Anyone in the market for their own REAL Cobra gunship?
http://www.courtesyaircraft.com/N599HF%20Bell%20TAH-1P%20Specs.htm
A little rich for my blood, but there are a few detail shots worth grabbing.
[:D]
1.1 Mil, that’s a deal. Some eccentric businessman/pilot will use it fly to work on Wall Street.
Semper Fi,
Chris
Now thats cool… But how are they able to be sold in the private sector?.
Chris
They’ve been de-militized
Ok cool, but what if I am a crazy with other crazy’s that follow me, I have a lot of money and the know how to “re-miltize” it… Whats to stop me from bringing some pain to some people?
Just a what if scenario on my part…
Cheers, Chris
The police as they put a bullet through your head. The same thing that happens when any nut uses a weapon improperly against innocent people.
So if it was that simple, then I guess Bin Laden would have been brought to justice 20 years ago, no?.. You make it sound so simple… Officer talking into his radio, I have the Cobra hovering above me, I will attemp to take the shot with my pistol… (Officer to self) What am I doing???
I am not talking about some kid who lives in his basement and hacks computers for fun. I am talking about seriously organized groups that have the will, money, and the desire to use these machines for no good… Its no secret that a man can get anything on the black market, and so if it is so easy to now buy an attack helicopter on the public market, then whats to say that these “collectors items” couldnt be used to for no good?
As I said, its a “what if scenario”. Just trying to get a thoughtful discussion happening here…
Chris
You are talking about two totally different scenarios. It is much easier to take out a single Cobra, or a few for that matter, than it is to track down and find a terrorist who is hiding behind false corporations and sympethetic governments, or hiding in some cave in northern Pakistan or Afghanistan.
No I’m not?
What’s the difference between Bin Laden, or people that blow up abortion clinics? They are organized groups that have an adgenda and use terror to advertise it!.. Those loony’s at PETA have even said that they would resort to killing humans if it meant saving animals… So what’s to stop them buying it and using it to blow up something or spread their message…
I understand that it wouldn’t be difficult for the government to seek and destroy a single helicopter. But the fact of the matter is, why should they be put in the public market for people to get their hands on… And with the fact that matredom is a fact of life for some organisations, then the calateral damage would be greater than the loss of the single life that flew the thing and inflicted damage… So why put it out there in the first place?
Who’s to say that it wont go to a drug cartel in South America where by it is used by rebels to fight the governments of the day. It is afterall another weapon…
Chris
Don’t worry,
The DOD, FAA, NTSB, etc, etc, will keep track of this machine. P-51’s and similar warbirds are still considered weapons systems and therefore require special certification and licensing from the FAA and NTSB. I wouldn’t worry about this Cobra too much. It’ll probably go to a flying museum.
Semper Fi,
Chris
Cheers…
As I said it was just a “what if” scenario, and I was just trying to make it sound far fetched…
I was wondering myself if they kept tabs on the older P-51’s ect… But knew that they would have to keep an eye on something like this…
Chris
There are quite-a-few out there already, Chris. Albeit, not in ‘private hands’ exactly. But, none-the-less they COULD be converted back to military configuration. They are being used by the forestry divisions of a couple of states.
There’s at least one being used by Florida and several in Washington state. They have several flying and more in Olympia waiting for conversion and/or for spare parts.
Here is one of Washington’s.
Look, in all honesty I was being stupid, and was just putting the idea out there to see what people thought… I have seen a picture of a Fire Cobra but not sure if it was the real deal or not…
I think its great that if you have the cash it could make a nice collectors piece, but just hoped that they kept track of it after sale…
Cheers mate…
IF I HAD THAT KIND OF MONEY I PROBABLY WOULD BUY ONE
Hey, Chris. I didn’t post the picture to belittle you. I thought you might be interested in what some of them are up to these days. [:D] In my opinion, you actually made a pretty good observation.
Even though the weapons have been de-milled, you are right, they can be re-milled. Although, it would be harder to do than say your everyday, cut Garand reciever or plugged 03-A3 barrel.
Anybody that flies an unauthorized Cobra through downtown NYC
(Wall Street), would be asking for it. That’s for sure!
It seems to me that somebody could convert any aircraft into a
weapons platform just as easily as a used Cobra or Mustang.
A Beech KingAir with guns in the nose would be just as fast as a
Mustang, and maybe even more impervious to damage. So I don’t
see any reason why former military aircraft should be monitored
more than others.
Just my 2c
The National Security clearance hoops you would need to jump through to even register your interest in the first place would be enough to scare most people off. Witness the ADF’s decision to GIVEAWAY our Leo AS1’s. Sure the engine & breech have been removed & the barrel filled but myself, my neighbour, or my mate down the street can’t get one. You need to demonstrate to the ADF your background in restoration & preservation of de-commissioned military hardware, ergo RSL’s & museums generally end up with them. And the Secret Squirrels in Canberra would have a database of the build #s cross-reffed to the old ARN’s, so if you somehow managed to flog a 60-odd tonne tank from the forecourt of an RSL & then find some loony in the backwaters of Estonia (example) with a 105mm gun & breech for sale…
I see your point Chris, but the checkpoints in place (I can’t imagine the U.S. DoD is any different to the ADF) would prevent Mr/s Bloggs getting their hands on something like this.
chopperfan dont worry, I didnt think that when you showed the pic. Infact its good to see exampls of the Cobra being used for other roles… Like I said, I am sure I saw a Fire Cobra once, but not sure where?
Shaun, I had some idea that it wouldn’t be as cut and dry as I was suggesting… It was a pie in the sky “what-if” in order to garner some reaction and discussion… Your information is interesting and could see how difficult for the average Joe it must be… I guess my point was, that sometimes, the bad guys aren’t the average Joe if you know what I mean…
Cheers, Chris
This is true Chris mate, this is true.
And whats to stop ME from doing the same with my K-98 or Garand. If their going to ban the sale of such things then they have to outlaw ALL weapons systems. I recently bought a so-called de-milled stoner designed light Mg for 900.00 at a gun show, the demilling consist’s of a copper breach plug and thats it, a little careful drilling and it would be totaly operational.