UH-1 Iroquois

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UH-1 Iroquois
U.S. Army Bell UH-1D Iroquois
Role	Multipurpose utility helicopter
Manufacturer	Bell Helicopter
First flight	22 October 1956 (XH-40)
Introduction	1959
Primary users	United States Army Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Australian Army Philippine Air Force
Number built	>16,000
Variants	UH-1N Twin Huey AH-1 Cobra Bell 204/205 Bell 212 Bell 214

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a multipurpose military helicopter, famous for its use in the Vietnam War. It is commonly known as (or officially in the U.S. Marine Corps) the "Huey".

The UH-1 was developed by Bell Helicopter from 1955 US Army trials with the Bell Model 204. The initial designation of HU-1 (helicopter utility) led to its nickname, Huey.^[1]

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,^[2] of which about 7,000 saw use during the Vietnam War.

[edit] Development

Earlier helicopters had been powered by piston engines. By the early 1950s, however, turbine engines were being used in many fixed-wing aircraft and aircraft designers began to consider using them for rotary-wing use. Turbines, though expensive to build, were long-lived, durable, and extremely light for their power output in comparison to piston-powered engines.

A Bell XH-40, a prototype of the UH-1

The first Bell helicopter to use a turbine engine was a modified Model 47 (designated XH-13F), which had its initial flight in October 1954. The U.S. Army began a competition for a new helicopter for general utility and medical/casualty evacuation in 1955. In June 1955, Bell Helicopter was awarded a contract to develop the next generation turbine-powered utility helicopter for the U.S. Army. The resulting Bell Model 204 was designated XH-40 by the U.S. military and first flew on 22 October 1956. Two more prototypes were built in 1957, and six YH-40 pre-production helicopters were delivered in 1958.^[3]

Bell believed the YH-40 was ideal for troop transport and cargo carrying as well as the medevac 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 UH-1A) was the first turbine-equipped U.S. helicopter to go into production, and production models entered service with the 101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division and 57th Medical Detachment. Although intended for evaluation only, the Army pressed it into operational service with the 57th's Hueys arriving in Vietnam in March 1962.^[4]

The helicopter was originally designated the HU-1A, which is where it received its nickname "Huey", a reference so popular that Bell started putting the Huey name on the anti-torque pedals.^[1] The official U.S. Army designation Iroquois (Army helicopters are traditionally given Native American names) was almost never used in practice.^[5]

The HU-1A was followed by the HU-1B with a more powerful engine, improved rotor blades and a larger cabin. Better maneuverability and a slight speed increase resulted from the improved rotor on the UH-1C. The UH-1D with a longer fuselage and a more powerful engine was proposed by Bell in 1960 and was contracted to build the new variant.^[3]

[edit] Design

The UH-1 is a general utility helicopter. It has a metal fuselage of semi-monocoque construction with tubular landing skids and two rotor blades on the main rotor.^[6] Early UH-1 models featured a single Lycoming T53 turboshaft engine in versions with power ratings from 700 shp (522 kW) to 1,400 shp (1,040 kW).^[3] Later UH-1 and related models would feature twin engines and four-blade rotors.

All aircraft in the UH-1 family have similar construction. The most-produced version, the UH-1H, is representative of all types, particularly the long-body versions. The main structure consists of two longitudinal main beams that run under the passenger cabin to the nose and back to the tail boom attachment point. The main beams are separated by transverse bulkheads and provide the supporting structure for the cabin, landing gear, under-floor fuel tanks, the transmission, engine and tail boom. The main beams are joined at the lift beam, a short aluminum girder structure that is attached to the transmission via a lift link on the top and the cargo hook on the bottom and is located at the aircraft's centre of gravity. The lift beams were changed to steel later in the UH-1H's life, due to cracking on high-time airframes. Both the fuselage and the tail boom are of a semi-monocoque design. The tail boom attaches to the fuselage with four bolts.^[7]

The UH-1H's dynamic components include the engine, transmission, rotor mast, main rotor blades, tail rotor driveshaft, 42 degree and 90 degree gearboxes. The transmission is of a planetary type and reduces the T53-L13B engine's output to 324 rpm at the main rotor. The two-bladed, semi-rigid rotor design, with pre-coned and under-slung blades, is a development of early Bell model designs, such as the Bell 47 with which it shares common design features, including a dampened stabilizer bar. The two-bladed system reduces storage space required for the aircraft, but at a cost of higher vibration levels. The two-bladed design also is responsible for the characteristic 'Huey thump' when the aircraft is in flight, which is particularly evident during descent and in turning flight. The tail rotor is driven from the main transmission, via the two directional gearboxes which provide a tail rotor speed approximately six times that of the main rotor to increase tail rotor effectiveness.^[7]

