UH-1 Iroquois variants
Encyclopedia
- For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey family
The following is an extensive catalog of the variants and specific unique elements of each variant and/or design stage of the UH-1 Iroquois transport helicopter.
XH-40 and YH-40
Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
(designated XH-13F
Bell 201
|-See also:-External links:* from The International Directory of Civil Aircraft by Gerard Frawley*...
), 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
Utility helicopter
A Utility Helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter. A utility military helicopter can fill roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, surveillance and troop transport. Their size is generally between cargo helicopters and light observation helicopters....
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. The YH-40's cabin was lengthened by12 in (30.5 cm), and had more ground clearance compared to the XH-40.
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.
UH-1A
The HU-1A (later redesignated the UH-1A) was the first turbine-equipped U.S. helicopter to go into production, and production models first entered service with the 101st Airborne Division101st Airborne Division (United States)
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
at Fort Lewis, Washington
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, the 82nd Airborne Division and the 57th Medical Detachment. Although they were intended for evaluation only, the Army quickly pressed them into operational service and Hueys with the 57th Medical Detachment arrived in Vietnam in March 1962.
The helicopter was originally designated the HU-1A, which is where it received its nickname - "Huey." The official U.S. Army designation Iroquois (Army helicopters are traditionally given Native American names) was almost never used in practice.
Fourteen of the original order of UH-1As were designated as TH-1A which were used for crew training and a single aircraft was redesignated XH-1A for grenade launcher testing in 1960.
The first UH-1As to arrive in Vietnam after the 57th Medical Detachment were with a new test unit, the US Army's Utility Tactical Transport Company (UTTCO). UTTCO had 20 "Alpha" Hueys and deployed to Vietnam in the fall of 1962. These aircraft were used as armed escorts to the existing H-21 Shawnees and H-34 Choctaws troop carriers.
In use the UH-1A proved under-powered with their Lycoming T53-L-1 powerplants of just 860 shp and indicated the need for improved follow-on models of the Huey.
UH-1B
The HU-1B was an improved model that was equipped with the Lycoming T53-L-5 engine of 960 shp, revised main rotor blades of 44 feet (13.4 m) diameter and 21 inches (533.4 mm) chord, 13 inch higher rotor mast and a longer cabin that could accommodate seven passengers. This version was redesignated UH-1B in 1962.Later production UH-1Bs were equipped with Lycoming T53-L-9 and L-11 engines of 1100 shp. Gross weight was 8500 lb (3,855.5 kg) and the standard empty weight was 4513 lb (2,047.1 kg).
Army testing of the "B" model started in November 1960 with first production aircraft arriving in March 1961. A total of 1010 "Bravo" models were delivered to the US Army. First deployment was in November 1963 when eleven were sent to Vietnam to join the "Alpha" models already in use by UTTCO.
One NUH-1B was produced for test purposes.
Bell certified a civil version of the UH-1B incorporating some minor safety improvements, such as improved door locks. The aircraft was marketed as the Bell 204B
Bell 204/205
The Bell 204 and 205 are the civil versions of the ubiquitous UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting, and one of its most common uses, aerial...
.
UH-1C
The UH-1C was specifically developed as a gunship version until the "interim" attack helicopter, the Bell AH-1G Huey CobraAH-1 Cobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...
was available and to correct the deficiencies of the UH-1B when it was used in the armed role. The UH-1C was widely referred to as the "Huey Hog" in US Army service.
The "Charlie" model was fitted with the 1100 shp T53-L-9 or L-11 engine to provide the power needed to lift the weapons systems in use or under development at the time. It incorporated the new Bell 540 rotor system with 27 inches (685.8 mm) chord blades. The increased power lead Bell's engineers to design a new tailboom for the "C" which incorporated a wider chord fin on a longer boom and larger synchronized elevators. The "C" also introduced a dual hydraulic control system for redundancy in battle and an improved inlet filter system for the dusty conditions found in southeast Asia. Fuel was increased to 242 US gallons and gross weight to 9500 lb (4,309.1 kg), giving a nominal useful load of 4673 lb (2,119.6 kg).
