Editing Bell AH-1 Cobra (section)

===Model 209===
Despite the Army's preference for the AAFSS program—for which Bell Helicopter was not selected to compete—the company persisted with their own idea of a smaller and lighter gunship, noting that Lockheed had little experience in developing rotorcraft and correctly predicted that it would encounter considerable difficulties.<ref name=Donald/><ref name= "cobra birth"/> Bell employee Mike Folse played a key role in developing this new gunship, which he intentionally based around the existing UH-1 on the rationale that, while the Army could not purchase a completely original helicopter without a formal design competition, the service was able to procure a modification of an aircraft that was already in its inventory without invoking such hurdles. This initiative quickly caught the approval of Bell's senior management team.<ref name= "cobra birth"/>

In January 1965, Bell elected to invest $1 million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=1000000|start_year=1965}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}) to proceed with the concept's detailed design. Mating the proven transmission, the "540" rotor system of the UH-1C augmented by a Stability Control Augmentation System (SCAS), and the T53 turboshaft engine of the UH-1 with the design philosophy of the Sioux Scout, Bell produced the ''Model 209''.<ref name=Donald/> It largely resembled the "Iroquois Warrior" mockup,<ref name=Huey_Cobra>Bishop 2006, {{page needed|date=January 2021}}.</ref> particularly in its cockpit and tail boom; in broad visual terms, there was relatively little shared between the proposed design and the UH-1. Despite appearance, much of the Model 209's major elements, such as the tail rotor and much of the dynamic systems, were identical. Roughly 80 percent of its components already had existing Huey part numbers.<ref name= "cobra birth"/>

[[File:Bell 209.jpg|thumb|left|Bell 209 prototype of the AH-1 Cobra series, with skids retracted (FAA no. N209J)]]
On 3 September 1965, Bell rolled out its Model 209 prototype, and four days later it made its maiden flight, only eight months after the project's go-ahead and slightly under budget.<ref name= "cobra birth"/> This first flight was witnessed by around 20 US Army officials, the service having had no awareness of the project's existence prior to this, and rapidly drew the government's attention. One early test flight was met with a reportedly enthusiastic visit by US secretary of defense [[Robert McNamara]]. Bell claimed at this phase of the project that production units could be ready for service within one year.<ref name= "cobra birth"/>

As the Vietnam War proceeded, pressure accumulated in favor of the Model 209. Attacks on US forces were increasing and, by the end of June 1965, there were already 50,000 US ground troops in Vietnam.<ref name=Donald/> 1965 was also the deadline for AAFSS selection, but the program would become stuck in technical difficulties and political bickering. The US Army needed an interim gunship for Vietnam and it approached five separate companies with its request to provide a quick solution. Submissions came in for armed variants of the [[Boeing CH-47 Chinook#ACH-47A|Boeing-Vertol ACH-47A]], [[Kaman SH-2 Seasprite#Variants|Kaman HH-2C Tomahawk]], [[Piasecki 16H Pathfinder]], [[Sikorsky S-61]], and the Bell 209.<ref name=Donald/><ref name= "cobra birth"/>

During April 1966, Bell's submission emerged victorious in an evaluation against the other rival helicopters. The US Army promptly signed the first production contract, ordering an initial batch of 110 aircraft.<ref name=Donald/><ref name= "McGowen 107">McGowen 2005, p. 107.</ref> By the end of the year, rapid follow-on orders had increased this to 500 Cobras.<ref name= "cobra birth"/> Bell added "Cobra" to the UH-1's Huey nickname to produce its ''HueyCobra'' name for the 209. The Army applied the ''Cobra'' name to its AH-1G designation for the helicopter.<ref>Verier 1990, pp. 30–31.</ref> The Bell 209 demonstrator was used for the next six years to test weapons and fit of equipment. An additional use for the demonstrator was participating in marketing initiatives.<ref name= "cobra birth"/> It was also modified to match the AH-1 production standard by the early 1970s. The demonstrator was retired to the [[General George Patton Museum of Leadership|Patton Museum]] at [[Fort Knox]], Kentucky and converted to approximately its original appearance.<ref name=Huey_Cobra/>