UH-1 Iroquois – The First Hueys

     Notes: The famous “Huey” (the nickname based on its original US Army designation, the HU-1A) has seen action in conflicts all over the globe, including its most famous use by the US in Vietnam.  It still serves to this day with the US Marines, who consider the UH-1N and UH-1Y to be better than the Blackhawk, as well as scores of countries worldwide, not to mention thousands of civilian operators.  It is perhaps the most common helicopter in the world today. The UH-1A was ordered into production to equip what was to become the 1^st AirCav division. Some 7000 UH-1s alone served in the US Army, primarily in the Vietnam War. The original designation for the UH-1A was the HU-1A, leading to the appellation “Huey;” it was so common a nickname that Bell began casting the pedals on UH-1Bs and later with the name “Huey.”

     The UH-1A was the original US Army version, based on the Bell 204 airframe.  The Bell 204 was designed specifically to meet this Army requirement, and they also hoped for some civilian sales as well.  (And got them, in spades.)  The UH-1 was the first turbine-powered helicopter, and therefore the turboshaft engine was able to produce a much greater power-to-weight ratio then earlier designs. The UH-1A, however, was still underpowered, with its 770 horsepower engine.  Even as the first 100 UH-1As were being delivered, the Army stressed a need for more power if they were going to accept any more UH-1s.

     Bell responded with the UH-1B, with an engine developing 960 horsepower, and a longer cabin that could carry seven passengers (though in Vietnam, they would often be involved in extractions that left them barely able to take off), or four stretchers and a medical attendant.  The UH-1B began delivery in 1961. Later, more powerful 1100-horsepower engines were installed in the UH-1Bs, making them some of the fastest cargo helicopters in the Vietnam War.

     The next UH-1 would test a new concept in helicopters: armed aerial gunships.  This was the UH-1C, with the engine power increased to 1100 horsepower to carry the weapons systems required.  And they were many such weapons systems and arrangements. (Wikipedia has an entire section just on UH-1 weapon systems.) The stats below show just one of these, a typical armament package. The UH-1C could also be stripped of its external armament and used as a troop carrier or dustoff, but this was rare, despite the fact that the UH-1C was originally meant to address power and control problems in the UH-1B. The UH-1C also carried 920 liters more fuel than the UH-1B and it had a larger cargo/weapons load. In general, the UH-1C would fly hunter-killer missions with OH-6s.  The UH-1C has larger rotor blades, which led to a more swept-back vertical stabilizer.

     The prototype for the UH-1D was the civilian Bell 205.  The big difference in the UH-1D was the lengthening of the fuselage by 104 centimeters, allowing for one more solder to be seated facing out on each side. The engine was a variant of the UH-1C’s Lycoming T53-L-9 engine, the T53-L-11, which could burn gasoline as well as aviation gasoline in addition to JP8. This allowed for a crew and passenger complement of 15, including two pilots and two door gunners (one of which is also the crew chief). The chief complaints were lack of interior room; they were partially successful, but many long-body variants ensued, with ever-higher engine power and larger rotor diameters.  The UH-1D required a fuselage plug of 104 centimeters. The UH-1D was large enough to carry an infantry squad of 8-10, two door gunners, and the aircrew. The large cabin could also accommodate six stretchers and two attendants.

     In 1966, Bell combined the UH-1D body with a 1400-horsepower Lycoming T53-L-13 engine, giving a good increase in power.  As the same time, the pitot tube was moved from the nose to the forward roof, to prevent damage to the tube. (This was a problem with earlier versions.)  This version was called the UH-1H.

     In 1962, the USMC was looking for a general-purpose helicopter to replace its Cessna O-1s and Kaman OH-43D helicopters. This was the OH-1E.  These were essentially cargo-carrying Cs with the 1100-horspower engine from the UH-1C. Later, Many of these Es were changed to upgraded to a 1400-horsepower engine, making them a better match to the UH-1Ms, a more powerful armed Huey. the Changes included more weather and humidity-resistant radios and avionics, and equipment useful for shipboard use such as a rotor brake to stop rotation faster after landing, and a roof-mounted rescue hoist with a capacity 200 kilograms. However…The first 34 were modified UH-1Bs, taken from aircraft that were formerly built for the Army.  These were given the same changes for their UH-1H, but had Lycoming T-53-L-13 1100-horsepower engines.  Later UH-1Hs used a Lycoming T53-L-13 1400-horsepower engine.

