Courtesy Photo | AH-1Gs from the 17th Cavalry made thousands of high-speed runs against targets in Laos.... read more read more
When thinking about the Vietnam War, what comes to mind? Perhaps it is the sights and smells of napalm or the harrowing scenes in magazines or newspapers. Maybe it is watching the fall of Saigon unfold in dramatic fashion on TV or the massive anti-war protests in the United States. These are all scenes of the same war, but for others the thought travels to sounds. Specifically, the sounds of helicopters.
Stemmed from a Korean War era requirement for a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) helicopter, the “Huey” family of helicopters saw action widely during the Vietnam War. In fact, the Huey is often referred to as a synonymous icon with the war in the southeast Asian country. The story of the UH-1 (and the AH-1 “HueyCobra”) is an interesting one that finds itself centered on the Vietnam War, the former Weapons Command (WECOM, a predecessor of the modern Army Sustainment Command (ASC)), and Army Materiel Command (AMC).
Defining the need
First generation helicopters were large, lumbering, cumbersome airframes that were described as “maintenance nightmares” full of complexities. The U.S. Army began to search for a design that was easier to maintain as a utility and multipurpose helicopter, specifically for the role of MEDEVAC and instrument training. The Army selected a design submitted by Bell Helicopter from a pool of 20 designs in February 1955. The following year, the prototype XH-40 made its first flight, but by this time the Army had already requested six more XH-40s to be built. Finally in 1960, the Army ordered 100 of the helicopters using the designation “HU-1.”
The original HU-1 designation is where the name “Huey” finds its origins, despite the HU-1’s official name being designated “Iroquois.” In 1962, the Army revised its nomenclature and naming conventions for weapon systems. This resulted in the changing of the HU-1 designation to UH-1 (Utility Helicopter), but the name Huey stuck despite the official name used by the Army.
With the initial models completed, testing in the field began on the service UH-1s. It was quickly determined that, while the aircraft performed brilliantly, it was still underpowered. Bell began working with more powerful engines on the aircraft to compensate for the described lack of power and thus produced the UH-1B in 1961. Subsequent upgrades and variations were made to the Huey in the following years, including numerous export products for NATO nations. Models were also being produced for civilian use. By the mid-1960s, all branches of the U.S. military were using some variant of the Huey.
Early Service & Developments
First entering service with the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions in addition to the 57th Medical Detachment, the Huey first arrived in Vietnam in 1962. That same year, companies began fitting their aircraft with modularly designed weapon systems and other equipment. The Airborne Systems Laboratory (ASL) under WECOM was instrumental in research and development of many of these systems. ASL was at the front of the design and development of numerous airborne artillery support and close-air-support (CAS) systems.
ASL assisted in the design of both the modular components on the UH-1, and the subsequent modifications and designs to build the AH-1 attack variant. In a concept drawing from November 10, 1966, Rock Island Arsenal’s Research and Development Division drafted a proposed 20-mm armed variant of the AH-1G HueyCobra for the CAS mission. CAS required loitering capabilities that enabled a platform to remain in the combat zone for prolonged periods of time, and the AH-1 suited this requirement. However, the armor and susceptible rotors made aircraft like the A-1 Skyraider and its replacement, the A-10 Thunderbolt, more enduring CAS aircraft.
In an even earlier drawing, dated April 20, 1965, a stubbed UH-1 was shown with a 105-mm gun launcher barrel attached to it. This operated as an airborne firing platform and was one of several proposals for use of howitzers and field guns being fired from helicopters. The UH-1 design featured a front-firing gun that would presumably be able to be fired from a hovering or sitting position. This same concept gets employed on several other aircraft, including the CH-47 Chinook and H-21 Shawnee. This role was eventually assigned to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules as the AC-130E in 1972.
Nevertheless, the AH-1 entered service in June of 1967 and was almost immediately deployed to the Vietnam theater. Its primary function was that of fire support while also fulfilling an attack role. Meanwhile, the UH-1 was fielded in multiple roles, including fast transport, MEDEVAC, and augmenting troop support. In almost every ground mission, either a UH-1 and AH-1 accompanied the force, quickly making it a symbol of the conflict in Vietnam.
The UH-1 in Vietnam
Numerous upgrades, modules, and systems were designed and developed for the UH-1 during its time in Vietnam. Many of these systems were produced en masse, but others were jerry-rigged by the companies in the field. The “Cobra” name was adorned to Huey that carried gun pods or were equipped with door guns. The term “Frog” or “Hog” was given to Hueys outfitted with rockets, or “Hawks Claws” for Huey with missile systems (specifically TOW missiles). Meanwhile, “Slicks” were used to transport troops from one point to another.
The UH-1B was the first Huey to be dubbed “Cobra” and fulfilled the gunship role from 1962 to 1964. Bell introduced the UH-1C as a dedicated gunship variant in 1964, and it remained the primary function for the variant until the AH-1 was introduced in 1967. Numerous Hueys performed scouting, hunter-killer, reconnaissance, and economy of force missions owing to the Huey’s air cavalry capabilities. Despite the platform’s susceptibility to the North Vietnamese Army’s (NVA) surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, the Huey was still considered invaluable in all roles due to its modularity and ease of conversion. The platform could be rapidly converted from a gunship to a MEDEVAC transport with little-to-no advanced notice.
