Bell UH - 1 Iroquois The Bell UH - 1 Iroquois ( unofficially Huey ) is a military helicopter powered by a single , turboshaft engine , with a two - bladed main rotor and tail rotor . The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army ' s requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952 , and first flew on 20 October 1956 . Ordered into production in March 1960 , the UH - 1 was the first turbine - powered helicopter to enter production for the United States military , and more than 16 , 000 have been produced worldwide . The first combat operation of the UH - 1 was in the service of the U . S . Army during the Vietnam War . The original designation of " HU - 1 " led to the helicopter ' s nickname of " Huey " . In September 1962 , the designation was changed to UH - 1 , but " Huey " remained in common use . Approximately 7 , 000 UH - 1 aircraft saw service in Vietnam . Development . In 1952 , the Army identified a requirement for a new helicopter to serve as medical evacuation ( MEDEVAC ) , instrument trainer and general utility aircraft . The Army determined that current helicopters were too large , underpowered , or were too complex to maintain easily . In November 1953 , revised military requirements were submitted to the Department of the Army . Twenty companies submitted designs in their bid for the contract , including Bell Helicopter with the Model 204 and Kaman Aircraft with a turbine - powered version of the H - 43 . On 23 February 1955 , the Army announced its decision , selecting Bell to build three copies of the Model 204 for evaluation , designated as the XH - 40 . Model 204 . Powered by a prototype Lycoming YT53 - L - 1 ( LTC1B - 1 ) engine producing 700 shp ( 520 kW ) , the XH - 40 first flew on 20 October 1956 , at Fort Worth , Texas , with Bell ' s chief test pilot , Floyd Carlson , at the controls . Two more prototypes were built in 1957 , and the Army had previously ordered six YH - 40 service test aircraft , even before the first prototype had flown . In March 1960 , the Army awarded Bell a production contract for 100 aircraft , which was designated as the HU - 1A and officially named " Iroquois " , after the native American nations . The helicopter quickly developed a nickname derived from its designation of HU - 1 , which came to be pronounced as " Huey " . The reference became so popular that Bell began casting the name on the helicopter ' s anti - torque pedals . The official U . S . Army name was almost never used in practice . After September 1962 , the designation for all models was changed to UH - 1 under a unified Department of Defense ( DOD ) designation system , but the nickname remained . While glowing in praise for the helicopter ' s advances over piston - engined helicopters , the Army reports from the service tests of the YH - 40 found it to be underpowered with the production T53 - L - 1A powerplant producing a maximum continuous 770 shaft horsepower ( 570 kilowatts ) . The Army indicated the need for improved , follow - on models even as the first UH - 1As were being delivered . In response , Bell proposed the UH - 1B , equipped with the Lycoming T53 - L - 5 engine producing 960 shp ( 720 kW ) and a longer cabin that could accommodate seven passengers , or four stretchers and a medical attendant . Army testing of the UH - 1B started in November 1960 , with the first production aircraft delivered in March 1961 . Bell commenced development of the UH - 1C in 1960 , to correct aerodynamic deficiencies of the armed UH - 1B . Bell fitted the UH - 1C with a 1 , 100 shp ( 820 kW ) T53 - L - 11 engine to provide the power needed to lift all weapons systems in use or under development . The Army would eventually refit all UH - 1B aircraft with the same engine . A new rotor system was developed for the UH - 1C to allow higher air speeds and reduce the incidence of retreating blade stall during diving engagements . The improved rotor resulted in better maneuverability and a slight speed increase . The increased power and a larger diameter rotor required Bell ' s engineers to design a new tail boom for the UH - 1C . The longer tail boom incorporated a wider chord vertical fin on the tail rotor pylon and larger synchronized elevators . Bell also introduced a dual hydraulic control system for redundancy , and an improved inlet filter system for the dusty conditions found in southeast Asia . The UH - 1C fuel capacity was increased to 242 US gallons ( 920 liters ) and gross weight was raised to , giving a nominal useful load of . UH - 1C production started in June 1966 , with a total of 766 aircraft produced , including five for the Royal Australian Navy ( given serial prefix of ) and five for Norway . Model 205 . While earlier " short - body " Hueys were a success , the Army wanted a version that could carry more troops . Bell ' s solution was to stretch the HU - 1B fuselage by and use the extra space to fit four seats next to the transmission , facing out . Seating capacity increased to 15 , including crew . The enlarged cabin could also accommodate six stretchers and a medic , two more than the earlier models . In place of the earlier model ' s sliding side doors with a single window , larger doors were fitted which had two windows , plus a small hinged panel with an optional window , providing access to the cabin . The doors and hinged panels were quickly removable , allowing the Huey to be flown in a " doors off " configuration . The Model 205 prototype flew on 16 August 1961 . Seven pre - production / prototype aircraft had been delivered for testing at Edwards AFB starting in March 1961 . The 205 was initially equipped with a 44 - foot ( 13 . 