Although Australia’s armed forced did not operate the AH-1, the Cobra earned a formidable reputation in support of combined US/Australian ground operations in the Vietnam war.  Cobra operations also included “Hunter Killer” teams, pairing AH-1′s with OH-6 scout helicopters which would fly low and slow, luring ground fire, at which point the Cobra teams would dive in destroying the revealed targets.

The AH-1 Huey Cobra saw action in the Tet Offensive in 1968 and served through to the end of the Vietnam war.  Army Cobra’s went  on to serve in Operation Fury in 1983 (the invasion of Grenada) and the US invasion of Panama (Operation Just Cause) in 1989.  In 1990 over 140 Huey Cobra’s were deployed in Operation Desert Shield and in 1991 with Operation Desert Storm.

Aside from its venerable military record, the Huey Cobra served as a humanitarian intervention tool during Operation Restore Hope in Somalia of 1993.

The fate of the AH-1 was decided in 1997 with the US Army recommendation to retire it from active service.  The last active US Army AH-1 was retired in March of 1999 and last reserve AH-1′s in September of 2001, bringing an end to the Cobra’s 33 years of US military service.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7AZ9y54ZqA

The canopy which is largely complete will require a complete disassembly, refurbishment and replacement of hardware and the replacement of the forward canopy bow.  The restoration process has already been started with the right-hand side having its paint-removed and stainless components polished.

The perspex canopy panels have already been purchased and are awaiting the completion of the canopy to be fitted.

Thank you again Richard for your kind donation!

Participating in a group tour on 23rd May with his friends, former RAAF pilot, Jack “Bluey” Ellis had been walking through the facilities when he recognised the Boomerang frame.  On hand to speak with him, HARS member Mike De La Hunty quickly made a call to myself, at which time I ran downstairs, camera in hand, excited at the prospect of speaking with a ‘real’ boomerang pilot.

Jack had served with No.5 Squadron and had accumulated over 500 hours in Boomerangs, flying ground support missions in Bouganville during WWII.  Prior to his posting up north, Jack was one of many pilots who was sent to Canberra, to a school that at the time was only newly formed.  The Army School of Air Cooperation.

A46-73 had been assigned to the Army School of Air Cooperation, and lived out the war until 1947, training Boomerang pilots on tactics and techniques of operating at close proximity to the ground and in coordination with Army ground units.  ”The school did not operate many Boomerangs, as we did most of our training in the Wirraway with an Army officer in the rear.  It is fantastic to see A46-73 again after all these years.”, Jack recalled.

“We used to fly the Boomerangs no more than 2 foot off the (jungle) canopy.  We didn’t have the luxury of thousands of feet under us like spitfires and kittyhawks, Boomerang pilots flew close to the ground and quite often got shot at, but almost always got home.  On many missions we (boomerang pilots) would lead in New Zealand Corsairs for ground attack missions, I was only 23 back then.” he said.

It was an honor and privilege to meet Jack and spend the time that i did.  It makes me all the more determined to see A46-73 fly again.  An unexpected bonus in the process of restoring this great aircraft and an experience I doubt I will ever forget.

Thank’s Jack and I hope to see you again soon.  Ben Morgan