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The Bell Helicopter UH-1 Iroquois, commonly known as the "Huey", is a multipurpose military helicopter, famous for its use in the Vietnam War.
The UH-1 was developed from 1955 US Army trials with the Bell Model 204. The initial designation of HU-1 (helicopter utility) led to its nickname, Huey. The nickname became so popular that Bell started putting the Huey name on the anti-torque pedals.
The aircraft was first used by the military in 1959 and went into tri-service production in 1962 as the UH-1. The last were produced in 1976 with more than 16,000 made in total, of which about 7,000 saw use during the Vietnam War.
DEVELOPMENT
In 1955, anxious to obtain a powerful medical evacuation helicopter, the U.S. Army awarded Bell a contract to develop the next generation turbine-powered helicopter, designated the XH-40 (Bell company designation was the Model 204). The first XH-40 flew on 22 October 1956. Two more prototypes were built in 1957, and six YH-40 prototypes were tested in 1958.
Bell believed the YH-40 was ideal for troop transport and cargo carrying as well as the medivac role, a view soon adopted by the Army, who found the pre-production aircraft so much better in service than previous piston-powered helicopters they soon ordered more of them.
The HU-1A (later redesignated the UH-1A) was the first turbine-equipped U.S. helicopter to go into production, and production models first entered service with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Lewis, Washington, the 82nd Airborne Division and the 57th Medical Detachment. Although they were intended for evaluation only, the Army quickly pressed them into operational service and Hueys with the 57th Medical Detachment arrived in Vietnam in March 1962..
The UH-1 has long become a symbol of US involvement in Southeast Asia in general and Vietnam in particular, and as a result of that conflict, has become one of the world's most recognized helicopters. In Vietnam primary missions included general support, air assault, cargo transport, aeromedical evacuation, search and rescue, electronic warfare, and later, ground attack. During the conflict, the craft was upgraded, notably to a larger version and flew operationally from 1963.
During service in the Vietnam War, the UH-1 was used for various purposes and various terms for each task abounded. UH-1s tasked with a ground attack or armed escort role were outfitted with rocket launchers, grenade launchers, and machine guns. These gunship UH-1s were commonly referred to as Hogs if they carried rockets, and Cobras if they had guns. UH-1s tasked for troop transport were often called Slicks due to an absence of weapons pods. Slicks did have door gunners, but were generally employed in the troop transport and medivac roles.
During the course of the war, the UH-1 went through several upgrades. The UH-1A, B, and C models (short fuselage, Bell 204) and the UH-1D and H models (stretched-fuselage, Bell 205) each had improved performance and load-carrying capabilities. The UH-1B and C performed the gunship and some of the transport duties until 1967, when the new AH-1 Cobra arrived on the scene.
During the war 3,305 UH-1 were destroyed. In total, 5,086 helicopters were destroyed out of 11,827 documented in service.
October 1965, the USAF 20th Special Operations Squadron was formed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam, equipped initially with CH-3C helicopters. By June 1967 the UH-1F and UH-1P were also added to the unit's inventory, and by the end of the year the entire unit had shifted from Tan Son Nhut to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base. On 1 August 1968, the unit was redesignated the 20th Special Operations Squadron. The 20th's UH-1s were known as the "Green Hornets", stemming from their color, a primarily green two-tone camouflage (green and tan) was carried, and radio call-sign "hornet". The main role of these helicopters were to insert and extract reconnaissance teams, provide cover for such operations, conduct psychological warfare, and other support roles for covert operations especially in Laos during the so-called Secret War.
Specifications:
Average cost: $4,000,000 each
Crew: 2-4
Main Rotor Diameter: 44 ft.
Length: 39 ft. 7 in.
Height: 14 ft. 5 in.
Weight Empty: 4,3691bs.
Max T/O weight 8,5000 lbs.
Max Speed: 147 mph.
Normal Cruise: 126 mph.
Service Ceiling: 16,900 ft.
Normal Range: 260 mi.
Engines:
1 – Lycoming T53-L turboshaft
1,100 shaft HP
Fuel: 168 gal.
Load Options:
7-soldiers
3-stretchers,
2-siting wounded,
1- medic
3,000 lbs. cargo
Weapons Options:
2-M60 mm machine guns
2 - 50 .cal H2HB machine guns
27.62 mm M134 Miniguns & rocket pods
References
1. Andrade, John M. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Hersham, Surrey, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979.
2. Chant, Christopher. Fighting Helicopters of the 20th Century (20th Century Military Series). Christchurch, Dorset, UK: Graham Beehag Books, 1996.
3. Debay, Yves. Combat Helicopters. Paris: Histoire & Collections, 1996.
4. Drendel, Lou. Huey. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1983.
5. Francillon, René, J. Vietnam: The War in the Air. New York: Arch Cape Press, 1987.
6. Guilmartin, John Francis and Michael O'Leary. The Illustrated History of the Vietnam War, Volume 11: Helicopters. New York: Bantam Books, 1988.
7. Mesko, Jim. Airmobile: The Helicopter War in Vietnam. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1984
8. Mutza, Wayne. UH-1 Huey In Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1986.
9. Mutza, Wayne. UH-1 Huey in Color. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1992.
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