Development on the "C" model had commenced in 1960, with production starting in June 1966. A total of 766 "C" models was completed, including five for the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
and five for Norway. The balance went to the US Army.
Many UH-1Cs were later re-engined with the 1400 shp Lycoming T53-L-13 powerplant. With this engine they were redesignated UH-1M.
UH-1D
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
to 15, including crew seats.
The new Huey was designated UH-1D by the US Army and as the Model 205 by Bell. The enlarged cabin could also accommodate six stretchers, double that of the earlier models, making the "Delta" a good MEDEVAC
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
aircraft. 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 and the Huey could be flown in that configuration.
The first YUH-1D prototype flew in August 1960. Seven YUH-1Ds were delivered and tested at Edwards AFB starting in March 1961. The YUH-1D was initially equipped with a 44 ft (13.4 m) main rotor and a Lycoming T53-L-9 engine. Testing revealed that more power was required and so the rotor was lengthened to 48 ft (14.6 m) with a chord of 21 inches (533.4 mm) and the engine was upgraded to the Lycoming T53-L-11
Lycoming T53
-External links:* *...
engine of 1100 shp. A longer tailboom was designed to accommodate the longer rotor blades. Gross weight was 9500 lb (4,309.1 kg). Later production "Deltas" had the Lycoming T53-L-13 powerplant of 1400 shp installed and redesignated as "Hotel" models.
The first Army unit deliveries of the "Delta" model were on 9 August 1963 when the 11th Air Assault Division (Test) at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
Georgia received two. This unit was renamed the 1st Cavalry Division and deployed to Vietnam with its "Delta" Hueys.
A total of 2008 UH-1Ds were delivered to the US Army between 1962 and 1966. The model was widely exported and served with the armed forces of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
among others. A grand total of 2,561 UH-1Ds were built, including 352 constructed by Dornier
Dornier Flugzeugwerke
Dornier Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in Friedrichshafen in 1914 by Claudius Dornier. Over the course of its long lifespan, the company produced many notable designs for both the civil and military markets.-History:...
for the West German
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
armed forces.
The HH-1D was a base rescue/fire-fighting version for the US Army that had a 50 gallon water and foam spray system that could be discharged via an extendable 16 feet (4.9 m) boom.
Upgrading the UH-1D to the Lycoming T53-L-13 engine, plus relocating the pitot tube
Pitot tube
A pitot tube is a pressure measurement instrument used to measure fluid flow velocity. The pitot tube was invented by the French engineer Henri Pitot Ulo in the early 18th century and was modified to its modern form in the mid-19th century by French scientist Henry Darcy...
from the nose to the roof resulted in a new model, the UH-1H, which was to become the most produced variant of the Huey family.
UH-1E
In 1962 the US MarinesUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
held a competition to choose a new assault support helicopter to replace the Cessna O-1 and Kaman OH-43D helicopter. The winner was the UH-1B which was already then in service with the US Army.
The UH-1B was developed into a special model, designated UH-1E, to meet Marine Corps requirements. The major changes included the use of all-aluminum construction for corrosion resistance (earlier UH-1s had some magnesium components), special avionics that were compatible with Marine Corps ground frequencies, a rotor brake to stop the rotor quickly on shutdown for shipboard use 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
Lycoming T53
-External links:* *...
of 1100 shp. Because Bell was switching Army production to the UH-1C the UH-1E production line was converted to commonality with the “C”. This meant the later “Echo” Hueys were completed with the “Charlie” style tailboom including the larger fin, the 540 rotor system and a gross weight of 8500 lb (3,855.5 kg).
The Marines used the UH-1E as both a gunship and troop transport. Many were upgraded to the Lycoming T53-L-13 engine which produced 1400 shp, making these “Echos” similar to the Army “Mike” models. At least 126 UH-1Es survived their Vietnam service and were still in use more than a decade later.
There was a Marine Corps training version of the UH-1E, which was based on the UH-1C variant and was designated TH-1E. Twenty were delivered in 1965.
UH-1F
Bell Helicopters was the winner of a 1963 United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
competition for a support helicopter for use on its missile bases.
