Bell UH-1A Iroquois (Huey)

Bell UH-1A Iroquois (Huey). . , The UH-1's official name is Iroquois, following the U.S. Army tradition of using Native American names for helicopters. However, it is more commonly known by the nickname "Huey," which stemmed from the original designation HU, later UH-1., The Huey was the first Bell helicopter equipped with a turbine engine. It first flew in 1955 and entered military service in 1959. The Huey first saw combat in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) in 1962. It served as a troop transport and life-saving medevac helicopter. Later in the war, the Huey was adapted to serve as an armed assault helicopter, used to protect troop transports and ground combat support., Because the Huey was used throughout the Vietnam War, it is considered the most iconic aircraft of the conflict. It served with all branches of the U.S. armed forces. The U.S. Navy used the Huey as an armed escort during the war. When flown alongside small river patrol boats, the Huey's primary role was to deny use of inland waterways to the Viet Cong, the Communist rebels in South Vietnam. The rugged helicopter survived Viet Cong ambushes, rescued trapped soldiers and civilians, and intercepted enemy watercraft loaded with weapons and supplies., This Huey is one of the original 182 "A" models. It is believed to be one of only two still in existence.,

Length: 38 feet 5 inches (11.7 m) , Height: 12 feet (3.6 m) , Rotor Span: 44 feet (13.4 m) , Empty Weight: 3,791 pounds (1,719 kg) , Max Weight: 9,500 pounds (4,309 kg) , Top Speed: 141 miles per hour (227 kph) , Ceiling: 14,400 feet (4,388 m) , Crew: Three, two pilots and one gunner , Armament: None but in later models one 7.62mm M240 machine gun or one 7.62mm GAU-17 machine gun; two 7-shot or 19-shot 2.75-inch (70mm) rocket pods

, [Captions:] , U.S. Army Bell UH-1D helicopters airlift troops to a new staging area during Operation Wahiawa, a search-and-destroy mission conducted by the 25th Infantry Division in South Vietnam in 1966., Armed with guns and rockets, the Huey provided essential support to river patrols that intercepted shipments of supplies to the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.