There were numerous upgrades designed by WECOM for the UH-1 platform. These ranged from basic armament subsystems to fire control, to simple mounts. According to an undated pamphlet of fact sheets produced by WECOM in the 1960s, at least 10 separate systems were designed for the Huey. One of the most significant of these systems was the M21 Armament Subsystem which consisted of M134 7.62-mm machine gun with the M158 (or M158A1) 2.75-in rocket launchers. These created a system capable of firing up to 14 rockets and around 6,000 rounds of 7.62-mm ammunition. The flexibility of the system enabled the UH-1B (and subsequently the C model) to be an effective and lethal gunship providing cover for forces on the ground.
B and C models were also equipped with M60A1 Helicopter Sights to allow for sighting of fixed-forward guns and rockets. This was specifically part of the M21 system. Sighting could be stabilized by use of the XM76 Anti-oscillation sighting system that “compensated for vibrations and other environmental motions normally experienced with viewing devices”, according to the item’s fact sheet. This development became crucial for later iterations of guided weapon systems.
Perhaps one of the most well-known add-ons to the Huey, however, was the M23 Armament Subsystem. The M23 consisted of two M60D 7.62-mm machine guns mounted on each side of the aircraft. These were the door gun systems, and they were primarily mounted on UH-1D or H model Hueys. Each gun had a capacity of over 500 rounds and weighed over 200 lbs with the ammo attached. There was also the XM59 Subsystem, which added one M60D with another XM213 .50 Caliber machine gun. The XM59 included the same ammunition limits for the M60D, while the XM213 was equipped with 100 rounds.
The Forward-Looking Infrared system equipped on many Hueys could be used both for weapon systems, anti-personnel detection, and search-and-rescue (SAR). These systems provided the greatest flexibility for the Huey and were found on numerous models beyond the originally intended M model. With the amalgamation of modules created, the Huey was a workhorse in Southeast Asia.
UH-1s saw contact in virtually every skirmish and battle in Vietnam through the American withdrawal in 1975. Over 7,000 Hueys served and had a loss rate of just under 50 percent.
The AH-1 in Vietnam
Following the marriage of the Huey and the Sioux Scout helicopters, Bell produced and rolled out the Model 209 in September 1965 – the model that eventually became the HueyCobra. In June of 1967, the first AH-1 had been delivered. Just over two years to the day after the first Model 209 flew, an AH-1 scored its first combat kill in Vietnam.
Like the UH-1, the AH-1 saw service in every branch of the U.S. military during Vietnam. In addition, the AH-1 frequently flew as the killer in the hunter-killer missions, akin to its UH-1C counterpart. By late 1967 into early 1968, virtually all UH-1 gunships were replaced with the AH-1G.
Not to be outshined in modularity by its utility counterpart, the AH-1 also featured a large variance in equipment sets. Systems designed for the AH-56 Cheyenne were designed to augment the AH-1. However, when the AH-56 was cancelled, many of these systems were redesigned to work with the AH-1. The WECOM fact sheet pamphlets highlight over a dozen systems designed for the HueyCobra.
The M18A1 provided two additional machine gun hardpoints for the AH-1 using the M134 multi-barrel machine gun. These were compartmentalized within their own aerodynamic armament pod that was capable to withstand speeds of up to over Mach 1. A built-in drum could feed up to 1,500 rounds of ammunition into the gun, preventing the risk of disconnect.
The front of the AH-1 could be modified with the M28A1 weapon system that married the M134 machine gun and the M129 40-mm grenade launcher. These two weapons used the internal bay weapon storage on the AH-1. Up to 4,000 rounds of 7.62-mm ammunition and 300 rounds of 40-mm ammunition could be stored. The M28A1 also allowed for the replacement of one system with another. Some AH-1s used dual M134s, while others used dual M129s.
There were two systems that were particularly devastating and effective in Southeast Asia. The first was the M35 armament system. This system included the XM195 automatic 20-mm gun, which was an M61 Vulcan with shorter barrels. The 950-round gun was self-clearing and did not deposit spent rounds. The second system was the BGM-71 Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missile. The TOW missile was equipped to assist with anti-armor needs of forces in the field. The TOW missile implementation was originally married to the M65 subsystem, which augmented the system that was designed for the AH-56 before its cancellation. These two systems were equipped primarily to the G models (M35) and Q and S (M65) variants.
Both later systems (M35 and 65) were featured prominently in Armament Command’s (ARMCOM) 1973 publication highlighting In-House Armament Capabilities. The document underscored the importance of the former WECOM and the contemporary ARMCOM’s role in the mission of acquisition, research, development, and fielding.
AH-1s were used in service through the initial withdrawal from South Vietnam in 1973. Over 1,000 HueyCobras were delivered through 1973, with around 300 lost.
The Huey Today
Of the over 16,000 Hueys that have been built, many remain in service today for both military and civilian applications. Most of the military use is via exported models of the UH-1. Domestically, the Huey has seen service with numerous fire, police, and medical services. The AH-1, however, is a different story. While the AH-1 was retired entirely from service in the U.S. Army after the introduction of the AH-64 Apache, the AH-1J “SuperCobra” remained in service with the U.S. Marine Corps until 2020. When the AH-1J was retired, it was replaced by the AH-1Z “Viper”, an updated version of the SuperCobra.
The legacy of the Huey lives on through these updated revisions and in the photos that emerged during Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and then some. And, of course, there are the numerous films and cinematography of war movies and stories of valor that project the Huey into the realm of one of the most iconic platforms in military history.
| Date Taken: | 11.14.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2024 17:06 |
| Story ID: | 485340 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
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