Plastic Hacker Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Guys, I seem to recall reading somewhere that a few AH-1Gs were painted (gloss?) black in Vietnam - can anyone provide confirmation or is old age catching up with me? PH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 2 hours ago, Plastic Hacker said: Guys, I seem to recall reading somewhere that a few AH-1Gs were painted (gloss?) black in Vietnam - can anyone provide confirmation or is old age catching up with me? PH Hi PH, I`ve looked through all my `nam books and I can`t find one or a mention even, but there may have been, nothing seems to be hard and fast in Vietnam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Hello PH Likewise although not my area so could be wrong. Could you be thinking of this? Can only find the drawing on this quick search but I have seen photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight_Flyer Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 I do recall Fujimi releasing AH-1G and UH-1B Black Bunny helicopter kits. Don't know if they're based on real schemes and assume they are painted overall black. As from the description they have the Playboy bunny logos. Could even have been based on the helo's featured in the "Apocalypse Now" film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenton guy Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Spent a year in Vietnam, 1968-1969. Saw a lot of Cobras. Never saw a black one. They were not in the Central Highlands or Binh Dinh province, which is where I was. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Perhaps the Gloss Olive Drab looked black against the sky..? Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastic Hacker Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Thanks everyone for the replies - seems it is failing memory!! I have seen references to some being waxed which makes them appear darker too. PH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I have read and heard about them before, however I do not recall the source material. Some speculation as to them was that the CIA had a pair and where running them up and down near the Laos border. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 24 minutes ago, whiskey said: I have read and heard about them before, however I do not recall the source material. Some speculation as to them was that the CIA had a pair and where running them up and down near the Laos border. Why would the CIA go to the trouble of painting them black and making them more conspicuous? The AH-1 was probably the most distinctive looking helicopter in the world as it was at the time. I don't think painting it black would have made it very deniable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) There is a published image of an all-black USMC F-4 with sharkmouth and weapons taken at Da Nang if my memory serves me right which eventually turned out to be of an aircraft in black primer during a re-spray upon which the squadron involved had decided to do a little bit of full-size 'what-iffery' before the standard grey and white top coat were re-applied. No idea what the specific US Army procedures were for re-painting in-theatre but is it possible that the AH-1G images you recall reading about may have been of aircraft during a similar process? Edited March 17, 2017 by Des Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Beats me. Why would anyone paint any aircraft of any type in black, although it has happened. I do not pretend to know why, I just know that I have heard of this as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 According to Jon Bernstein, who authored " US Army AH-1 Cobra Units in Vietnam", B Battery 2/20 ARA flew an all black Cobra circa 1970 during the invasion of Cambodia. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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