Align AH-1W Super Cobra build..

[DWSchmidt]

Rob,

In the pictures, are those 473mm blades on the Cobra or 425 blades? I realize they're display only, just trying to judge the length.

Thanks!

D.W.

[Rob43]

In the pics with the 7HV, the Cobra blades are Spin 465mm asymmetricals. Not for display, but for flight. They fly very nicely at a reasonable headspeed. 75% throttle with a 12t pinion does fine. From a 4 minute sortie, the Thor 45C2700 pack comes down at 3.85 volts per cell, and just beginning to get warm.

My display blades (shown below) are much wider and have opposite rotation sense. They also feature a trapezoidal tip as designed by Boeing for Bell. These are from Sig Mfg balsa 3" flat bottom airfoil. The root laminatiions were made from 10 mil thick vinyl. A drag link ws added for a final touch to anchor the blade to the head since this is how Bell designed for setting lead/lag of the blades.

[bladerunner469]

SWEET

[ozflyer]

Rob

Do you know how much you put back into the batteries for a 4 min flight.
With the Edge 473's I put back around 1400 mAhs for a 4 min flight with a similar setup.

[1275mini]

just got one ! and i need a set of pilots any ideas lads !!!!

[Rob43]

Originally Posted by ozflyer

Rob

Do you know how much you put back into the batteries for a 4 min flight.
With the Edge 473's I put back around 1400 mAhs for a 4 min flight with a similar setup.

Sorry, Steve, but I didn't take note. I bet it's around the same value as your case though. Maybe less. I recall that at 4 mins, I am at 3.85v/cell with the 6S2700 pack. I think 5:30 to 6 mins could be achieved with my pack at 75% throttle.

[Rob43]

Originally Posted by 1275mini

just got one ! and i need a set of pilots any ideas lads !!!!

Check with user "Hoverup" for the McFarland heli pilots that I used. If he has them, they won't be cheap! He might also know where else they could be found. Best wishes!

[BakedMopar]

Any vids of this Rob?

[ozflyer]

If you have a look on the AH-1W group there is a lot of pics of Robs build and a video of mine flying

https://www.helifreak.com/groups/ah-1w-super-cobra.html

[Rob43]

No vids. No one around me shoots anything. I can't even get decent still shots on anything. It sux! I am confident the vid would showcase it well. If flies like a dream, and moves along very realistically. Much better than I expected.

[ronin46]

hi

I have a question, how do the hands of pilots in the position I'm in your photographs
Regards
Richard

[ronin46]

hi

I have a question, how do the hands of pilots in the position of your photographs
Regards
Richard

[bencher23]

This was the HMLA-169 "CO's bird" in late 2005 prior to their deployment to Al Anbar in 2006. The CO's name was LtCol B. "Benny Boy"Colandreo (May 2005-Nov 2006) as represented by this entire decal set. The stream is somewhat correct that the Co-pilot/gunner's name appears on the port side, front canopy while the Pilot in Command is on the starboard side back canopy because that's where they open.

The decal set had the CO's name included, but spelled wrong. This paint job was designed in part by the CO, but many had inputs. The pictures for the decal set were actually taken at the Miramar airshow, 2005. The CO's name was indeed speed wrong on the aircraft as well. There was no time to fix it before it had to go to the airshow. CO was very used to his name being spelled wrong. This bird was painted over in 2006 as HMLA-369 took it from 169.

HMLA-169 performed amazingly well in Iraq 2006 (Based at TQ between Fallujah and Ramadi), completing 8000 combat hours and escorting safely 1200 CASEVAC missions. As a bit of trivia, the movie American Sniper represents Viper Cobras and Hueys as Chris Kyle's last Ramadi tour, when he became known as the Devil of Ramadi, was at the same time as the Vipers.