Fact File: The UH-1 Huey's war

[Matt Wiser]

Still truckin' in military service today: the UH-1 Huey at war

The Bell UH-1 Huey in World War III


The Bell UH-1 Huey was, at the time of the Third World War, the U.S. Military's primary helicopter in terms of numbers, with the Army being the largest user, though variants also served with the USAF, Navy, and Marine Corps. Other variants served with the Canadian Armed Forces during the war, and the helicopter saw service with the Australians, New Zealanders, South Koreans, and Taiwanese who fought in North America during the conflict. The helicopter was not only produced by Bell Helicopter, but also license-produced by Dornier in West Germany, ADIC in Taiwan, Augusta in Italy, and by Fuji in Japan. Though production was disrupted in North America, overseas production of the UH-1 continued, and some Bell Helicopter production, primarily of the UH-1N, continued during the war. Also included in military use were civilian versions of the helicopter, some of which served in Arkansas and Missouri in Guerrilla hands, while others were appropriated by U.S or Canadian military authorities.

This work examines those versions of the UH-1 family that saw service in the war and afterward.


Military Variants:

UH-1B: Oldest version of the Huey to see service in World War III. Lycoming T-53L-5 engine, seven passengers plus two crew. Mainly used for training and for Counter-SOF use by the U.S. Army. All sourced from AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB. Civil version Bell 204B

UH-1C: Dedicated gunship version: 1100 Shaft Horsepower T-53L-9 or L-11 engine, New tailboom and tail rotor, increased fuel capacity, and dual hydraulic controls. Many refitted with T-53L-13 Power plant with 1400 SHP, and redesignated UH-1M. Armament usually consisted of forward-firing machine guns or miniguns, rocket pods, and a 40-mm grenade launcher in the nose, with two door machine guns for use by crew, though there were many variations. Surviving aircraft from Southeast Asia reclaimed from AMARC.

UH-1D: Dedicated troop transport version, able to carry 11 troops and four crew. T-53L-11 engine. Often used as a dedicated MEDEVAC aircraft (“Dustoff”). First version to be widely exported, and licensed produced in West Germany by Dornier. Later production model Ds given T-53L-13 engine and redesignated as UH-1H. Civil version Bell 205.

HH-1D: Base rescue version for U.S. Army with water and foam spray system (50 gallons) with extendible boom.

UH-1E: USMC version of UH-1B. All-aluminum construction for corrosion resistance, USMC standard avionics, rotor brake, and roof-mounted rescue hoist. Saw extensive Vietnam use, and surviving aircraft retired in mid-1970s and sent to AMARC. USMC reclaimed UH-1Es from AMARC and issued them in 1986-7 to reforming West Coast Helicopter Squadrons.

UH-1F: USAF version for ICBM site support and local SAR. GE T58 Turboshaft engine for compatibility with HH-3H with 1250 Shaft Horsepower. In process of being replaced by UH-1N at outbreak of war, and those retired were returned to service. TH-1F was AF training variant. Civil version produced by Augusta in Italy as AB 204B.

UH-1H: Most widely produced version of UH-1, with at least 4,800 for U.S. Army use alone, as well as license production in West Germany, Italy, Japan, and Taiwan. Lycoming T-53L-13 engine with 1400 SHP. Ten sold to Canada, and their rejection for tactical use led to development of UH-1N Twin Huey. Canadian versions designated CUH-1H, then CH-118. Civil Version designated as Bell 205A and 205A-1.

HH-1H: USAF version for base rescue.

EH-1H: “Quick Fix” Communications jamming version for U.S. Army.

UH-1J: Japanese produced version of UH-1H by Fuji Heavy Industries. Production continued during the war for U.S. Military, as well as production of spare parts.

HH-1K: U.S. Navy Combat SAR and gunship version. UH-1E with different avionics and the T-53L-13 power plant. Used by HAL-3 in Vietnam and by USN Reserve Squadrons HAL-4 and -5 in World War III.

UH-1L: USN Utility and local SAR version. UH-1E body with T-53L-13 power plant. Training version also procured and designated TH-1L.