The UH-1H also features a synchronised elevator on the tail boom, which is linked to the cyclic control and allows a wider centre of gravity range. The standard fuel system consists of five interconnected fuel tanks, three of which are mounted behind the transmission and two of which are under the cabin floor. The landing gear consists of two arched cross tubes joining the skid tubes. The skids have replaceable sacrificial skid shoes to prevent wear of the skid tubes themselves. Skis and inflatable floats may be fitted.^[7]

Internal seating is made up of two pilot seats and seating for up to 13 passengers or crew in the cabin. The maximum seating arrangement consists of a four man bench seat facing rearwards behind the pilot seats facing a five man bench seat in front of the transmission structure. Beside the transmission structure on either side of the aircraft are two two-man bench seats, facing outwards. All passenger seats are aluminium tube with canvas seat material and are quickly removable and reconfigurable. The UH-1H is rarely capable of lifting 15 people, except at very low density altitudes, fuels loads, and hovering heights and so fewer seats are usually fitted. The cabin may also be configured for up to six stretchers, an internal rescue hoist, auxiliary fuel tanks, spotlights or many other mission kits. Access to the cabin is via two aft-sliding doors and two small forward hinged panels. The doors and hinged panels may be removed for flight or the doors may be pinned open. Pilot access is via individual hinged doors.^[7]

While the five main fuel tanks are self-sealing, the UH-1H was not equipped with factory armour, although armoured pilot seats were available.^[7]

The UH-1H's dual controls are conventional for a helicopter and consist of a single hydraulic system boosting the cyclic stick, collective lever and anti-torque pedals. The collective levers have integral throttles, although these are not used to control rotor rpm, which is automatically governed, but are used for starting and shutting down the engine. The cyclic and collective control the main rotor pitch through torque tube linkages to the swash plate, while the anti-torque pedals change the pitch of the tail rotor via a tensioned cable arrangement. Some UH-1Hs have been modified to replace the tail rotor control cables with torque tubes similar to the UH-1N Twin Huey.^[7]

[edit] Aircraft markings

UH-1Hs used for ferrying VIPs into Panmunjom in the DMZ area between North and South Korea used three 12" wide Yellow stripes vertically over the fuselage. It signified unarmed aircraft carrying UNCMAC members.^[8]

[edit] Operational history

The UH-1 has been widely exported and remains in front line service in a number of countries.

[edit] U.S. Army

A rifle squad from the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry exiting from a UH-1D Iroquois.

The HU-1A (later redesignated UH-1A) first entered service with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 57th Medical Detachment. Although intended for evaluation only, the Army quickly pressed the new helicopter into operational service and Hueys with the 57th Medical Detachment arrived in Vietnam in March 1962.^[4]

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 based on the Model 205. This version was initially designated the UH-1D and flew operationally from 1963.

Helicopters played an integral part in the U.S military's land and air operations. Here UH-1Ds airlift members of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment from the Filhol Rubber Plantation area to a new staging area, in 1966.

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 Frogs or Hogs if they carried rockets, and Cobras or simply Guns if they had guns.^[9][10][11] UH-1s tasked and configured 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 medevac roles.^[5][4] In the US Navy and USMC the gunships were referred to as Sharks and troop transport aircraft as Dolphins.^[12]

USS Garrett County (AGP-786) at anchor in the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam, date unknown. On her deck are two Navy Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three (HAL-3) "Seawolf" UH-1B Huey gunships from the squadrons Det Four or Det Six assigned to the ship.

UH-1s also flew hunter-killer teams with observation helicopters, namely the Bell OH-58A Kiowa and the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (Loach).^[5][4]

Towards the end of the conflict, the UH-1 was tested with TOW missiles, and two UH-1B helicopters equipped with the XM26 Armament Subsystem were deployed to help counter the 1972 Easter Invasion.^[13] USAF Lieutenant James P. Fleming piloted a UH-1F on a 26 November 1968 mission that earned him the Medal of Honor.

