Italeri 1/72 AH-1W Super Cobra

ITALERI 1:72 AH-1W SUPER COBRA
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Myself (smakr@bigpond.com)

Kit: Italeri No.160 1/72 Bell AH-1W Super Cobra

Aircraft: The Super Cobra is based on the sleek, skinny and successful Bell Ah-1 Huey Cobra, which was used in great numbers during the Vietnam War. Incorporating better fighting power, upgraded engines and other performance enhancements the Super Cobra was first produced for the USMC in 1986. Armament consists of 20-mm rapid fire cannon plus a range of stores options including TOW missiles, Sidewinders, Hellfires, Zuni and 70 mm rockets.

Parts: As is the case with just about every Italeri kit I pick up of late everything floats loose in the box - no plastic bags. Two light grey injection molded sprues of 54 parts with nicely rendered raised surface detail. One clear sprue is also provided for two parts including a one-piece canopy - which has very fine weblike scratches, so a dip in polish will be needed.

Instructions: Folded out strip with brief history, sprue diagram, colour callouts from the Model Master range (some FS numbers provided) and five simple assembly steps with low resolution b&w photos showing close ups of model, gun and cockpit. To get a painting/markings diagram you need to look at the bottom of the box, which provides colour chips.

Versions: Only one version is catered for by this kit, a USMC Super Cobra from an unidentified regiment, in wrap around Light Ghost Grey, Dark Green and Black camouflage.

Decals: A tiny sheet containing just 13 decals (obviously all but one of which are part of a pair, such as the US Insignia, so you could say only 6 different decals!), all in black register, so you better watch where you paint the aircraft its black splotches of camo! :)

Accuracy: I know a few people around the traps who have built this kit and all are of the opinion that this is a decent and accurate replication of the Super Cobra. Matching up some of the profile points on the sprue with reference material as well as measurements indicate this kit is pretty good in this regard.

Detail: Surface detail is fine, nice but raised. Watch your sanding! Vents have been etched into the plastic, adding some realism and the gun has been given enough detail to look realistic. The cockpit gets a fit out with two seats, two instrument panels (both with raised console detail), a HUD like clear piece and column stick for the rear seater and vision scope for the pilot.

Options: The gun and camera appear to be moveable, the instructions don't discuss keeping some part 'uncemented', but you can see from the diagram that it is supposed to be moveable. Of course both rotor blades are supposed to be moveable (again the instructions don't discuss not-cementing). For stores you get a pair of rocket pods and 8 missiles which I assume to be Hellfires plus their railings.

Impressions: Well I guess that impressions about this kit are somewhat pre-conceived based on the reports from other builders having done this kit. It's a good, typically Italeri engineered example, with few hassles in what appears will be a fairly straight forward build. It is reputed to be accurate. Moldings are clean, looks crisp on the sprue but there are a few small fiddly parts to attach, namely the gun barrels! The Super Cobra has three barrels, the kit supplies two of them together but you have to attach the third - that will be fun...not! The kit has sufficient external detail also with antennae and fairings all provided in the kit. In a word, recommended!

Other Comments: While the kit gives some detail in the cockpit as touched on above, you can get an aftermarket cockpit resin set as a replacement made from (aptly!) Cobra Company. You may also be disappointed in the decal sheet, no stencilling, so the detailer will want to replace this or look for alternative subject material to reproduce since only one example is catered for in this kit.

AH-1W Super Cobra letting loose with a sidewinder - camouflage depicted in kit example

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