Friday, January 9, 2015

Huey gunships in the Vietnam War art


Artist not stated. Huey was the unofficial name for the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, a military helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine, with two-bladed main and tail rotors. It was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the U.S. Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and it first flew on 20 October 1956. Ordered into production in March 1960, the UH-1 was the first turbine-powered helicopter to enter production for the U.S. military, and more than 16,000 have been produced worldwide.

The first combat operation of the UH-1 was in the service of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. The original designation of HU-1 led to the helicopter's nickname of Huey. In September 1962, the designation was changed to UH-1, but "Huey" remained in common use. Approximately 7,000 UH-1 helicopters saw service in Vietnam.

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