UH-1M: Upgraded UH-1C with T-53L-13 Power Plant. Provided more power to C when used as a gunship.

UH-1N: Twin Huey developed originally for Canadian military, later adopted by USAF, USN, and USMC. AF use for ICBM site support, Navy for utility and local SAR. Main USMC utility version, also used as light gunship. Some USAF examples served with 20th Special Operations Squadron in Southeast Asia 1970-73. Twin Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6 Turboshaft engines with 1800 SHP.
Canadian designation CUH-1N, then CH-135 Twin Huey. Main Canadian Utility and troop transport helicopter during the war. Civil version designated Bell 212 or AB-212 (license production from Augusta in Italy) British Army used the Bell 212 in Belize and in Brunei as the 212HP AH.1.

HH-1N: SAR version for USN; used for local SAR at Naval Air Stations. Movie fans will recall the HH-1N from NAS Lemoore in the movie The Towering Inferno.

VH-1N: VIP transport version used by USMC Squadron HMX-1.

UH-1P: Some UH-1Fs modified by USAF for duty in Southeast Asia. Only USAF helicopters to serve as gunships.

UH-1V: Dedicated MEDEVAC helicopter with DME, radar altimeter, ILS, and rescue hoist. Modified UH-1H.

UH-1Y: Upgraded UH-1N for USMC, developed postwar. Two GE T700-GE-401C Turboshaft engines with 1546 SHP. Often used as light gunship and used as such in Baja War and from USN Amphibious Ships on anti-piracy duties in Southeast Asia and Gulf of Aden.

AB-212: License production utility and transport version built by Augusta in Italy.

AB-212EW: Electronic Warfare version for Turkey.

AB-212ASW: Antisubmarine version for Italian Navy, Iranian Navy, Greek Navy, Peruvian Navy, Spanish Navy, Turkish Navy, and Venezuelan Navy. Radome above cockpit for APS-705 search radar, Bendix ASQ-18 dipping sonar, corrosion protection, shipboard tie-down attachments. Two Mark-44 or Mark-46 homing torpedoes or two Mark-11 depth charges as ASW armament. Two Marte Mark 2 antiship missiles for AsuW.


Other versions:

Bell 214: The Bell 214 was a private venture originally named “Huey Plus.” Adopted by the Imperial Iranian Army and Air Force in the 1970s, the 214 also found its way into the civilian market, as the 214 “Big Lifter,” with a number of commercial users of the helicopter in both Canada and the U.S prior to the outbreak of war. Several Canadian 214s were impressed into Canadian military service, while at least two civilian 214s in Texas flew to Arkansas, the pilots taking their families out of harm's way, and winding up in the Arkansas Ozarks. The helicopters were taken into Guerrilla service, given an olive-drab paint scheme similar to those used by the U.S. Army, and fitted with improvised door mounts for machine guns. The main difference between the UH-1H and the 214 was the fitting of a Lycoming LTC-4B-8 engine with 2930 SHP on the 214, intended for improved “hot and high” performance in Iran.

Bell 214ST: The ST version of the Bell 214 was originally intended for the Iranian Army, with the single Lycoming engine replaced by two GE CT7-2A turboshafts, with 1625 SHP each. Though intended to be produced in Iran, the Iranian Revolution ended the planned Iranian production, but Bell continued development for both civil and military use. Bell was producing the aircraft when the war began, and those airframes not yet delivered were taken over by the U.S. Army, designated UH-1R. In all, 24 214s were impressed by the Army, with several others in Louisiana used for oil rig support taken into U.S. Navy service and seeing duty with HAL-5 as the HH-1R.

Bell 412: A development of the Bell 212, with the main difference being a four-bladed composite rotor. Two Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6T-3BE Twin-Pac turboshafts with 900 SHP each. Civil versions and a number of undelivered foreign military examples awaiting delivery were impressed into U.S. Military service as the UH-1R+, primarily for USMC and USAF service, while a number of civilian-operated examples in Canada were impressed into Canadian service, designated CH-146 Griffon. RAF use as the Griffin HT.1 for training and HAR 2 for SAR. Improved civil and military versions developed postwar. License production in Italy by Augusta.