Bell had proposed the UH-1B for the competition but the USAF asked Bell to develop a special version of the "Bravo" in using the General Electric T58
General Electric T58
|-See also:-References:* and...
turboshaft
Turboshaft
A turboshaft engine is a form of gas turbine which is optimized to produce free turbine shaft power, rather than jet thrust...
as a powerplant. The USAF already had a large inventory of these engines for its fleet of Sikorsky HH-3 Jolly Green Giant
Sikorsky S-61R
The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine helicopter used in transport or search and rescue roles. A developed version of the S-61/SH-3 Sea King, the S-61R was also built under license by Agusta as the AS-61R...
rescue helicopters and wanted to have commonality between the types. This engine was capable of 1,250 hp (932 kW) compared to the UH-1B's 1,100 hp (820 kW) T53-L11.
In response Bell proposed an upgraded version of the UH-1B with the T58 engine installed. The resulting UH-1F had the shorter cabin of the "Bravo" Huey, but with the longer tail boom, rotor and transmission of the UH-1D.
Due to the Huey's configuration, Bell installed the T58 engine backwards compared to the HH-3. The Huey's engine is behind the transmission, whereas the HH-3's engines are in front of the transmission. Externally, the only visible differences from UH-1B were the engine exhaust, which exited to the right side of the engine and the longer tail boom.
The UH-1F was introduced into the USAF inventory on 20 February 1964. The USAF took delivery of 119 with production ending in 1967. Many of the aircraft served in southeast Asia with the 20th Special Operations Squadron and some were converted to the armed UH-1P configuration.
In Italy, Agusta produced a similar model by re-engining the 204B with the 1,225 hp (914 kW) Rolls-Royce Gnome
Rolls-Royce Gnome
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:*...
(license-built T58) turboshaft, but later models used T58s. The AB204B was exported to the military of the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, and Switzerland. It had a rescue hoist located at the right side of the cabin.
The last UH-1F was retired from the USAF in the early 1980s when it was replaced by the UH-1N. many of these aircraft later served as forest fire fighting aircraft with various US state governments and agencies.
There was a TH-1F trainer also built for the USAF. The first TH-1F was flown in January 1967 and deliveries ran from April to July of that year with 27 completed.
UH-1H
Pitot tube
A pitot tube is a pressure measurement instrument used to measure fluid flow velocity. The pitot tube was invented by the French engineer Henri Pitot Ulo in the early 18th century and was modified to its modern form in the mid-19th century by French scientist Henry Darcy...
relocated from the nose to the roof, to reduce ground damage to it. "Hotel" models were created by upgrading "Deltas" with the more powerful engine. The first YUH-1H flew in 1966 with deliveries of production models starting in September 1967.
The "Hotel" model Huey was produced in larger numbers than any other model, with 4,850 delivered to the US Army alone. The "Hotel" model was widely exported and was also built under license in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Ten were sold to Canada for use under the designation CUH-1H with the first one was delivered on 6 March 1968. These were evaluated by the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
and found unsuitable for Canadian tactical use, which resulted in the Canadian government sponsoring the development of the twin-engined version of the "Hotel", the UH-1N Twin Huey
UH-1N Twin Huey
The Bell UH-1N Twin Huey is a medium military helicopter that first flew in April, 1969. The UH-1N has a fifteen seat configuration, with one pilot and fourteen passengers. In cargo configuration the UH-1N has an internal capacity of 220 ft³ . An external load of 5,000 lb can be carried...
. The ten CUH-1Hs were re-equipped for search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
use, redesignated CH-118 and served until 1995.
Bell developed a certified version of the UH-1H for the civil market. The aircraft incorporated minor changes for safety, such as dual sliding door locks and a baggage compartment in the tailboom. It was marketed by Bell as the Model 205A
Bell 204/205
The Bell 204 and 205 are the civil versions of the ubiquitous UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting, and one of its most common uses, aerial...
and later the improved 205A-1.
The "Hotel" model Huey was also the basis for a number of sub-variants:
- HH-1H was a UH-1H equipped for base rescue duties. Thirty were delivered to the USAF between 1970-73.
