1:72 IAMI HESA-2091 ‘Tiztak’ (mod. AH-1J), Iranian Army Air Force, 2013

Dizzyfugu · July 14, 2022, 11:35:12 PM

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
Operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's small Bell AH-1J fleet has seen a fair share of indigenous modernization in recent years. In 1971, Iran purchased 202 examples of an improved AH-1J, named "AH-1J International", from the United States. This improved Cobra featured an uprated P&WC T400-WV-402 engine and a stronger drivetrain, so that it would have a better performance under "hot & high" conditions. Recoil damping gear was fitted to the 20 mm M197 gun turret, and the gunner was given a stabilized sight and a stabilized seat, too. Of the AH-1Js delivered to the Shah's Imperial Iranian Army Aviation, 62 were TOW-capable.
Iranian AH-1Js participated in the Iran–Iraq War—which saw the most intensive use of helicopters in any conventional war. Iranian AH-1Js (particularly the TOW-capable ones) were "exceptionally effective" in anti-armor warfare, inflicting heavy losses on Iraqi armored and vehicle formations. In operations over the barren terrain in Khuzestan and later in southern Iraq, beside the standard tactics, Iranian pilots developed special, effective tactics, often in the same manner as the Soviets did with their Mi-24s. Due to the post-Revolution weapons sanctions, Iranians had to make do with what was at hand: lacking other guided ordnance they equipped the AH-1Js with AGM-65 Maverick missiles and used them with some success in several operations. About half of the AH-1Js were lost during the conflict to combat, accidents, and simple wear and tear –the rest of the fleet was kept operational and busy during the following years.

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

However, time and use took their toll on the Iranian Cobras, for which no replacement could be found. In 2001, Brigadier General Ahmad Kazemi, the then-commander in chief of the IRGC Air Force (from 2009, it became known as the IRGC Aerospace Force, or IRGCASF), requested Ali Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Republic, to permit the IRGC to procure two former army AH-1J Cobra helicopters that had been restored by the Iranian Helicopters Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC, called 'Panha' in Iran). They belonged to the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IRIAA, as it was then known), which lacked the funds to pay for the necessary restoration and renewal of parts and fuselage sections.
The first of these refurbished AH-1Js was a TOW Cobra capable of using the Iranian-made clone of the BGM-71A TOW anti-tank missile, the "Towfan", while the second helicopter was a Non-TOW version capable of using only the 2¾-inch Hydra unguided rockets. They entered IRGCAF service at Fat'h helicopter base, Karaj, to the west of Tehran, in 2001. This marked the start of an ongoing but slow modernization program for the remaining Iranian Cobra fleet.

IHSRC also worked on the restoration of two more battle-damaged AH-1J TOW Cobras, in a project known as "Panha-2091". The front sections of their fuselages had been destroyed by cannon rounds from Iraqi tanks during the Iran-Iraq war and the extensive restoration work required manufacture of new fuselage panels and structural parts. Panha engineers also co-operated with their colleagues from IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries, also known as HESA in Iran) and designed a new canopy for the helicopters equipped with a flat, bulletproof windshield instead of the former oval, non-bulletproof version. Under a project named HESA-2091, both helicopters were thoroughly modernized and equipped with multifunction displays and a new weapon control system with a head-up display for the pilot. Internal avionics were revamped with the addition of a GPS system in the nose, and a warning radar with four antennae providing 360 degrees coverage was integrated, too. Design and production of the new digital systems and their components was carried out by the Iranian Electronics Industries Company (IEI) with the assistance of Isfahan University of Technology and a Chinese-connected company, Safa Electronic Component Industries. Installation was performed by IAMI in Shahin-Shahr.

