I got access to mine, because I brought the LEP, before the Horizons launch. Now at the time, the dome sayers, were predicting that that the game would be dead within a year and I invested £120, so not to have to spend anymore, over the seasons, yet to come. At the time, I believed that it would free in the game (0 credits), like the Free Eagle and not an 'exclusive item' and there has been some dispute, over the original wording, of the offer. Then horizons was launched and no free Cobra, which I was very vocal about; I mean 450k credits, is still 450k credits. It was at this time, I realised it was an exclusive item and I was not happy about that, or being a part, of that exclusive club.
Then the crying really started. Threads were being made by February 2016, less than two months after the Horizons launch and it was the attitude and general venom displayed, by those who missed out, that has set the views I have today.
As you stated. It is a ship and none of us really understand, why some people, can get so angry about not having it.