AH-1 Cobra Gunship Vs NVA Armor

by Peter E. Davies

ISBN: 9781472861740

Published: 2025-01-14

A new study of how the first purpose-built anti-tank helicopter gunship – the Bell AH-1 Cobra – engaged communist armor and well-armed irregular fighters in the war for control of Vietnam. The Vietnam War was often dubbed 'the helicopter war' because it was the first conflict in which helicopters took a dominant role. As the only dedicated gunship to be fielded by US forces during the conflict, the AH-1 Cobra saw combat against North Vietnamese Army (NVA) tanks, armored personnel carriers (APCs), and heavy anti-aircraft weaponry while joining OH-6A "Loach" scout helicopters on "Pink Team" hunter-killer flights. There were more than 700 Cobras operational in Vietnam by 1972, and it proved such an effective weapon that the NVA often avoided shooting at it, fearing massive and instant retribution. In this action-packed new study, Vietnam War expert Peter E. Davies examines the development and deployment of the Cobra, its engagements with Soviet- and Chinese-supplied tanks and heavy...