4 m ) main rotor and a Lycoming T53 - L - 9 engine with 1 , 100 shp ( 820 kW ) . The rotor was lengthened to 48 feet ( 14 . 6 m ) with a chord of . The tailboom was also lengthened , in order to accommodate the longer rotor blades . Altogether , the modifications resulted in a gross weight capacity of . The Army ordered production of the 205 in 1963 , produced with a T53 - L - 11 engine for its multi - fuel capability . The prototypes were designated as YUH - 1D and the production aircraft was designated as the UH - 1D . In 1966 , Bell installed the Lycoming T53 - L - 13 engine to provide more power for the aircraft . The pitot tube was relocated from the nose to the roof of the cockpit , to prevent damage during landing . Production models in this configuration were designated as the UH - 1H . Marine Corps . In 1962 , the United States Marines Corps held a competition to choose an assault support helicopter to replace the Cessna O - 1 fixed - wing aircraft and the Kaman OH - 43D helicopter . The winner was the UH - 1B , which was already in service with the Army . The helicopter was designated the UH - 1E and modified to meet Marine requirements . The major changes included the use of all - aluminum construction for corrosion resistance , radios compatible with Marine Corps ground frequencies , a rotor brake for shipboard use to stop the rotor quickly on shutdown and a roof - mounted rescue hoist . The UH - 1E was first flown on 7 October 1963 , and deliveries commenced 21 February 1964 , with 192 aircraft completed . Due to production line realities at Bell , the UH - 1E was produced in two different versions , both with the same UH - 1E designation . The first 34 built were essentially UH - 1B airframes with the Lycoming T53 - L - 11 engine producing 1 , 100 shp ( 820 kW ) . When Bell switched production to the UH - 1C , the UH - 1E production benefited from the same changes . The Marine Corps later upgraded UH - 1E engines to the Lycoming T53 - L - 13 , which produced 1 , 400 shp ( 1 , 000 kW ) , after the Army introduced the UH - 1M and upgraded their UH - 1C helicopters to the same engine . Air Force . The United States Air Force ' s ( USAF ) competition for a helicopter to be used for support on missile bases included a specific requirement to mandate the use of the General Electric T58 turboshaft as a powerplant . The Air Force had a large inventory of these engines on hand for its fleet of HH - 3 Jolly Green Giant rescue helicopters and using the same engine for both helicopters would save costs . In response , Bell proposed an upgraded version of the 204B with the T58 engine . Because the T58 output shaft is at the rear , and was thus mounted in front of the transmission on the HH - 3 , it had to have a separate offset gearbox ( SDG or speed decreaser gearbox ) at the rear , and shafting to couple to the UH - 1 transmission . Twin engine variants . The single engine UH - 1 variants were followed by the twin - engine UH - 1N Twin Huey and later the UH - 1Y Venom . Bell began development of the UH - 1N for Canada in 1968 . It changed to the more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T twin - engine set . The U . S . also ordered the helicopter with the U . S . Air Force receiving it in 1970 . Canada ' s military , the U . S . Marine Corps , and the U . S . Navy first received the model in 1971 . In 1996 , the USMC began the H - 1 upgrade program by awarding a contract to Bell Helicopter for developing the improved UH - 1Y and AH - 1Zs variants . The UH - 1Y includes a lengthened cabin , four - blade rotor and two more powerful GE T700 engines . The UH - 1Y entered service with the USMC in 2008 . Design . The UH - 1 has a metal fuselage of semi - monocoque construction with tubular landing skids and two rotor blades on the main rotor . Early UH - 1 models featured a single Lycoming T53 turboshaft engine in versions with power ratings from to . 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 UH - 1H is the most - produced version , and is representative of all types . 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 , 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 center of gravity . The lift beams were changed to steel later in the UH - 1H ' s life , due to cracking on high - time airframes . The semi - monocoque tail boom attaches to the fuselage with four bolts . The UH - 1H ' s dynamic components include the engine , transmission , rotor mast , main rotor blades , tail rotor driveshaft , and the 42 - degree and 90 - degree gearboxes . The transmission is of a planetary type and reduces the 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 is also 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 . The UH - 1H also features a synchronized elevator on the tail boom , which is linked to the cyclic control and allows a wider center 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 . Internal seating is made up of two pilot seats and additional 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 , with two , two - man bench seats facing outwards from the transmission structure on either side of the aircraft . All passenger seats are constructed of aluminum tube frames with canvas material seats , and are quickly removable and reconfigurable . The cabin may also be configured with 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 . While the five main fuel tanks are self - sealing , the UH - 1H was not equipped with factory armor , although armored pilot seats were available . 