     The UH-1F was designed to produce an aircraft for surveillance at missile silos in the US.  These were built from 1964-1967.  Bell proposed a standard UH-1B with extra equipment, and more powerful engine, but the Air Force wanted even more power, and they did not need anything bigger than a UH-1B.  They chose the GE T-58 engine, producing 1250 horsepower.  The aircraft was equipped with a FLIR and low-power radar, and often flew armed, like the UH-1C.  In the end, few were actually delivered to the missile silos; most were converted to UH-1P enhanced gunships, serving with the 20th SOF Squadron.  The FLIR and Radar are scopes on the instrument panel. The YUH-1G tested a further extension of this concept, but was passed on by the Air Force.

     The UH-1H was basically a modernized UH-1D, with a powerful Lycoming T53-L-13 1400-horsepower engine.  The pitot tube was also moved to the roof from the nose to reduce damage.  The “Hotel Huey” was produced in greater numbers than any other Huey, as it was exported widely and used by all five branches of US service.  Canadian UH-1Hs were designated CF-118, refitted for SAR work, and served until 1995, both as trainers and SARbirds. (As the Twin Hueys were available the CF-118 was not considered acceptable for insertion of combat forces.) The UH-1J is a Japanese-built version of the UH-1H.

     The HH-1H was designed for quick rescue of downed test aircraft; other than mission and paint (such as high-visibility markings, paint, and mission equipment such as a floodlight and a FLIR), it was identical to the UH-1H.

     The HH-1K was designed for US Navy SAR and was based on a UH-1E, but with a 1400-horsepower Lycoming T53-L-13 engine.  The HH-1K has FLIR and radar, as well as a floodlight.  Some 27 were produced.  The purpose is as a SARbird.

     The EH-1H was an electronic and signals warfare helicopter based on a UH-1H.  It bristled with antennas for sending and receiving radio, radar, and jamming signals, including a large extending one centerline that gathered the main signals intelligence, such as radio and radar detection. Such detection could be done on three radio and radar bands simultaneously, from up to seven bands.  ECM, ECCM, and radio jamming was a relatively minor capability and primarily defensive.  It was not a passenger-carrying version, though one passenger could be carried in a seat behind and between the two pilot seats.  The EH-1X is the same aircraft, with electronics more focused on jamming, though it does have some minor signals intelligence ability. These were actually post-Vietnam warbirds, seeing their only combat service in Grenada. The JUH-1 was essentially another radar-equipped version, optimizing it’s powerful radio set (and a retractable radar boom and skids), and retaining no ECM, ECCM, and signals intelligence.

     The UH-1L is basically a late UH-1E, made for the Marines and Navy, with the addition of a rescue hoist and an air particulate filter for the engine.  Two hardpoints outside on the skids could carry LMPs or four M-60Cs, or 2x230 kg bombs and 2x230 FAE bombs, or door guns; if you tried to use door gun and stores at the same time, you’d run them into each other.  The “Mike Huey,” also called the “Mike Monster,” was essentially a Marine variant of the UH-1C Huey Gunship.  It was designed as a gunship, but by removing the weapon load, you convert it to a “slick,“ a plain vanilla transport helicopter.  The UH-1M also has FLIR and low-power radar, as well as the typical 40mm AGL Turret.

     The UH-1P was a part of a number of misled unproven, and generally shanghaied by a regard to a mix unsavory characters – to form the 20^th Special Operations Squadron, ancestors of today’s Night Stalkers. The UH-1Ps were seized wholesale. The UH-1M quickly was modified into a more gunship weapons.

     The UH-1V is a UH-1H, and were used as Medevac and had lifesaving gear and supplies similar to the best-equipped ground vehicular assortment, times three the amount normally carried. The helicopter can carry six stretchers and two in oxygen tents. The UH-1V generally made quick touchdowns, with casualties being loaded by throwing then in and the attendants got them to them.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The following variants do not 

*The instruments can be seen by pilots wearing night vision goggles.