UH-1 troop transports were designated by Blue teams, hence the nickname for troops carried in by these Hueys as the Blues. The reconnaissance or observation teams were White teams. The attack ships were called Red teams. Over the duration of the conflict the tactics used by the military evolved and teams were mixed for more effective results. Purple teams with one or two Blue slicks dropping off the troops, while a Red attack team provided protection until the troops could defend themselves. Another highly effective team was the Pink Recon/Attack team, which offered the capability of carrying out assaults upon areas where the enemy was known to be present but could not be pinpointed.^[5]

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. The newer Cobra, a purpose-built attack helicopter based on the UH-1 was faster, sleeker, harder to hit, and could carry more ordnance. The increasing intensity and sophistication of NVA anti-aircraft defenses made continued use of gunships based on the UH-1 impractical, and after Vietnam the Cobra was adopted as the Army's main attack helicopter. Devotees of the UH-1 in the gunship role cite its ability to act as an impromptu dustoff if the need arose, as well as the superior observational capabilities of the larger Huey cockpit, which allowed return fire from door gunners to the rear and sides of the aircraft.^[5][4]

During the war 3,305 UH-1 were destroyed. Overall 5,086 helicopters were destroyed out of 11,827 documented in service.^[14] In total 2,202 Huey pilots were killed and approximately 2,500 aircraft were lost, roughly half to combat and the rest to operational accidents.

The US Army phased out the UH-1 with the introduction of the UH-60 Black Hawk, although the Army UH-1 Residual Fleet has around 700 UH-1s that were to be retained until 2015. Army support for the craft was intended to end in 2004.^[15]

[edit] U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps

In October 1965, the USAF 20th Helicopter 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, with the CH-3s transferring to the 21st Helicopter Squadron. 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 and Cambodia during the so-called Secret War.^[16]

A Marine UH-1N in Iraq in 2003

The United States Air Force employs UH-1N Hueys to fulfill its ICBM mission, providing a utility helicopter for transport between bases such as Francis E. Warren AFB and Malmstrom AFB to missile launch sites in Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. Additionally, the UH-1N is used by the 36th Rescue Flight (36 RQF) at Fairchild AFB, near Spokane, WA for conducting Search-and-Rescue (SAR) and medical evacuation missions.

The US Marine Corps still relies on the UH-1N variant and is beginning to introduce the latest variant, the UH-1Y Venom.

[edit] Australia

The Australian Army also employed the UH-1H. Iroquois helicopters of RAAF No. 9 Squadron were deployed to South Vietnam in mid 1966 as part of the 1st Australian Task Force. In this role they were armed with M60 doorguns. In 1969 four of No. 9 Squadron's helicopters were converted to gunships, armed with an M134 7.62 mm minigun mounted on the right side and a 7 round rocket pod on each side. UH-1 helicopters were used in many roles including troop transport, medevac and Bushranger Gunships for armed support.^[17]

Between 1982 and 1986 the Squadron contributed aircraft and aircrew to the Australian helicopter detachment which formed part of the Multinational Force and Observers peacekeeping force in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt.^[17]

[edit] El Salvador

During its civil war El Salvador received about 80 UH-1H and 24 UH-1M from the US, as part of the aid to fight the guerrillas between 1979 and 1992. These helicopters were heavily engaged in combat, supporting the army in fighting guerrillas throughout the country. As a result many were shot down. After the war only 20 UH-1H and 14 UH-1M survived, most of them scrapped a few years later.^{[citation needed]}

These helicopters were operated by El Salvador Air Force, being at its time the biggest and most experienced combat helicopter force in Central and South America, fighting during 10 years and being trained by US Army in tactics developed during the Vietnam war. Gunship UH-1M helicopters used by El Salvador were modified to carry bombs instead of rocket pods. UH-1Hs were also used as improvised bombers.^[18]

[edit] Nahr el Bared battle in Lebanon

During the battle of Nahr el-Bared camp in North Lebanon, the Lebanese army, lacking fixed-wing aircraft, modified the UH-1H allowing it to carry 500 lb (227 kg) Mk. 82 dumb bombs to strike militant positions. Each Huey was equipped on each side with special mounts engineered by the Lebanese army, to carry the high explosive bombs. (See Helicopter bombing.)^[19]

[edit] Rhodesia

Very late in the Rhodesian Civil War the Rhodesian Air Force was able to obtain and use eleven Bell UH-1 Iroquois, known in service as Cheetahs. The aircraft were ordered new from Augusta via Kuwait and then shipped to Lebanon, where a local Christian militia swapped them for worn-out ex-Israeli machines, prior to delivery. After much work these then formed No. 8 Sqn Rhodesian Air Force and took part as troop transports in the counter-insurgency fight. One was lost in combat in September 1979, when hit in Mozambique by a RPG. At least other three were lost. The survivors were put up for sale in 1990.^[20]