- EH-1H was a UH-1H modified under Project Quick Fix in 1976 and used as communications jamming aircraft with the US Army. Twenty-two aircraft were modified to this configuration beginning in 1976. Initial aircraft were fielded to the 82nd Airborne Division and the 2nd Armored Division. The 82nd fielded the type during the invasion of Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury)Invasion of GrenadaThe Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, was a 1983 United States-led invasion of Grenada, a Caribbean island nation with a population of about 100,000 located north of Venezuela. Triggered by a military coup which had ousted a four-year revolutionary government, the invasion...
in 1983. - UH-1J an improved Japanese version of the UH-1H built under license in Japan by Fuji. It was locally designated as the UH-1J.
- EH-1X was an improved EH-1H communications jammer and DFDirection findingDirection finding refers to the establishment of the direction from which a received signal was transmitted. This can refer to radio or other forms of wireless communication...
aircraft. - JUH-1 was a UH-1H equipped with retractable skid gear and an AN/APS 94 radar boom mounted on the belly.
- UH-1V was a MEDEVACMEDEVACMedical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
version of the "Hotel", with upgraded avionics. - TH-1H: Modified UH-1Hs for use as basic helicopter flight trainers by the USAF.
UH-1J
Some UH-1Hs built by Fuji in Japan were improved and given the local designation of UH-1J, although this was not used in the US designation series.HH-1K
Bell was awarded a contract by the US Navy in December 1968 for a new search and rescue helicopter. The aircraft was designated the HH-1K and was basically a UH-1E with different avionics and the Lycoming T53-L-13Lycoming T53
-External links:* *...
powerplant of 1400 shp.
Deliveries of the “Kilo” Huey started in May 1970 and by November of that year three had been sent to Vietnam to serve with US Navy squadron HA(L)-3 and, later with the HA(L)-4 Red Wolves and the HA(L)-5 Blue Hawks
Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Five
Helicopter Attack Squadron Five was a US Navy Special Warfare and Close Air Support helicopter squadron in the period following Vietnam, which, along with its sister squadron HA-4 "Red Wolves", was one of the last two US Navy squadrons using "Huey" Gunships.- Genesis of the HA squadrons :In 1966,...
. A total of 27 HH-1Ks were produced.
UH-1L
With deliveries of the UH-1E underway to the US Marines the US Navy tested a few and found that the type would suit their uses as a utility helicopter. On 16 May 1968, the US Navy ordered eight aircraft under the designation UH-1L.The “Lima” Huey was basically a UH-1E, of the later production type based on the Army's UH-1C, equipped with a rescue hoist and intake particle screen. The “Ls” were delivered without the armour or armament installed and were equipped with the Lycoming T53-L-13
Lycoming T53
-External links:* *...
powerplant of 1400 shp.
The first four “Limas” were delivered in November 1969 and sent to Vietnam to equip the US Navy HA(L)-3 detachment assigned to Operation Sealords
Operation Sealords
Operation Sealords was a military operation that took place during the Vietnam War. Conceived by Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., it was a joint operation between United States and South Vietnamese forces...
. In Vietnam the aircraft were modified with weapons and armour and were fitted to carry 500 lb (226.8 kg) bombs and 500 lb (226.8 kg) Fuel-Air Explosive
Thermobaric weapon
A thermobaric weapon, which includes the type known as a "fuel-air bomb", is an explosive weapon that produces a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than those produced by condensed explosives. This is useful in military applications where its longer duration increases the numbers of...
munitions.
There was a TH-1L version of the UH-1L for the Navy to replace the H-34 and the borrowed Army UH-1Ds used in the training role, including for pilot aircraft carrier qualification training. Forty-five TH-1Ls were delivered starting in November 1969.
UH-1M
The "Mike" model Huey was a conversion of the existing UH-1C by re-engining it with the 1400 shp Lycoming T53-L-13 powerplant used in the UH-1H. This provided more power to the "C" model for its role as a gunship and also provided engine commonality between the attack and transport helicopters in use in Vietnam at that time.UH-1N
Continental Motors Company
Continental Motors Company was an American engine and automobile manufacturer. The company produced engines for various independent manufacturers of automobiles, tractors, and stationary equipment from the 1900s through the 1960s. Continental Motors also produced Continental-branded automobiles in...
engines. The Canadian government provided the incentive for Bell to continue development of the Twin Huey using Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...
engines. The project attracted orders from the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, US Marine Corps, US Navy and USAF, but not the US Army.
