UH-1 Huey

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois, better known as the Huey, is a utility military helicopter built by Bell Helicopter. It was the first of the Huey family and the first turbine-powered helicopter to serve with the U.S. military. Development started in the early 1950s, prompted by a U.S. Army need for a medevac and utility helicopter.

The Army wanted a new helicopter for medical evacuation, instrument training, and general utility work, finding existing models too large, underpowered, or hard to maintain. Revised requirements were submitted in November 1953, and twenty companies bid. Bell's Model 204 was chosen in February 1955, and the Army ordered three prototypes under the designation XH-40.

The XH-40 first flew on 20 October 1956 in Fort Worth, Texas, with Bell test pilot Floyd Carlson at the controls. It used a prototype Lycoming YT53-L-1 engine producing 700 shaft horsepower. Even before that flight, the Army had ordered six YH-40 test helicopters. Two more prototypes were completed in 1957. In 1959, the Army awarded Bell a contract for 182 aircraft, designated HU-1A and officially named Iroquois after Native American nations. The HU-1 designation led to the nickname "Huey," which became so popular that Bell cast the name on the helicopter's anti-torque pedals. The official U.S. Army name was rarely used. Even after September 1962, when all models were redesignated UH-1 under a unified Department of Defense system, the nickname stuck.

Army reports from YH-40 service tests praised the helicopter's advances over piston-engine models but found it underpowered with the production T53-L-1A engine, which produced a maximum continuous 770 shaft horsepower. The Army called for improved follow-on models even as the first UH-1s entered service. An initial production contract for 100 HU-1As was issued in March 1960. To address power complaints, Bell quickly developed models with more powerful engines. By 1966, the Lycoming T53-L-13, producing 1,400 shaft horsepower, was installed on some models. A stretched version, first flown in August 1961, was built to carry more troops. Other modifications included all-aluminum construction, a rotor brake, and alternative engines.

The Huey first saw combat in the Vietnam War, with the first examples deployed in March 1962. It was used for general support, air assault, cargo transport, aeromedical evacuation, search and rescue, electronic warfare, and ground attack. Armed gunships carried rockets, grenade launchers, and machine guns, often modified in the field. The U.S. Air Force used its Hueys for reconnaissance, psychological warfare, and other support roles. Other nations, like the Royal Australian Air Force, also sent their Hueys to Vietnam. Around 7,000 Hueys were deployed there, with over 3,300 believed destroyed. The Huey also saw combat in the Rhodesian Bush War, Falklands War, War in Afghanistan, and the 2007 Lebanon conflict.

The original HU-1 designation gave the helicopter its nickname, which remained common after the 1962 redesignation to UH-1. Various derivatives were produced. The Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter was derived from the UH-1 and shared many parts. Civilian versions included the Bell 204 and 205. A twin-engine model, the UH-1N Twin Huey, was developed in the late 1960s. A further updated four-bladed model, the Bell 412, entered service in Canada but not the U.S. The Bell UH-1Y Venom, a twin-engine, four-bladed upgrade, was developed for the U.S. Marine Corps in the early 21st century. In U.S. Army service, the Huey was gradually phased out after the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota were introduced in the early 21st century. However, hundreds remained in use more than 50 years after its introduction. Over 16,000 Hueys have been built since 1960. With new orders from Japan and the Czech Republic, the UH-1 remains in production. Several export customers, including Canada, Germany, Taiwan, Japan, and Italy, produced it under license. Operators are located across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Pacific.