Cobra Super F.A.N.G. (Attack Helicopter)

The F.A.N.G. was the primary attack helicopter used by Cobra forces during their early years. It possessed both an open cockpit and a large heat signature, both of which were weaknesses exploited time and again by G.I. Joe gunners. Eventually Cobra Commander directed that the F.A.N.G. be replaced by the F.A.N.G. II. However, design problems and production delays with the new helicopter frustrated him repeatedly. In the interim, he directed that all existing F.A.N.G.s be augmented with additional weaponry, heavier armor and a more powerful engine. This resulted in a helicopter that performed no better, but exploded far more brilliantly when targeted.










This project was completed for my son and is basically just a re-paint of The Corps! attack helicopter, which is available at Wal-Mart for about $6.00.












I was originally drawn to the base toy because it so closely resembled the original 1983 Cobra F.A.N.G. (the Cobra F.A.N.G. shared by my brother and I was destroyed during the Battle of Kenny's Ditch during the mid-1980's). It looked a lot like someone had taken the original helicopter and added extra armor, extra guns and a pair of wing pylons to carry rockets. I re-painted it so that the colors closely matched the original toy. I found some suitable decals at G.I. Joe Customs and modified them for the helicopter. I also found some of the winged Cobra logos normally found on later Cobra aircraft. I applied one of these to the nose area, only to discover later that it would be concealed by the dual machine guns. Alas...