AH-1G Cobra (early production)
American attack helicopter The widespread use of multi-purpose helicopters in Vietnam for fire support tasks of ground units was the impetus for work on a specialized attack helicopter. The Bell company began its development in the spring of 1965, and already in September the first sample took to the air. Serial AH-1G Cobras began to roll off the assembly line in June 1967, and in the fall of the same year they began combat work in Vietnam. The built-in armament of the first production AH-1G Cobra consisted of a six-barreled Minigun mounted in the nose under-fuselage turret. Later, a 40-mm automatic grenade launcher was added to it. Blocks with unguided rockets and machine gun containers were additionally placed on the pylons, and the possibility of suspending a powerful 20-mm six-barreled automatic cannon was also added. The gunner, who was in the front seat, controlled the fire of the built-in weapons in the nose turret, and the pilot used the weapons located on the underwing pylons. Lightweight steel armor with a total weight of 122 kg was used to protect the crew and the most important parts of the structure and units from ground fire.