[edit] Argentina

UH-1Hs at Port Stanley Airport. These were transported to the islands by C-130H Hercules and did not have their rotors reattached yet

Nine Argentine Army UH-1Hs and two Argentine Air Force Bell 212 were included with the aircraft deployed during the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas). They performed general transport and SAR missions and were based at Port Stanley (BAM Puerto Argentino). Two of the Hueys were destroyed and, after the hostilities had ended, the balance were captured by the British. ^{[21] [22]} At least three of the aircraft were reused by the British ferrying supplies and troops but had to be painted with a distinct colour to avoid misidentifications, until they were grounded.^{[citation needed]}.

656 Sqn, AAC and 820 NAS operated these captured UH-1s. The captured UH-1H AE-409 is now in the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop. UH-1H AE-422 is in the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton. One of these UH-1Hs was civil registered as G-HUEY in the UK and participated in a number of airshows and in the James Bond movie "The Living Daylights" (1987) as medevac.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Israel

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009)

Thirty Bell-built were UH-1D delivered from October 1968 and used by 123 and 124 sqdns for utility transport. IDF UH-1s were used in commando operations in Lebanon and Jordan. They also flew SAR and Medevac missions during the 1973 war, evacuating 890 wounded men, including air crew personnel who had been rescued after ejecting from their aircraft.

The Huey operational debut was on January 19th 1968, when they were scrambled to El 'Arish, to locate wanted PLO terrorists from the Gaza Strip. The first time the Hueys were used in an assault role on a large scale was on March 21st 1968, in the Karameh operation. The helicopters landed IDF Paratroopers near Karameh and other infantry forces southeast of the Dead Sea.

[edit] Variant overview

[edit] U.S. Military variants

UH-1A Iroquois in flight.

• XH-40: The initial Bell 204 prototype. Three prototypes were built, equipped with the Lycoming XT-53-L-1 engine of 700 shp.^[4]
• YH-40: Six aircraft for evaluation, as XH-40 with 12-inch cabin stretch and other modifications.
  • Bell Model 533: One YH-40BF rebuilt as a flight test bed with turbofan engines and wings.
• HU-1A: Initial Bell 204 production model, redesignated as the UH-1A in 1962.^[4] 182 built.^[23]
  • TH-1A: UH-1A with dual controls and blind-flying instruments, 14 conversions.^[23]
  • XH-1A: A single UH-1A was redesignated for grenade launcher testing in 1960.^[4]
• HU-1B: Upgraded HU-1A, various external and rotor improvements. Redesignated UH-1B in 1962.^[4] 1014 built plus four prototypes designated YUH-1B. ^[23]
  • NUH-1B: a single test aircraft, serial number 64-18261.^[4]
• UH-1C: UH-1B with improved engine, modified blades and rotor-head for better performance in the gunship role.^[4] 767 built.^[23]
• YUH-1D: Seven pre-production prototypes of the UH-1D.
• UH-1D: Initial Bell 205 production model (long fuselage version of the 204). Designed as a troop carrier to replace the CH-34 then in US Army service.^[4] 2008 built many later converted to UH-1H standard. ^[23]
  • HH-1D: Army crash rescue variant of UH-1D.^[4]
• UH-1E: UH-1B/C for USMC with different avionics and equipment.^[4] 192 built.^[23]
  • NUH-1E: UH-1E configured for testing.
  • TH-1E: UH-1C configured for Marine Corps training. Twenty were built in 1965.^[4]
• UH-1F: UH-1B/C for USAF with General Electric T-58-GE-3 engine of 1,325 shp.^[4] 120 built.^[23]
  • TH-1F: Instrument and Rescue Trainer based on the UH-1F for the USAF.^[4] 26 built.^[23]

Base Rescue Moose Jaw CH-118 Iroquois helicopters 118109 and 118101 at CFB Moose Jaw, 1982