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 . Operational history . U . S . Army . 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 . The UH - 1 has long been 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 . 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 . As early as 1962 , UH - 1s were modified locally by the companies themselves , who fabricated their own mounting systems . 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 . UH - 1s tasked and configured for troop transport were often called " Slicks " due to an absence of weapons pods . Slicks did have door gunner s , but were generally employed in the troop transport and medevac roles . UH - 1s also flew hunter - killer teams with observation helicopters , namely the Bell OH - 58A Kiowa and the Hughes OH - 6 Cayuse ( " Loach " ) . Towards the end of the conflict , the UH - 1 was tested with TOW missile s , and two UH - 1B helicopters equipped with the XM26 Armament Subsystem were deployed to help counter the 1972 Easter Invasion . USAF Lieutenant James P . Fleming piloted a UH - 1F on a 26 November 1968 mission that earned him the Medal of Honor . In Cavalry troops ( companies ) , there were three platoons . The blue platoon had aero - rifle soldiers and their organic UH - 1 troop transports for feet - on - the ground reconnaissance and to support other platoons . The reconnaissance or observation helicopter platoon was known as the " Whites . " The attack helicopter platoon was called the " Reds . " The red platoon had Huey or Huey Cobra attack helicopters . Mixed - platoon teams were often used . " Purple " teams had one or two " Blue " slicks dropping off scout troops , while one or two " Red " attack helicopters provided protection . Another highly effective team was the " Pink " Recon / Attack team , which had a single scout helicopter and a single attack helicopter to defend the scout and to attack discovered enemy troops . 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 in the early years of the Vietnam War . UH - 1B / C gunships were replaced by the new AH - 1 Cobra attack helicopter from 1967 to late 1968 . The increasing intensity and sophistication of NVA anti - aircraft defenses made continued use of UH - 1 gunships 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 . During the war 7 , 013 UH - 1s served in Vietnam and of these 3 , 305 were destroyed . In total 1 , 074 Huey pilots were killed , along with 1 , 103 other crew members . The US Army phased out the UH - 1 with the introduction of the UH - 60 Black Hawk , although the Army UH - 1 Residual Fleet had around 700 UH - 1s that were to be retained until 2015 , primarily in support of Army Aviation training at Fort Rucker and in selected Army National Guard units . Army support for the craft was intended to end in 2004 . The UH - 1 Huey was retired from active Army service in 2005 . In 2009 , Army National Guard retirements of the UH - 1 accelerated with the introduction of the UH - 72 Lakota . U . S . Air Force . 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 SOS ' 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 operation s especially in Laos and Cambodia during the so - called Secret War . U . S . Navy . The US Navy began acquiring UH - 1B helicopters from the Army and these aircraft were modified into gunships with special gun mounts and radar altimeters and were known as Seawolves in service with Navy Helicopter Attack ( Light ) ( HA ( L ) - 3 ) . UH - 1C helicopters were also acquired in the 1970s . The Seawolves worked as a team with Navy river patrol operations . Four years after the disestablishment of HA ( L ) - 3 , the Navy determined that it still had a need for gunships , establishing two new Naval Reserve Helicopter Attack ( Light ) Squadrons as part of the newly formed Commander , Helicopter Wing Reserve ( COMHELWINGRES ) in 1976 . Helicopter Attack Squadron ( Light ) Five ( HA ( L ) - 5 ) , nicknamed the " Blue Hawks " , was established at Naval Air Station Point Mugu , California on the 11 June 1977 and its sister squadron , Helicopter Attack Squadron ( Light ) Four ( HA ( L ) - 4 ) , known as the Red Wolves , was formed at Naval Air Station Norfolk , Virginia on 1 July 1976 . Australia . The Royal Australian Air Force employed the UH - 1H until 1989 . Iroquois helicopters of No . 9 Squadron RAAF were deployed to South Vietnam in mid 1966 in support of the 1st Australian Task Force . In this role they were armed with single M60 doorguns . In 1969 four of No . 