VTOL UP for spoilers and air brakes. VTOL DOWN for flaps. Press (1) to eject fuel tanks. The Cobra F-8A is a licensed production variant of the GALM1 Cobra. The Pilotmario Air Force wanted to replace the aging Darts and Hawks with a relatively simple and inexpensive fighter aircraft.

After several engagements Air Force Reserve pilots had with the Luftstreitkrafte Teuton, it was clear that the Hawk, their primary fighter, was insufficient.

The Pilotmario Air Force had five designs available; the Dart, Hummingbird, Renegade II, and the Viper. Of these designs, none were suitable. The Hummingbird was an attack aircraft, comparable to the performance of the Hawk it wanted to replace. The Renegade II was too costly, and was too complex and few in number. The Viper was just entering service, and existing lines were barely able to keep pace. In addition, there were few contractors that could produce the Viper due to its unique fuselage. The Maverick, while highly advanced, was plagued by poor endurance and issues with the electronics.

The most suitable of the bunch was the Dart. The Dart Fighter was already in Reserve service and had excellent performance, but the type has not been in production for years, and the Air Force Reserve has trouble maintaining the type due to the lack of spares.

A new fighter was needed, and it was clear the Hawk was reaching the end of its useful life. However, it needed to take advantage of under-utilized contractors. Bandit Aircraft found this type to be the best fit. However, when GALM1 Industries delivered the plans, the engineers at Bandit were not satisfied with the design.

They revised the design to not only upgrade it, but make it more suitable for smaller facilities to manufacture them. The engine was upgraded to the BFE 150-5 Mk 2 standard, and the missile arrangement was modified extensively. Flaps were fitted, and the elevators and ailerons were revised to accommodate for the higher speeds. The fuel tanks were pressurized in order to improve fuel capacity.

The type proved comparable to the Viper, and was cheaper. In addition, it could be produced by smaller contractors, something which the Viper has issues with. The type was adopted into service as the Cobra Fighter Mk 1, and proved very popular with Reserve units.