• UH-1H: Improved UH-1D with a Lycoming T-53-L-13 engine of 1,400 shp.^[4] 5435 built.^[23]
  • CUH-1H: Canadian Forces designation for the UH-1H utility transport helicopter. Redesignated CH-118.^[24][4] 10 built.^[23]
  • EH-1H: Twenty-two aircraft converted by installation of AN/ARQ-33 radio intercept and jamming equipment for Project Quick Fix.
  • HH-1H: SAR variant for the USAF with rescue hoist.^[4] 30 built.^[23]
  • JUH-1: Five UH-1Hs converted to SOTAS battlefield surveillance configuration with belly-mounted airborne radar.^[4]
  • TH-1H: Recently modified UH-1Hs for use as basic helicopter flight trainers by the USAF.
• UH-1G: Unofficial name applied locally to at least one armed UH-1H by Cambodia.^[25]
• UH-1J: An improved Japanese version of the UH-1H built under license in Japan by Fuji was locally given the designation UH-1J.^[26] Among improvements were an Allison T53-L-703 turboshaft engine providing 1,343 kW (1,800 shp), a vibration-reduction system, infrared countermeasures, and a night-vision-goggle (NVG) compatible cockpit.^[27]
• HH-1K: Purpose built SAR variant of the Model 204 for the US Navy with USN avionics and equipment.^[4] 27 built.^[23]
• TH-1L: Helicopter flight trainer based on the HH-1K for the USN. Forty-five were built.^[4]
  • UH-1L: Utility variant of the TH-1L. Eight were built.^[4]
• UH-1M: Gunship specific UH-1C upgrade with Lycoming T-53-L-13 engine of 1,400 shp.^[4]
• UH-1N: Initial Bell 212 production model, the Bell "Twin Pac" twin-engined Huey.^[4]
• UH-1P: UH-1F variant for USAF for special operations use and attack operations used solely by the USAF 20th Special Operations Squadron, "the Green Hornets".^[4]
• EH-1U: No more than 2 UH-1H aircraft modified for Multiple Target Electronic Warfare System (MULTEWS).^[28][29]
• UH-1V: Aeromedical evacuation, rescue version for the US Army.^[4]
• EH-1X: Ten Electronic warfare UH-1Hs converted under "Quick Fix IIA".^[4]
• UH-1Y: Upgraded variant developed from existing upgraded late model UH-1Ns, with additional emphasis on commonality with the AH-1Z.

Note: In U.S. service the G, J, Q, R, S, T, W and Z model designations are used by the AH-1. The UH-1 and AH-1 are considered members of the same H-1 series. The military does not use I (India) or O (Oscar) for aircraft designations to avoid confusion with "one" and "zero" respectively.

[edit] Other military variants

• Bell 204: Bell Helicopters company designation, covering aircraft from the XH-40, YH-40 prototypes to the UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1C, UH-1E, UH-1F, HH-1K, UH-1L, UH-1P and UH-1M production aircraft.
  • Agusta-Bell AB 204: Military utility transport helicopter. Built under license in Italy by Agusta.
  • Agusta-Bell AB 204AS: Anti-submarine warfare, anti-shipping version of the AB 204 helicopter.
  • Fuji-Bell 204B-2: Military utility transport helicopter. Built under license in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries. Used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force under the name Hiyodori.

• Bell 205: Bell Helicopters company designation of the UH-1D and UH-1H helicopters.
  • Bell 205A-1: Military utility transport helicopter version, initial version based on the UH-1H.
  • Bell 205A-1A: As 205A-1, but with armament hardpoints and military avionics. Produced specifically for Israeli contract.
  • Agusta-Bell 205: Military utility transport helicopter. Built under license in Italy by Agusta.
• AIDC UH-1H: Military utility transport helicopter. Built under license in Taiwan by Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation.^[30]
• Dornier UH-1D: Military utility transport helicopter. Built under license in Germany by Dornier Flugzeugwerke.^[30]
  • Fuji-Bell 205A-1: Military utility transport helicopter. Built under licence in Japan by Fuji. Used by the Japanese Ground Self Defence Force under the designation HU-1H.^[31]

• Bell Huey II: A modified and re-engined UH-1H, significantly upgrading its performance, and its cost-effectiveness. Currently offered by Bell to all current military users of the type.

• UH-1/T700 Ultra Huey: Upgraded commercial version, fitted with a 1,400-kW (1900-shp) General Electric T700-GE-701C turboshaft engine.^[32]

[edit] Operators

[edit] Aircraft on display

A UH-1P on display

A UH-1H on display at Sun 'n Fun 2006. The aircraft is owned by a Vietnam War veteran's association

The UH-1 experienced a production number in the thousands (both short and long-frame types), and invariably a large number exist in flyable condition in nations around the world. A large number of decommissioned and retired aircraft exist as "gate guards" to various military bases, in aviation museums, and other static-display sites. Examples include:

