The first UH-1F flew on February 20th 1964, and deliveries to the Air Force began in September 1964. The UH-1F had an even wider, 48 foot diameter rotor and a turboshaft engine with 1,290 horsepower. In June 1963, Bell won a US Air Force contract for a helicopter to perform missile site support duties, resulting in the "UH-1F", a derivative of the UH-1B. The Marines also obtained 20 "TH-1E" trainers. The Marines obtained 250 UH-1Es, similar to the UH-1B but included an external rescue hoist and a rotor brake to keep the rotor in place during shipboard stowage. The first flight of the UH-1E was in February 1963 and deliveries began in February 1964. In March 1962, Bell won a Marine Corps contract to supply the service with an assault support helicopter, resulting in the "UH-1E". The UH-1C was introduced in September 1965, but only about 750 were built, as by that time Bell was getting ready to introduce the AH-1 "Huey Cobra" gunship, which was based on the technology of the UH-1B, and though it lacked some of the great features of the UH-1B, it was able to perform the duties of the gunship which it was intended. 90 more were built as training helicopters under the designation "TH-1L Seawolf", and eight were built as "UH-1L" utility rotorcraft. These rotorcraft were fitted with a Lycoming engine with 1,400 horsepower and had Navy-specified avionics. The US navy ordered 27 of the HH-1K’s in 1970. The undoubted success of the bell UH-1B gave convincing proof that there was little wrong with the basic design of this utility helicopter.īell designed another variant of the UH-1B for Search and Rescue Duties for the US Navy, called the "HH-1K". In fact, although some believed that helicopters were too fragile to engage in direct combat operations, Huey loss rates were found to be surprisingly acceptable. The use of dedicated helicopter gunships to escort "Slicks" or "DustOffs" (as medevac Huey’s were known) led to a demonstrable drop in combat damage. They were generally armed with M-60 machine guns on a flexible mount in each door to provide covering fire for troops. Transport versions of the UH-1 were known as "Slicks" because of their uncluttered appearance. The UH-1B saw extensive use in Vietnam, mostly as a gunship. Various Huey models were also operated by "Air America", a front company operated by the US Central Intelligence Agency.ġ,033 UH-1Bs and Model 204s were built in all.
The gunships would scout ahead of the patrol boats to look for ambushes and back up the boats during an attack. The Navy also operated hand-me-down Army UH-1B gunships in Vietnam, in support of river patrol boats. The UH-1B had a stretched fuselage to provide accommodations for seven passengers three stretchers, two sitting casualties, and a medical attendant or 3,000 pounds of cargo.īell sold a commercial version of this variant called the "Model 204B.†The Model 204B was completed in September 1960 and certified in April 1963. The Army requested several specific improvements to the Huey, UH-1A and the result was a "UH-1B", produced in March 1961. The UH-1A was deployed to Vietnam and a number of them were field-fitted with machine guns on a fixed mount next to each side door and were armed with a total of 16 rockets. The first model of the 204 Huey was delivered to the Army on Jand a total of 183 were built, completing orders in 1961.
The Huey remains a legend as the most successful rotorcraft in Aviation History. There are zero registered for all other makes and models of the military variant hueys, leaving only 723 Military varient Huey models in all registered today. 9 E models, 12 F models, 10 Training F Models, 1 HH-1K, 8 TH-1L’s, 14 UH-1L, 3 M models, 1 P model, 5 civilian 205’s and 547 UH-1H’s. Today, There are only 113 B models registered.
Of the 10,005 production Hueys, 9,216 went to the U.S. The Huey and the Cobra have more combat flight time than any other aircraft in the history of warfare.īell Helicopter built 10,005 Hueys from 1957 to 1975. The Huey Cobra (AH-1G) had 1,038,969 flight hours in Vietnam 22, 1956 when the first model of the huey was flown.Īrmy UH-1's totaled 7,531,955 flight hours in the Vietnam War between October 1966 and the end of 1975. UH-1 aircraft have totaled more than 27 million flight hours since Oct. The first flight of the Huey was by Pilot, Floyd Carlson on Octoin Fort Worth.