Bell UH-1 Huey - $7.50
The most fearsome and deadly helicopter of the Vietnam war. Folder has at least 7 versions including a couple Angel-of-Mercy Medevac types and an Army Trainer. Also a page of model weapons.
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Bell UH-1 Huey Helicopter
The helicopter was originally designated the HU-1A, which is where it received its name "Huey." The official U.S. Army designation Iroquois (Army helicopters are traditionally given Native American names) was almost never used in practice. The Huey saw combat in Vietnam in 1962, first as a troop transport
and medevac helicopter and later as an armed assault helicopter
used to protect troop transports. The Army was just beginning
to develop its "air mobility" concept. Instead of fighting
an enemy along established front lines, troops would now be taken
into and removed from combat by helicopter and dropped at key
strategic positions such as enemy escape routes. The nimble, capable
Hueys flew escort with larger, slower Piasecki H-21 Flying Bananas. The Huey was enormously successful for three reasons.
First, it achieved an ideal mix of cabin room, speed, and lifting
capability. Earlier piston-engine helicopters simply lacked enough
power for many military missions. Second, the Huey proved to be
a rugged and reliable helicopter in service. In addition, large
military orders enabled Bell to offer the Huey both commercially
and overseas at an attractive price.
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The
most widely used military helicopter, the Bell UH-1 series Iroquois,
better known as the "Huey", began arriving in Vietnam in 1963.
Before the end of the conflict, more than 5,000 of these versatile
aircraft were introduced into Southeast Asia. "Hueys" were used
for MedEvac, command and control, and air assault; to transport
personnel and materiel; and as gun ships. Considered to be the
most widely used helicopter in the world, with more than 9,000
produced from the 1950s to the present, the Huey is flown today
by about 40 countries.
This was a revolutionary form of combat that was not without its
problems. As soon as the Viet Cong chose to hold their ground
rather than flee at the arrival of the helicopters, they discovered
the helos could be brought down with small arms fire. The H-21
proved particularly vulnerable. During one disastrous battle at
Ap Bac near Saigon in January 1963, four H-21s and one armed Huey
were lost to enemy fire. Nevertheless, the U.S. Army soon fully
embraced air mobility, but helicopters remained vulnerable to
ground fire. By 1973, approximately 2,500 Hueys had been lost
in Vietnam, roughly half to combat and the rest to operational
accidents.
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Bell UH-1 Huey HelicopterHuey Info Page
UH-1 Huey Helicopter
Bell (model 205) UH-1D (1963) had a longer fuselage than previous models, increased rotor diameter, increased range, and a more powerful Lycoming T53-L-11 1100 shp engine, with growth potential to the Lycoming T53-L-13 1400 shp engine. A distinguishing characteristic is the larger cargo doors, with twin cabin windows, on each side. The UH-1D, redesigned to carry up to 12 troops, with a crew of two, reached Vietnam in 1963. The UH-1D has a range of 293 miles (467km) and a speed of 127 mph (110 knots). UH-1Ds were build under license in Germany. UH-1D "Hueys" could be armed with M60D door guns, quad M60Cs on the M6 aircraft armament subsystem, 20mm cannon, 2.75 inch rocket launchers, 40mm grenade launcher in M5 helicopter chin-turret, and up to six NATO Standard AGM-22B (formerly SS-11B) wire-guided anti-tank missiles on the M11 or M22 guided missile launcher. The UH-1D could also be armed with M60D 7.62mm or M213 .50 Cal. pintle-mounted door guns on the M59 armament subsystem. The MedEvac version UH-1V could carry six stretchers and one medical attendant. Bell (model 205A-1) UH-1H (1967-1986) was identical to the UH-1D but was equipped with an upgraded engine that allowed transport of up to 13 troops. The UH-1H has a two-bladed semi-rigid seesaw bonded all metal main rotor and a two-bladed rigid delta hinge bonded all metal tail rotor. The UH-1H is powered by a single Lycoming T53-L-13B 1400 shp turboshaft engine. More UH-1H "Hueys" were built than any other model. The UH-1H was licensed for co-production in the Republic of China (Taiwan) and in Turkey. UH-1H "Nighthawk" was equipped with a landing light and a pintle mounted M134 7.62mm "minigun" for use during night interdiction missions. The AH-1G Cobra was often flown on night "Firefly" missions using the UH-1H "Nighthawk" to locate and illuminate targets.
The UH-1N is a twin-piloted, twin-engine helicopter used in command and control, resupply, casualty evacuation, liaison and troop transport. The Huey provides utility combat helicopter support to the landing force commander during ship-to-shore movement and in subsequent operations ashore.he aircraft can be outfitted to support operations such as command and control with a specialized communication package (ASC-26), supporting arms coordination, assault support, medical evacuation for up to six litter patients and one medical attendant, external cargo, search and rescue using a rescue hoist, reconnaissance and reconnaissance support, and special operations using a new navigational thermal imaging system mission kit.  The goal of the USMC H-1 Upgrades
Program is to achieve a platform that meets the growing needs
of the Marine Corps. The 4BW and 4BN will be an upgraded version
of the current AH-1W and UH-1N Helicopters. The 4BW and 4BN will
share a common engine, Auxiliary Power Unit, four-bladed main
and tail rotor system, transmission, drive train, and tail boom.
The purpose of these modifications is to achieve commonality in
both aircraft, thereby reducing logistical support, maintenance
workload, and training requirements. The replacement of the two
bladed rotor system with a common four bladed rotor system will
achieve improved performance, reliability, and maintainability.
The addition of an infrared suppresser to the aircraft will improve
survivability. The 4BW will also include a newly developed cockpit,
which will result in nearly identical front and rear cockpits
that simplify operator and maintainer training and maintenance.
The U.S. Marine Corps wanted a more powerful version of the Huey equipped with two engines. The Marines were concerned that an engine failure over water would result in a crash. Helicopters are notoriously difficult aircraft to escape from, for they immediately turn upside down upon hitting the water. In 1968, Bell proposed the first twin-engine Huey. The U.S. Air Force took delivery of the first aircraft, designated UH-1N, in 1970, and it soon became the standard utility helicopter of the Marine Corps. It was also exported in large numbers and eventually manufactured in Canada. The UH-1N could be easily distinguished from the earlier models by its slightly pointed nose. Despite its two engines, the UH-1N was slightly slower than the UH-1H. An armed helicopter called the HueyCobra (often simply called the Cobra) used the engine, rotors, and many other systems from the Huey. It had a slender fuselage carrying a two-person crew, and numerous weapons.
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Armament