• The Bell UH-1H "Smokey III" that resides in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center served four tours and over 2,500 hours in Vietnam.
• UH-1A located at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City, currently under refurbishment.
• A Huey forms part of the collection in the American Air Force Hangar of the Imperial War Museum at Duxford near Cambridge, England.
• A fully refurbished UH-1 "Huey" is located in the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas.
• The UH-1A formerly used as Command and Control aircraft for Gen William C. Westmoreland while he was commander of the 101st Airborne Division and Ft. Campbell, Ky is located in front of 101st Airborne Division Headquarters.
• UH-1B on static display at the Ft. Campbell, Kentucky museum. Also, an UH-1H is displayed at main entrance of 101st Airborne Division barracks.
• UH-1H formerly assigned to the Illinois Army National Guard on static display at the Prairie Aviation Museum located at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington, Illinois.
• UH-1C/M on display on a stand at the entrance of the Tennessee National Guard Training Center at the Smyrna Airport (Tennessee) in Smyrna, Tennessee.
• UH-1's of various models on stands at the entrances of Fort Rucker, Alabama as well as at the Ft Rucker museum.
• Canadian CH-118 (UH-1H) 118101 at the National Air Force Museum of Canada, CFB Trenton, Ontario^[34]
• The Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles near Lexington, Nebraska, has a UH-1 visible from Interstate 80 as it passes by the museum. The display includes a sculptural representation of the iconic 1975 rooftop evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Saigon, Vietnam.
• The Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor, Maine, has a UH-1D on static display as part of the Vietnam Memorial. The display is visible from Interstate 395.
• UH-1 on display, War Memorial Park, Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
• Two UH-1s on display at the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum, Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, One aircraft is a Medevac UH-1 in a jungle diorama.^[35]

[edit] Specifications (UH-1D)

General characteristics

• Crew: 1-4
• Capacity: 3,880 lb including 14 troops, or 6 stretchers, or equivalent cargo
• Length: 57 ft 1 in with rotors (17.4 m)

• Fuselage width: 8 ft 7 in (2.6 m)

• Rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.6 m)
• Height: 14 ft 5 in (4.4 m)
• Empty weight: 5,215 lb (2,365 kg)
• Loaded weight: 9,040 lb (4,100 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 9,500 lb (4,310 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Lycoming T53-L-11 turboshaft, 1,100 shp (820 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 135 mph (220 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 125 mph (205 km/h)
• Range: 315 mi (510 km)
• Service ceiling: 19,390 ft (Dependent on environmental factors such as weight, outside temp., etc) (5,910 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,755 ft/min (8.9 m/s)
• Power/mass: 0.15 hp/lb (0.25 kW/kg)

Armament
Variable, but may include a combination of:

• 2x 7.62 mm M60 machine gun, or 2x 7.62 mm GAU-17/A machine gun
• 2x 7-round or 19-round 2.75 in (70 mm) rocket pods
• 2x 7.62 mm Rheinmetall MG3 (German Army and German Luftwaffe)

For information on US armament systems see:

[edit] Popular culture

The image of American troops disembarking from a Huey has become iconic of the Vietnam War, and can be seen in many films, video games and television shows on the subject, as well as more modern settings. The UH-1 is seen in many films about the Vietnam war, including The Green Berets, Platoon, Hamburger Hill, Apocalypse Now, Casualties of War, and Born on the Fourth of July. It is prominently featured in We Were Soldiers as the main helicopter used by the U.S. Cavalry in the Battle of Ia Drang. Author Robert Mason recounts his career as a UH-1 "Slick" pilot in his memoir, Chickenhawk.

[edit] See also

• UH-1 Iroquois variants
• Bell Huey - overview of all models
• US Helicopter Armament Subsystems
  

Related development

• AH-1 Cobra
• AH-1 SuperCobra
• UH-1N Twin Huey
• UH-1Y Venom
• Bell 204/205
• Bell 212
• Bell 214
• Bell 412
• Bell 533
• Panha Shabaviz 2-75
  

Comparable aircraft

• Sikorsky XH-39
  

Related lists

• List of active United States military aircraft
  

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bell UH-1 family

• Official Huey II page on BellHelicopter.com
• UH-1N USAF fact sheet
• UH-1D/UH-1H Iroquois utility helicopter and UH-1 Factsheet on Army.mil
• UH-1 history on Navy Air web site
• The Bell UH-1 Huey at Greg Goebel's AIR VECTORS
• Philippine Air Force Huey II Project
• An account of a Medal of Honor rescue flying a Green Hornet
• History of the Huey on timothypruittphoto.com