Other civilian models such as the Bell 204 and Bell 205 series were also impressed, several seeing service with both American and Canadian forces during the war. A number of captured examples were given to the ALAF (the American Liberation Air Force, the air arm of the Collaborationist Hall Government), but none survived the war. At least one captured Huey was found in the Brownsville Pocket, with Cuban markings. UH-1s sold to Central American countries in the 1970s and early 1980s remained in those countries during the war, but saw action in the anti-communist coups in the 1990s.


Allied Users:

United States Army

United States Air Force

United States Navy

United States Marine Corps

Canadian Forces

Royal Australian Air Force

Republic of China Army Aviation

Republic of Korea Army Aviation

Royal New Zealand Air Force

Philippine Air Force

Royal Air Force

British Army Air Corps



Neutralist (later reformed NATO) Users:

Greek Army

Greek Air Force

Italian Army

Italian Air Force

Royal Netherlands Air Force

Royal Norwegian Air Force

Spanish Army

Spanish Air Force

Turkish Air Force

Turkish Army

West Germany (Luftwaffe and Heer)


Other Users:

Brazilian Air Force

Israeli Air Force

Royal Thai Air Force

Royal Thai Army

Vietnam People's Air Force

[Belushi TD]

That is one hell of a guerilla operation to be able to run Hueys.

Admittedly, I'd not want to have ANYTHING to do with trying to pacify the Ozarks. I kind of feel like it would be like trying to pacify the reservations, but with different torturous ways for my infantry to die.

Belushi TD

[Wolfman]

HAL-3 used UH-1Ns modified as gunships.

[Poohbah]

That is one hell of a guerilla operation to be able to run Hueys.

Admittedly, I'd not want to have ANYTHING to do with trying to pacify the Ozarks. I kind of feel like it would be like trying to pacify the reservations, but with different torturous ways for my infantry to die.

Belushi TD

The Ozark resistance inspired the final verse of Copperhead Road:

I volunteered for the Army on my birthday
They drafted the white trash first, around here anyway
I done two tours of duty in Vietnam
I came home with a brand new plan
I take the seed from Colombia and Mexico
I just plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road
And now Ivan's got a chopper in the air
I wake up screaming like I'm back over there
I learnt a thing or two from Charlie, don't you know
You better stay away from Copperhead Road

[Bernard Woolley]

British use of the Twin Huey was very much a post-war cost saving thing. The units equipped with them had previously used the Lynx, and/or Gazelle. However, the 412 was cheaper to operate. In some ways a bit of an odd decision IMVHO. Left us with a small fleet with no commonality with the rest of our helicopters.

The RAF’s Griffons have been replaced by Airbus Jupiters in the Defence Helicopter Flying School and Merlins in Cyprus. IMVHO, there’s a fair chance that the Jupiter will also replace the AAC aircraft too, as they are very much an orphan fleet these days.

EDIT: Have just discovered that the AAC has withdrawn all of its 412s. Shows how out of touch I am! 667 Squadron AAC, which operated the AH.1 and 3 in Brunei stood down in 2021. Being replaced by RAF Puma HC2s opetarated by a detached independent flight. 25 Flight in Belize now operates the Wildcat AH.1.

[Poohbah]

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[Poohbah]

Incidentally, the Navy's Fleet Readiness Squadron for light attack helicopters was HA(L)-6, the "Firebirds," established December 1985 at NAS Los Alamitos, CA. Their patch was the famous black-and-gold Trans-Am Firebird insignia made famous by Smokey and the Bandit, and their squadron motto was Ad Orientem et Deorsum, freely translated as "Eastbound and Down."

[jemhouston]

When the last B-52 is retired, the crew will be picked up by a Huey.

[Wolfman]

When the last B-52 is retired, the crew will be picked up by a Huey.

That they will, and you Chair Force people had better not forget it.

[Jotun]

Point of order: West Germany used the Huey in the Luftwaffe and the Heer.

[Matt Wiser]

Noted and corrected: thanks for the heads-up.