9 Squadron ' s helicopters were converted to gunships ( known as ' Bushrangers ' ) , armed with two fixed forward firing M134 7 . 62 mm minigun ( one each side ) and a 7 round rocket pod on each side . Aircrew were armed with twin M60 flexible mounts in each door . UH - 1 helicopters were used in many roles including troop transport , medevac and Bushranger gunships for armed support . No . 35 Squadron and No . 5 Squadron also operated the Iroquois in various roles through the 1970s and 1980s . 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 . In 1988 the RAAF began to re - equip with S - 70A Blackhawk s . In 1989 and 1990 the RAAF ' s UH - 1H Iroquois were subsequently transferred to the 171st Aviation Squadron in Darwin , Northern Territory and the 5th Aviation Regiment based in Townsville , Queensland following the decision that all battlefield helicopters would be operated by the Australian Army . On 21 September 2007 , the Australian Army retired the last of their Bell UH - 1s . The last flight occurred in Brisbane on that day with the aircraft replaced by MRH - 90 medium helicopters and Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters . The Royal Australian Navy ' s 723 Squadron also operated seven UH - 1B from 1964 to 1989 , with three of these aircraft lost in accidents during that time . 723 Squadron deployed Iroquois aircraft and personnel as part of the Experimental Military Unit during the Vietnam War . New Zealand . The Royal New Zealand Air Force currently has an active fleet of 13 Iroquois serving with No . 3 Squadron RNZAF . The first delivery was five UH - 1D in 1966 followed in 1970 by nine UH - 1H and one more UH - 1H in 1976 . All of the UH - 1D aircraft were upgraded to 1H specification during the 1970s . Two ex - U . S . Army UH - 1H attrition airframes were purchased in 1996 , one of which is currently in service . Three aircraft have been lost in accidents . The RNZAF is currently in the process of retiring the Iroquois . The NHIndustries NH90 has been chosen as the replacement aircraft . This process is expected to be completed by the end of 2013 . Germany . The 352 licensed German UH - 1D variants built by Dornier between 1967 and 1981 saw service with the military ( Bundeswehr ) by the German Army and German Air Force as light utility as well as search and rescue ( SAR ) helicopters . In addition the German Federal Police ( Bundespolizei ) made extensive use of the UH - 1 before replacing them with newer Eurocopter EC135 helicopters . El Salvador . UH - 1s 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 . UH - 1M and UH - 1H helicopters used by El Salvador were modified to carry bombs instead of rocket pods . 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 Mark 82 bomb s 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 . ) Rhodesia . Very late in the Rhodesian Bush War the Rhodesian Air Force was able to obtain and use eleven former Israeli Agusta - Bell 205As , known in service as " Cheetahs " . 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 another three were lost . The survivors were put up for sale in 1990 . Argentina . Nine Argentine Army Aviation UH - 1Hs and two Argentine Air Force Bell 212 were included with the aircraft deployed during the Falklands War . 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 . Israel . Israel withdrew its UH - 1s from service in 2002 , after thirty three years of service . They were replaced by Sikorsky UH - 60 Blackhawk helicopters beginning with an initial batch of 10 delivered in 1994 . While some were passed on to pro - Israeli militias in Lebanon , eleven other UH - 1Ds were reportedly sold to a Singapore based logging company but were , instead , delivered in October 1978 to the Rhodesian Air Force to skirt the UN endorsed embargo imposed during the Rhodesian Bush War . Philippines . The Philippine Air Force employs the UH - 1 for transport and search and rescue . The PAF also used the UH - 1 Helicopters during the 2000 Campaign Against Terrorism of the Philippine Government . Operation Enduring Freedom ( 2001 – present ) . UH - 1Hs have been used by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency ( DEA ) in counter - narcotics raids in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan . Operated by contractors , these Hueys provide transportation , surveillance , and air support for DEA FAST teams . Four UH - 1Hs and two Mi - 17s were used in a raid in July 2009 which led to the arrest of an Afghan Border Police commander . Variant overview . U . S . Military variants . 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 . Aircraft on display . The UH - 1 experienced a production number in the thousands ( both short and long - frame types ) , and many are in service in nations around the world . A large number of decommissioned and retired aircraft exist as gate guardian s at various military bases , in aviation museums , and other static - display sites . Examples include : Notable appearances in media . The image of American troops disembarking from a Huey has become an iconic image 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 " . The 2002 journey of " Huey 091 " , displayed in the Smithsonian American History Museum , is outlined in the documentary " In the Shadow of the Blade " .