1/48 Revell - Monogram AH-1F Cobra / Tsefa

Gallery Article by Gidi Vitkon on Apr 26 2012

  Israel Independence Day 

 

 

The Cobra or Tsefa – viper in Hebrew is one of the most identified IAF helicopters ever, serving from 1975 in every arena. Interestingly the decision to buy the Cobra was not to fight massive armor but rather to fight against heavily AAM defended targets but due to poor weapon range the prime mission was changed to armor fighting.

 

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The IAF has two squadrons of Cobras, each squadron has a unique art applied to their helicopters. This one is of the northern squadron and was designed by my dear friend Mr. Ra’anan Weiss from Isradecal.

The kit is the classic Monogram kit in the new Revell box.  As with all IAF machines, the Cobra was improved all the time and large array of sensors, flare dispensers and antennas were added, tail no 412 has them all so Isradecal AH-1S Cobra conversion 48-028 was used. To make the model even more interesting I opened both cockpit doors.

Rockets are not used by the Tsefa, so I closed the holes on the wings

To my surprise the kit was tail heavy so some weight was placed under the front cockpit.

Decals came from the excellent Isradecal IAF-81 decal set and the yellowish V came from Isradecal IAF-10 set, most of the data and the updated end of the snake came from the kit decal.

The Cobras all over brown color FS-30145 was mixed from Humbrol colors- 3 part 110 to 1 part 119. 

Weathering was done first with Promodeller dark dirt and then after a coat of flat varnish lightly with brown pastels.

A flat cote sealed everything in place. next I painted the position light with clear red\green over silver and the nose sight with gloss black.

The disco light was painted silver and after it drayed some clear green and yellow was painted on it.

Thanks for looking at my Cobra

And most important - Happy modeling

Gidi Vitkon

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Photos and text © by Gidi Vitkon