was an Army brat and the last 4.4 years of my dads career were stationed at Ft. Hood Texas. Back then it was the 1st Cav and 2nd Armored Divisions stationed there.
Man wed see those cobras and sometimes got to see them in action and that was a rare treat. Other times there coukd be 4 or so riding shotgun with a much larger group of helicopters, usually a bunch of Huey's with a number of those big chinook copters.
Theu all together made 1 heck of an impressive noise as they approached, then over flew, then transitioned away with the sounds changing during the flight. From bone jarring wap wap wap, then smoother as they flew away.
Bit Cobras are bad ass!!!
Used to see these at Fort Hood. Along with the Apaches, I smile whenever I see one.
Yuma
These fly over my home daily. Always can hear those 2 bladed older models from the newer models. Pretty cool to see. That and atlas v missile launches to space. :)
Hey you don't live in or around jacksonville, nc and camp Lejeune & MCAS new river do you??
AH-1G - 540 rotor system, elastomeric bearings, 27" rotor chord, Rotor dia. 44ft., T53-L-13 turbine engine rated @1400 SHP, equipped with either M-18 Minigun pods, (never liked them) M200 pods,
M158 pods, M159 pods XM-35 20mm system (my favorite) and M28 system equipped with twin M134s or M124 and M129 or two m129s. We carried either Fletchette (2000 steel darts), 10 or 17lb HE FFARS, or WP or CS rockets. Nails and 17pounders were my favorite. Hats off to the Loach Drivers. Had one who every night set 10 whiskey shots in front and shook out the first two. By the 10th
straight
Never get tired of seeing these babies doing training missions along the coast of NC.
Having been in the infantry having cobra fire support in combat and later going to flight school and FLYING Cobras in combat, I would never refer to one as "WHISPERING Death." "Really noisy death that you can hear for miles" is a better term! :)
As a young boy growing up near Marine Corp Tustin Air Base, where the Vietnam Cobra and Huey pilots trained, I probably heard the Cobra approach, fly over, and depart the skies above me more than any non-military person here. Being a typical boy fascinated with model planes and model rockets and all things aeronautic, I paid close attention to overhead aircraft and I could distinguish an approaching Cobra from miles away. There was absolutely NOTHING about these gunships that could be considered "whispering". In fact, quite the opposite. Cobras are the LOUDEST approaching aircraft I ever heard. The distinctive thumping of the rotors alone could be felt vibrating the ground below you when it was still 100's of yards away.
Maybe because of how far away they can shoot at someone?
" Corps....Corps....pronounced " core". A Corp is an abbreviation for corporation...
Thanks Flyboy for sending up a flare on this video today - Great production - Thanks for posting ! :~D
Wings was a Great series, could watch them all again , and still get entertained...
Saw 2 of these in Vietnam 1970 attacking the side of a mountain in Phuoc Tuy (Australian AO) They were in the distance, each in turning slowly in a spiral. On each swoop on the mountain, a puff came up and then after 2 seconds an extended BUURP. Impressive. Didn't know what they were until years later. I had a semi auto SLR (FN) and that sound was incredible to me.
Love wings and battle stations, two great television programs.
You guys make us proud. Thank you for your service.
38:35 is my grandfather. He just passed recently, rest easy ❤️🙏
I'd hide too if a Cobra was after me. Ha! One beautiful mean looking bird. Like a black widow. What have we here, said the spider to the fly. Thanks Flyboy! Kudos and Godspeed amigo!
It's interesting. "Whispering Death" was originally the nickname of the British twin-engine, two-seater WW2 Bristol Beaufighter. Commissioned in 1939 variations of the plane saw action throughout Europe and laster SE Asia, particularly in Burma and New Guinea. A tough, armoured plane the Beaufighter was originally armed with four 40mm cannons upfront, which were later was replaced with six .303 Browning machine guns. The Bristol Beaufighter was mainly used as an anti-shipping and ground attack aircraft, but it was particularly effective when used at low altitudes over the jungles of SE Asia, where its tree-top attacks would surprise enemy ground troops and installations, hence, "whispering death". The Beaufighter was frequently confused with the more lightly armed Beaufort Bomber by Japanese pilots who had learned to attack the Beaufort bombers head-on. Mistaking the Beaufighter for the bomber almost always proved fatal. My father and a number of uncles served PNG and nearby islands during WW2. The Beaufighter was always a welcome sight overhead.
Why the Beaufighter was called that, is the Bristol Hercules sleeve valve engine's!. Very quiet on the approach!.
The Bristol Beaufighter had 4 canon, six forward firing .303 machine guns, one operated by the navigator at the back. Could carry 1 14 inch torpedo or 8 4 inch rockets for anti ship attacks.
Sure glad the pilots and crews got out. I know several pilots, crew chiefs, and door gunners that went down. Some came home some didn’t
But I Got news for you. When things are really really bad and getting worse. We called for the FAST MOVERS. THE COBRAS were good for backing up interdictions and extractions But give me fast movers and napalm when you only have minutes left.