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

These two helicopters were ultimately named 'Tiztak-2091' and became prototypes for a larger modernization project for 102 remaining AH-1J Cobra attack helicopters for the Iranian Army Aviation Force. However, in total, the cost of this bold conversion projects exceeded the whole IRIAA budget for 2001, and this resulted in the cancellation of the wider modernization program just a year later. Step forward the IRGC which procured the two Tiztak-2091 prototypes alongside four more former IRIAA AH-1J Non-TOW Cobra helicopters from the Iranian Defence Ministry. These were revamped and delivered to frontline units between 2003 and 2005. However, further conversions have only be done sparingly since then, due to the lack of funds and material.
Despite these limitations, the IAAF immediately began working on upgrade projects to further increase combat capability of the small but busy fleet of Cobra helicopters. The Tiztak helicopters had been equipped with new targeting/surveillance turrets instead of their M-65 Telescopic Sight Units under a IAMI project named Towfan-2 back in 2012. The first helicopters were equipped with the Oqab EO/IR targeting turret produced by IOI (Iranian Optics Industries) in 2012, while others received an RU-290 thermal camera, a product of Rayan Roshd-Afzar.

After the formation of the Army Aviation Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCAA) on February 23, 2016, the IRGCASF helicopter base at Fat'h was transferred to the IRGCGF (IRGC Ground Force), of which the IRGCAA was now a part. IRGCAA today operates more than 80 helicopters including nine Bell AH-1J International Cobras, with three examples modernized by Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI). IRGCAA had also been trying to equip its small fleet of AH-1Js with a new air-to-surface missile and an anti-tank missile, the Qaem-114 (outwardly almost identical to the American AGM-119 Hellfire), but this did not proceed beyond prototype stage.

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1
:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Despite the active Iranian AH-1J fleet's relatively small size after 2001, the Cobras were extremely active during counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the southeast and northwest of Iran. Both the IAAF and now the IRGCAA had always had two fire support teams, each formed with two to three AH-1Js in Orumiyeh and Zahedan, to be used against the PKK/PJAK and Jaish ul-Adl terrorist groups. The fire-support team at the IRGCGF Hamzeh Garrison in the northwest of Iran had two Bell 214A utility helicopters for SAR operations to accompany the Cobras while the team in Zahedan International Airport had two to three Mi-171Sh helicopters; usually, one armed with B8M1 rocket pods as a heavy fire support gunship.
The most notable use of the AH-1Js in combat by the IRGC took place in spring and summer 2008 when two AH-1Js stationed in Zahedan were extensively used in close-air-support missions during a counter-terrorism operation by IRGC Ground Forces against the Jondollah group (later to be rebranded as Jaish ul-Adl after being listed as a terrorist organization by the US State Department). After the arrest and execution of its leader, Abdolmalek Reigi by Iran, the group stopped its activities in 2009. It resumed again a few years later resulting in the launch of new anti-terror operations involving the AH-1Js in 2013, which continued periodically until 2020.

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

General characteristics:
Crew: 2
Length: 53 ft 5 in (16.28 m) with both rotors turning
45 ft 9 in (14 m) for fuselage only
Width: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) for stub wings only
Height: 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m)
Main rotor diameter: 43 ft 11 in (13.39 m)
Main rotor area: 1,514.97 sq ft (140.745 m²)
Empty weight: 2,802 kg (6,177 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 4,530 kg (9,987 lb)

Powerplant:
2× P&W Canada T400-CP-400 (PT6T-3 Twin-Pac) turboshaft engines, coupled to produce 1,530 shp
(1,140 kW; de-rated from 1,800 shp (1,342 kW) for drivetrain limitations)

Performance:
Maximum speed: 236 km/h (147 mph, 127 kn)
Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)
Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)
Rate of climb: 1,090 ft/min (5.5 m/s)

Armament:
1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 3-barreled Gatling cannon in M97 chin turret with 750 rounds
4× hardpoints under the sub wings for 2.75" (70 mm) Mk 40 or Hydra 70 rockets in 7 or 19 rounds
pods; up to 16 5" (127 mm) Zuni rockets in 4-round LAU-10D/A launchers, up to eight Toophan
ATGM in a dual or quad launcher on each wing, AIM-9 Sidewinder or Misagh-2 anti-aircraft
missiles (1 mounted on each hardpoint)

The kit and its assembly:
This is the counterpart to another modified Fujimi AH-1 model, actually a kit bashing of the AH-1S and the AH-1J model to produce something that comes close to the real IAMI HESA-2091 helicopter:

This is an upgraded/re-built AH-1J International of the Iranian Army Air Force. The "leftover" parts were used to create an Indonesian AH-1G (see: https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=50673.0) – even though the HESA-2091 was the "core project".

