picture 204166

When the Iranian Army depleted its stocks of BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles, the idea was born to install AGM-65A Maverick, electro-optically guided air-to-surface missiles on some of the IRIAA’s AH-1Js instead. This modification proved successful and was deployed in combat. The AGM- 65As taken over by the Army for this purpose were usually crudely over-sprayed with green in order to make them less conspicuous. The AH-1J depicted here is otherwise wearing the standard camouflage pattern of dark yellow sand and dark earth, and the usual national and service insignia, though with its ‘Onion’ applied in white. Note the replacement frame for the front cockpit hood, left in forest green. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)