Bell's AH-1 Cobra was the first dedicated helicopter gunship to reach frontline service anywhere in the world. Developed as a private venture by the manufacturer, and based on the mechanics of the ubiquitous UH-1 Huey, the Cobra proved a huge success once introduced into combat with the US Army in 1966. Built as a key weapon in the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System concept of 1965, the AH-1 was one of the few aircraft to reach the combat zone after actual combat experience went into its design. The AH-1 helped reduce the losses being suffered by vulnerable troop transport helicopters by providing effective fire suppression during airmobile operations. This book explores its history, technology and crew.

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 machine guns, and how it was adapted to counter devastating surface-to-air missile attacks in 1972. Numerous key clashes – including the Tet Offensive and actions at Loc Ninh and An Loc – are explored in detail, with first-hand accounts, newly commissioned artwork, and more than 50 photographs bringing the operations of this iconic helicopter to life.

Flies the reader into combat with the same elite air cavalry unit portrayed in the film "Apocalypse Now"

Bell's AH-1 Cobra was the first dedicated helicopter gunship to reach frontline service anywhere in the world. Developed as a private venture by the manufacturer, and based on the mechanics of the ubiquitous UH-1 Huey, the Cobra proved a huge success once introduced into combat with the US Army in 1966. Built as a key weapon in the Advanced Aerial Fire Support System concept of 1965, the AH-1 was one of the few aircraft to reach the combat zone after actual combat experience went into its design. The AH-1 helped reduce the losses being suffered by vulnerable troop transport helicopters by providing effective fire suppression during airmobile operations. This book explores its history, technology and crew.

Born out of a need for an armed escort for US Airmobile forces in Vietnam, the Bell AH-1 Cobra went on to become the US Army's premier attack helicopter from Vietnam to the 1980s, when the Army began replacing the Cobra with the new AH-64 Apache (The Cobra is still in use with the USMC). In this title the AH-1 is presented in meticulous detail. Includes cockpits, engines, weapons, airframe and more. Also covers US Marine Corps version. Illustrated with 112 b/w and 96 color photos, 12 color drawings, and 9 b/w drawings.

Through the Valley is the captivating memoir of the last U.S. Army soldier taken prisoner during the Vietnam War. A narrative of courage, hope, and survival, Through the Valley is more than just a war story. It also portrays the thrill and horror of combat, the fear and anxiety of captivity, and the stories of friendships forged and friends lost. In 1971 William Reeder was a senior captain on his second tour in Vietnam. He had flown armed, fixed-wing OV-1 Mohawks on secret missions deep into enemy territory in Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam on his first tour. He returned as a helicopter pilot eager to experience a whole new perspective as a Cobra gunship pilot. Believing that Nixon’s Vietnamization would soon end the war, Reeder was anxious to see combat action. To him, it appeared that the Americans had prevailed, beaten the Viet Cong, and were passing everything over to the South Vietnamese Army so that Americans could leave. Less than a year later, while providing support to forces at the besieged base of Ben Het, Reeder’s chopper went down in a flaming corkscrew. Though Reeder survived the crash, he was captured after evading the enemy for three days. He was held for weeks in jungle cages before enduring a grueling forced march on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, costing the lives of seven of his group of twenty-seven POWs. Imprisoned in the notorious prisons of Hanoi, Reeder’s tenacity in the face of unimaginable hardship is not only a captivating story, but serves as an inspiration to all. In Through the Valley William Reeder shares the torment and pain of his ordeal, but does so in the light of the hope that he never lost. His memoir reinforces the themes of courage and sacrifice, undying faith, strength of family, love of country, loyalty among comrades, and a realization of how precious is the freedom all too often taken for granted. Sure to resonate with those serving in the armed forces who continue to face the demands of combat, Through the Valley will also appeal especially to readers looking for a powerful, riveting story.