To create this Iranian variant, the AH-1J was taken as the basis and the nose as well as the flat-window canopy from the AH-1S were transplanted. While the nose with the TOW sensor turret was just an optional part that fits naturally on the fuselage (even though not without some PSR), the clear parts was more challenging, because the flat canopy is shorter than the original. In this case I had to fill some triangular gaps between the hood and the engine section, and this was done with 1.5 mm styrene sheet wedges and some more PSR to blend the parts that were not meant to be combined into each other.
The cockpit was taken OOB, together with the pilot figures that come with the kit. I also retained the original all-metal main rotor because the Iranian Cobras AFAIK were never upgraded with composite material blades?

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

To set the HESA-2091 further apart from the original AH-1J I changed the sensor turret in the nose and scratched a ball-shaped fairing that resembles the indigenous RU-290 thermal camera – it's actually the ball joint from a classic clear Matchbox kit display, with a base scratched from 0.5mm styrene sheet. The "ball" turned out to be a bit too large, but the overall look is O.K., since I wanted a non-TOW AH-1J. For a "different-than-a-stock-AH-1J" look A small radome for a missile guidance antenna was added to the nose above the sensor turret, too. Another personal addition are the small end plates on the stabilizers – inspired by similar installations on Bell's early twin-engine AH-1s, even though these later disappeared and were technically replaced by a ventral fin extension and a longer fuselage; the Iranian AH-1Js retained the short, original fuselage of the single-engine Cobra variants, though. The end plates were cut from leftover rotor blades from the scrap box, IIRC they belong to a Matchbox Dauphin 2.

Being part of the historical Zahedan fire support team I gave the Cobra an armament consisting of a nineteen round 70mm Hydra unguided missile pods (OOB), a pair of AGM-65 Maverick missiles (an ordnance actually deployed by Iranian Cobras), together with their respective launch rails, and I added launch tubes for indigenous Misagh-2 anti-aircraft missiles (which are actually MANPADS) to the stub wings' tips as a self-defense measure. These were scratched from 2mm styrene rods.

Painting and markings:
Finding a suitable paint scheme was not easy. A conservative choice would have been an early mid-stone/earth scheme or a tri-color scheme consisting of sand, earth and dark green. However, while doing WWW research I came across some more exotic and contemporary specimen, carrying a kind of leopard-esque mottle scheme or even a "high resolution" fractal/digital cammo consisting of three shades of beige/brown/grey – even though I am not certain if the latter was a "real" camouflage for operational helicopters or just a "show and shine" propaganda livery?

Re-creating the latter from scratch would have been prohibitively complex, because the pixelized mottles were really fine, maybe just 2" wide each in real life. But I used this scheme as an inspiration for a simplified variant, also kept in three shades of brown, even though the result was a kind of compromise due to the limited material options to create it.
The base became an overall coat with Tamiya XF-57 (Buff), plus very light grey (RAL 7035; Humbrol 196) undersides. A light black ink washing was applied, and panels were post-shaded to create a more vivid surface.
Then came the pixelized mottles in two contrast colors: first came a layer in RAL 1015 (Hellelfenbein/Light Ivory) and then a second in RAL 8011 (Nussbraun/Nut Brown) in a 1:1 ratio, slightly overlapping and letting the Buff base shine through. These mottles were not painted but rather created with square bits from generic decal stripe material in various widths from TL Modellbau. While not as sophisticated as the original camouflage, effect and look are quite similar, and add to the unique look of this HESA-2091(-ish) model. And even though I was sceptical, esp. because of the reddish Nussbraun, the blurring effect of the scheme is surprisingly good – esp. when you put the model in front of a dry mountain background! I'll keep the concept in the back of my head for further what-if models. All those single pixels were a lot of work, but the result looks really good.