The most important thing I learned from my experience in the military is politicians judges bureaucrats MSM and the military industrial complex are corrupt beyond belief.
May God bless and keep the the men that served
I grew up right by the Bell Helicopter Plant, at the height ofthe Vietnam war. They were turning out hueys and cobras one an hour. They had a shakedown flight right off the lines, and came in low over my elemetary school all day....ill never forget the wispering growl they made.....gives me goosebumps when i hear them now
"Whispering Death" was the name given to the OV-1 Mohawk by the VC/NVA. The called the helicopter gunships, both UH-1 and AH-1, "Muttering Death".
Thank you again and again for your service JAR HEAD'S STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS AND PREVALE. VICTORY...THANK ALL THAT SERVED AS MEMORY OF THE EVENT.
Thanks Cobra pilots. You made a lot of searches in front and beside us in Vietnam. And made a lot of spectacular and helpful runs. I like Cobras. And Loaches.
Wow ! that blew my mind, the bit about the chopper pilot saying mosquitos splatting human blood on the screen, that place must have been fucking SAVAGE !
Love the look of the Cobra, but really love to see it in Marine Corps paint 👍
Watched many “Pink Teams” working up close after enemy contact in Vietnam. 2 Cobras and a Low Bird working together. The AH-6 would locate targets, drop smoke, and get out of the way. The two Cobras working together was amazing to watch and saved our asses many times.
Bravo Troop, 3/5 Cav, Black Knights, 2/75 Inf...Sickels Airfield FRG Thunder Horse, flying the Trace, slick scout eyes, 96B. Blackhorse, aero rifles. Crewchief rules. Brave Rifles!
I can’t imagine a much more empowering experience-these guys do this every day.
I lost it when the Vietnam pilots were imitating their gun sounds over the radio. “DADADADAH”😭
46:11 is the AH-1(4BW ) which is one of the origins of the AH-1Z Viper which is now in service and has replaced the AH-1W Super Cobra which was recently retired back in October. The 4BW is just a modified AH-1W and the narrator did get the prediction of the latest Cobra being called the Viper correct.
I was on the evaluation team for the Super Corbra "W" at NAS China Lake in 1986. We maintained two that were retrofitted from "T" models. Now they're gone and the "Z" is the shit.
I'm old
@@ghostmost2614 wow that’s interesting and I know that the AH-1T Sea Cobra has the camera on the nose like the Super Cobra and also the flare boxes mounted on the winglets whereas on the AH-1Z those are on the sides of the chopper and built in.
That young cobra pilot had me cracking up. Playing with his voice while lighting up the enemy. 😂🤣
That's what gun sounds like! Plaketplaketplaket!
Pew pewpew!
I think the best gun sound is made by gripping ones cheeks and yelling 'BANGAHH!' - but thats just me.......mmmm
one time i was at my local gun range, and i recalled the segment at 21:02 and i began making those same sounds "gadam gadam heh he heh" while shooting my 38 caliber revolver. For a few seconds, I imagined I was a Huey Cobra!
That young Cobra pilot was my lieutenant in HMLA 269. One of the finest officers I served with and a gentleman. Do not let his boyish demeanor confuse you. He was and is a true warrior.
Trending again by the look of it. Great video. One of the few from the Wings series I hadn't seen.
I liked the Hollywood version, but reality is truly terrifying...
The vietcong, A worthy Adversary my dad would say. My dad has some amazing and some pretty scary stories from his time in Nam. He came back a pot head. LOL But a badass nonetheless
Amazing story on how they throw deadly chemicals all over Vietnam to fuk generations of ppl?
@@jimmyk1998 that's war
respect to your father
Lucky to have him come back to you.
Everyone of us brought back challenges that only medicinal ( “but natural” ) support keeps us sane. Your Dad is awesome. He made it back.
whispering? well thats all wrong. i spent 5 yrs in HMLA 367 listening to the distinctive blade slap. i came to tears with pride several times seeing our squadron in the air
They flew many Sorties over Vietnam in support of our gun batteries in I Corps. 1969. I was impressed as a gunner on G/3/11 Artillery support. Wow, very impressive to this new guy in country.
1979 Ft Hood, My 1CAV MP unit provided security to keep reporters and Russians out of the area where I got to see a demonstration of the Cobra, The Apache (Both with newer weapon and firing platforms) along with the XM1-Abrams tank (X for experimental). We were used to Hueys and M60 Sheridan tanks, seeing all this futuristic firepower blasting vehicles and tanks down range was quite exciting for a 20 y/o.
US Intelligence translated a quote from a Taliban commander addressing his warriors: “Do not shoot at the small gray helicopters; they will destroy you”.
Semper Fi, Marines ✊
Priceless!!
The Cobra is alive and well for the American Naval and Marine use if you have been in heavy combat you appreciate there assistance and thank there aircrews for their combat skills and dangerous missions! God bless them!
When I was stationed at 29 Palms MCAGCC, I saw one open up on targets in the field. What a sight!