Matchbox 1/72 AH-1G Huey Cobra
| KIT: | Matchbox 1/72 AH-1G Huey Cobra |
| KIT #: | PK-9 (1973) |
| PRICE: | Out of Production |
| DECALS: | Two options |
| REVIEWER: | Victor Scheuerman |
| NOTES: | Matchbox's first helo kit |
| HISTORY |
A Tandem seat attack Helicopter first deployed in Vietnam by the U.S. Army on 1967 and used extensively in the close support role. This aircraft is also used by the Marine Corps, together with a more powerful version, the AH 1J Sea Cobra.
A wide range of armaments can be carried slung under the stub wings aft of the cockpit, including gun pods, rocket pods, wire guided missiles etc., and machines have a chin turret operated by the forward crew member. (Thanks to the kit instruction sheet)
| THE KIT |
This
kits 36 parts (including a clear one-piece canopy) are cleanly molded in two
shades of brown. There is no flash anywhere and the exterior is engraved just
shy of trench enthusiasm; a coat of rattle can primer and some light sanding and
it will look fine. While most Matchbox kits are shy in the office, this cockpit
consist of; two seats, aft frame, pilot instrument panel, two crew figures and
two control sticks.
Matchbox
does supplies stores for the winglets and these consist of a rocket and gun
pods. A thing worth noting is the fine job they did on the reinforcement plates
(?) on the main rotors.
Assembly of this basic kit is covered on ten steps on the well illustrated instruction sheet that also offers detail painting notes at the end. Two decal options are offered and both appear to be in overall Olive Drab. A generic Marine is the first one with a yellow tail band and MARINES in white and a full-colour national insignia to add some colour. The U.S. Army Cobra comes from the 235th Attack Helicopter Flight and it features only black titling and serial numbers. Both are shown on the back of the box in colour. I was a little surprise to find the decals sheet still in good form and useable and it does include the red/white/red stripes for the tail rotor and the white squares for the top of the main rotors for the army version.
| CONCLUSIONS |
A cleanly molded and engraved Cobra is in the offering. With some card detailing added to the office, this kit would look just fine.
November 2007
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