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Another detail from many real late Iranian Cobras was taken over, too: a black tail rotor drive shaft cover that extends up onto the fin's leading edge – probably a measure to hide exhaust soot stains on the tail boom? A black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen, too, and the rotor blades became medium grey (Humbrol 165, Medium Sea Grey) except for the main rotor blades' undersides, which became black. The cockpit interior was uniformly painted in a very dark grey (Revell 06, Anthracite) and the pilots received khaki jumpsuits and modern grey and olive drab "bone domes".

The decals were puzzled together from various sources. The Iranian roundels came from a Begemot MiG-29 sheet, registration numbers and fin flashes from an Iranian F-5. The IAAF abbreviation was created with single black 4 mm letters.
Graphite was used to weather the model, esp. the area on top of the tail boom, and the model was finally sealed with matt acrylic varnish overall.

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 IAMI (Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries) HESA-2091 'Tiztak' (modified Bell AH-1J International); '13-6211' of the Iranian Army Aviation Force (IAAF); Zahedan (South-Eastern Iran), 2013 (What-if/cross-bashed Fujimi kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

An exotic model – the Iranian home-brew HESA-2091 looks familiar, but it's a unique combination of classic Cobra elements. More spectacular is the pixelated paint scheme, and the attempt to generate it with the help of square decal bits worked (and looks) better than expected! This might also work well in grey as a winter camouflage? Hmmm....

rickshaw · July 15, 2022, 01:16:58 AM

Very good cam there, very effective!

Wardukw · July 15, 2022, 01:53:15 AM

What the hell Thomas???!!!
Ya hit us with that damn nice AH1 last week and then you slam us with this one which is another level above the last one..this is a amazing paint job on such a small canvas..dude you rocked this build bigtime

comrade harps · July 15, 2022, 02:00:38 AM

Man, that is hard to look at! I'd count that as a successful dazzle effect.

Dizzyfugu · July 15, 2022, 02:33:41 AM

He he, yes, the pixelated cammo looks better than expected, and it turned out to be quite effective, too!

Old Wombat · July 15, 2022, 05:57:30 AM

Amazing how effective a basic digital camouflage can be!

Great job, Dizzy!

NARSES2 · July 15, 2022, 05:57:50 AM

That camouflage works extremely well against some of those backgrounds

Another stunner Dizzy

Gondor · July 15, 2022, 11:16:48 AM

That's another doozy Dizzy

The "paint" scheme is an inspiration as well

Gondor

Scotaidh · July 16, 2022, 02:17:25 AM

I'm going blind just looking at it - I dunno how you got it done, but - wow!

Good job, sir - well done!

Pellson · July 16, 2022, 02:25:08 AM

My eyes hurt. And I'm simultaneously impressed. Annoying..

sandiego89 · July 16, 2022, 07:33:18 AM

I too am amazed at how well the camo works against those backgrounds, especially the agricultural and urban settings.

Really well done!

DogfighterZen · July 16, 2022, 12:08:35 PM

Excellent work as always, Dizzy! Love that camo!

Dizzyfugu · July 17, 2022, 01:20:48 AM

Thanks a lot! A humble experiment that turned into a surprisingly effective success.

PR19_Kit · July 17, 2022, 01:39:54 AM

So the camo was done with DECAL material?

I like that a LOT, and it works remarkably well.

Dizzyfugu · July 17, 2022, 02:25:35 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 17, 2022, 01:39:54 AM
So the camo was done with DECAL material?

Yup, with generic decal stripe material from TL Modellbau; the sheets come in various widths (3-5 mm, IIRC), and these were cut into short squares and always two of different sizes placed next to each other without a real plan.