The new aircraft was designated UH-1N Iroquois in US service and CUH-1N Twin Huey in Canadian Forces use. The Canadian designation was later changed to CH-135 Twin Huey. There was an HH-1N version produced for the USAF as a base rescue helicopter and for use by the 20th Special Operations Squadron in the counter-insurgency role using the call sign Green Hornet. Some Marine Corps UH-1Ns were converted to VH-1Ns as VIP transports, including six for Presidential use.
The UH-1N was widely produced and exported to a large number of countries and license-built by Agusta
Agusta
Agusta is an Italian helicopter manufacturer. It is based in Samarate, Northern Italy. It is a subsidiary of Finmeccanica. The company was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who flew his first airplane in 1907...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Bell certified a civil version as the Model 212 in October 1970.
UH-1P
An unknown number of UH-1Fs were modified to UH-1P configuration by the USAF for use by the their 20th Special Operations Squadron, The Green Hornets, based in southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.Official USAF sources state that these aircraft were used for a classified
Classified information
Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...
psychological warfare
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
role, but this is incorrect. The "Papa" Hueys were in fact modified and employed as gunships armed with machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s and rocket launchers
Multiple rocket launcher
A multiple rocket launcher is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns...
.
UH-1V
The UH-1V is a version of the UH-1H converted by the US Army Electronics Command for MEDEVACMEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
use. The aircraft have several upgrades including a radar altimeter
Radar altimeter
A radar altimeter, radio altimeter, low range radio altimeter or simply RA measures altitude above the terrain presently beneath an aircraft or spacecraft...
, DME
Distance Measuring Equipment
Distance measuring equipment is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals....
, ILS
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
and a rescue hoist. The first aircraft were supplied to the New Hampshire National Guard.
EH-1X
The EH-1X was an improved EH-1H that was equipped with the AN/ALQ-151 system and configured for the airborne jamming, radio intercept and DFDirection finding
Direction finding refers to the establishment of the direction from which a received signal was transmitted. This can refer to radio or other forms of wireless communication...
role. Ten EH-1Xs were built starting in late 1976 under Project Quick Fix IIA.
JUH-1 SOTAS
The JUH-1 was a modified UH-1H an AN/APS 94 radar system mounted in a rotating boom on the belly, where the cargo hook had been. The aircraft's skid landing gear was modified to retract allowing the radar antennae to rotate while in flight. The JUH-1s also incorporated an autopilot and improved navigation avionics. The radar system was connected by datalinkData link
In telecommunication a data link is the means of connecting one location to another for the purpose of transmitting and receiving information. It can also refer to a set of electronics assemblies, consisting of a transmitter and a receiver and the interconnecting data telecommunication circuit...
to a ground station for analysis of the radar images.
At least four UH-1Hs were modified to JUH-1s for use by the US Army in Europe and Korea for use as technology demonstrators in the Stand Off Target Acquisition System (SOTAS) program. They were first deployed in 1975 but by 1986 they had been replaced by the EH-60 Black Hawk.
UH-1Y
The UH-1Y Venom is an upgraded UH-1N Twin HueyUH-1N Twin Huey
The Bell UH-1N Twin Huey is a medium military helicopter that first flew in April, 1969. The UH-1N has a fifteen seat configuration, with one pilot and fourteen passengers. In cargo configuration the UH-1N has an internal capacity of 220 ft³ . An external load of 5,000 lb can be carried...
for the US Marines that was first flown on 18 November 2006, developed as part of the H-1 upgrade program
H-1 upgrade program
The H-1 upgrade program refers to the United States Marine Corps's program to develop the AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom to replace its aging fleets of AH-1W SuperCobras and UH-1N Twin Hueys. The former is a twin-engine attack helicopter, while the latter is a medium-sized utility helicopter, also...
.