Bell AH-1G over Vietnam. Source/Credits:United States Army Heritage and Education Center

AH-64D Apache flying over Baghdad, Iraq in 2007, on a reconnaissance mission. Source/Credits: Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 4 Daniel McClinton, 1st ACB October 15, 2007 An AH-64A Apache from Company B, 1st Attack Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, flies over a residential area in the Multi-National Division-Baghdad area Oct. 12. The Apache crew was conducting a reconnaissance mission to keep an eye out for enemy mortar and anti-aircraft systems.

For years, there has been a great deal of debate among aviation lovers, is AH-1 or AH-64 better? ... Apache is the best Attack helicopter in the world right now but the HueyCobra its one of the best's too. In this article we will compare the AH-64D with the AH-1G. Both helicopters are for attacking and reconnaissance missions. They both share fame. Lets start with the Specifications of each helicopter. 

Specifications 

Specifications (AH-64A/D)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot, and co-pilot/gunner)
• Length: 58 ft 2 in (17.73 m)
  
• Fuselage length: 49 ft 5 in (15.06 m)
• Height: 12 ft 8 in (3.87 m)
• Empty weight: 11,387 lb (5,165 kg)
• Gross weight: 17,650 lb (8,006 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 23,000 lb (10,433 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T700-GE-701 turboshaft engines, 1,690 shp (1,260 kW) each (upgraded to 1,890 shp (1,409 kW) T700-GE-701C for AH-64A/D from 1990)
• Main rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
• Main rotor area: 1,908.5 sq ft (177.31 m2) 4-bladed main-rotor and 4-bladed tail-rotor in non-orthogonal alignment
• Blade section: root: HH-02; tip: NACA 64A006

Performance

• Maximum speed: 158 kn (182 mph, 293 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 143 kn (165 mph, 265 km/h)
• Never exceed speed: 197 kn (227 mph, 365 km/h)
• Range: 257 nmi (296 mi, 476 km) with Longbow radar mast
• Combat range: 260 nmi (300 mi, 480 km)
• Ferry range: 1,024 nmi (1,178 mi, 1,896 km)
• Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
• Disk loading: 9.8 lb/sq ft (48 kg/m2)
• Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (0.30 kW/kg)

Armament

• Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) M230 Chain Gun with 1,200 rounds as part of the Area Weapon Subsystem
• Hardpoints: Four pylon stations on the stub wings. Longbows also have a station on each wingtip for an AIM-92 Stinger twin missile pack.
• Rockets: Hydra 70 70 mm, CRV7 70 mm, and APKWS 70 mm air-to-ground rockets
• Missiles: Typically AGM-114 Hellfire variants; AIM-92 Stinger and Spike missiles may also be carried.

Avionics

• Lockheed Martin / Northrop Grumman AN/APG-78 Longbow fire-control radar (Note: can only be mounted on the AH-64D/E)

Specifications (AH-1G HueyCobra)

General characteristics

• Crew: 2: one pilot, one co-pilot/gunner (CPG)
• Length: 53 ft (16 m) including rotors
  
• Fuselage length: 44 ft 5 in (13.5 m)
• Width: 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m) stub wings
• Height: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
• Empty weight: 5,810 lb (2,635 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 9,500 lb (4,309 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming T53-L-13 turboshaft, 1,100 hp (820 kW)
• Main rotor diameter: 44 ft 0 in (13.4 m)
• Main rotor area: 1,520 sq ft (141 m2)
  
• Blade section: NACA 0009.3 mod[71]

Performance

• Maximum speed: 149 kn (171 mph, 276 km/h)
• Never exceed speed: 190 kn (220 mph, 350 km/h)
• Range: 310 nmi (360 mi, 570 km)
• Service ceiling: 11,400 ft (3,500 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,230 ft/min (6.2 m/s)

Armament

• 2 × 7.62 mm (0.308 in) multi-barrel Miniguns, or 2 × M129 40 mm grenade launchers, or one of each, in the M28 turret. (When one of each was mounted, the minigun was mounted on the right side of the turret, due to feed requirements.)
• 2.75 in (70 mm) rockets - 7 rockets mounted in the M158 launcher or 19 rockets in the M200 launcher
• M18 7.62 mm Minigun pod or XM35 armament subsystem with XM195 20 mm cannon

AH-64D has almost twise AH-1 power.  But how they performe in combat? Well the AH-64 is performing really good, it can take out tanks, APCs, IFVs, infantry and even small UAVs and small aircraft! The AH-1G in the other hand is performing worse than the AH-64D and it cant defend it self from small UAVs and aircraft like the AH-64D, many AH-1s have been lost during the vietnam war and other wars like Gulf War...  AH-64 is used by 16 countries, including Hellas, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait,  Netherlands, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (Republic of China), United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States. In the other hand AH-1 is used by 13 countries including 3 former operators. At the end of the day, AH-64D is better than the AH-1G.

Hellenic AH-64A/Ds vs Turkish AH-1F.

Hellas has 19 AH-64A+ and 9 AH-64DHA/AH64DHA Longbow. Turkey has 34 AH-1F and they all have been modernized by Türk Havacılık ve Uzay Sanayi A.Ş. Hellenic Apache's are operating in 1st Attack Helicopter Battalion (1o ΤΕΕΠ) and 2nd Attack Helicopter Battalion (2o ΤΕΕΠ), while Turkish AF-1Fs are operating in 1nci Taarruz Helikopter Taburu (Ankara). Hellenic helicopters were able to carry ground attack, suport and reconnaissance missions , Turkish AF-1Fs can carry the same missions as the Hellenic helicopters. Hellenic AH-64s have AGM-114K/F/L, the M230 30mm gun and Hydra FFAR 2.75in rockets in order to engage all kinds of threats and targets. At the oposite site the Turkish AH-1Fs are equiped with 2 × 7.62 mm (0.308 in) multi-barrel Miniguns, 2.75 in (70 mm) rockets - 7 rockets mounted in the M158 launcher or 19 rockets in the M200 launcher and some ( AH-1W ) can also carry AGM-114 missiles. In night operations the chances of suprising the opponent increase dramatically while the chances of locating the Apaches are diminished! That gives Hellas the advantage of night attacks and the ellement of surprise in the area of operations.  As a result, Greek AH-64 apaches are better.

Two AH-64DHAs put on a very spirited display for the crowd. Source/Credits:Jerry Gunner from Lincoln, UK