The Next Hueys - The Twins

     Notes: Considering the astounding amount of variants of the UH-1/Bell 204/Bell 205, the variants of the Twin Huey are not so many -- at first consideration. The UH-1N was based on the Bell 212 Twin Huey; this was itself based on the Bell 205, upon which the stretched UH-1D was based.  Though designed at first for the US military, the Model 212 and it's descendants were quickly marketed to police and military concerns.  The first military users were actually the then-Canadian Army, who took delivery of the CUN-1H, later redesignated the CH-135, in 1968.

    The beginning of the Twin Huey program can be traced to an experimental UH-1D in 1965, upgraded with a Continental XT-67-T-1 engine cell, each of which was composed of two T72-T-2 turboshafts driving across a common gearbox.  This essentially produced a twin-engined UH-1D with 1530-horsepower engine (and this was itself an experimental engine at the time).  The US Navy and Marines were especially interested in a twin-engined design, as there was an issue of an engine failure over water, not to mention combat damage.

     Bell began deliveries to the Air Force in 1970, who at first obtained 79 for special operations, including the recovery of troops from hostile LZs and recovery of downed aircrews.  The engine used was essentially the same as the previous engine pack. Marine UH-1Ns would come to be better and better equipped, including FLIR, a rescue hoist, a floodlight, flares, chaff, and radar.  Most Model 212's had the pitot tube on the nose, Marine UH-1Ns had the pitot tube above the canopy. The Marines would later convert two to the VH-1N Presidential VIP helicopters, and build six more to this standard as well; details on these helicopters is highly speculatory, and I admit to be guessing by almost whole cloth. One can see in photos that the left side had two opposing doors instead of a large sliding door.

     One of the other larger users was US Air Force and its HH-1N. a UH-1N outfitted more like an HH-1H.  Some 52 of these were acquired, and used for general SAR work as well as some crew rescues in North Vietnam.  They were large enough and powerful enough to carry two stretchers and a medical attendant in place of five passengers.

     A littler note on power levels: though in most cases, the individual power of each turboshaft  is more than the actual summed power rating, this is because the aircraft structure was unable to take the strain of both turboshafts going full at once.  The engines were derated as a result.  In other cases (most notably the 410 series), the engines have been derated in the interests of flight smoothness.

     However, the Twin Hueys' story does not end here. Some foreign users of the Twin Huey, as well as some civilian users, wanted something with more power and upgrade capabilities, able to take the proven Huey platform in a variety of new ways, These might include specially-outfitted air ambulances, oil rig accesses vehicles, VIP choppers and air limousines, and expedition helicopters.  The Model 412 was this design.  It was a 212 with a four-bladed composite rotor for smoother and more efficient flight handling characteristics. The Model 412 had crashworthy seats and fuel tanks, and was much easier to service. The Model 414 is powered by a PWC PT6T-3B-1 Twin Pac developing 1310 horsepower.

     The Model 412 will be presented in a plain vanilla form first and some other cargo carriers next; this should allow GMs to come up with similar helicopters as necessary. Military 412s can generally carry 6 stretchers and six medical attendants instead.

the Model 412SP has larger fuel tanks and is thus a bit heavier, but has more range. The Model 412HP has an improved transmission, giving better acceleration. The Model 412EP is equipped with a powerful new PT6T-3D 1800 horsepower engine. as well as redundant digital flight controls. The Model 412EP Sentinel is a version of the 412EP modified heavily for ASW.

     The Model 412AH was a proposed ground attack/antiarmor variant, with a Lucas Aerospace nose turret with an M3M machinegun. High-capacity winglets allow a large number of stores to be carried, and the reduction in passengers to zero allows a greater load to be carried.

     Next, the CH-146 Griffon, the Canadian Forces.  The Canadians have treated their Griffons as basically modular vehicles, allowing equipment to be added on as necessary or not. The Griffon is based on the 412EP. The Griffon has two versions, the Combat Support Squadron (CSS) version, which is a SARbird, and the Utility Tactical Transport Helicopter (UTTH), which carries an 8-man squad, it's equipment and weapons (including things like full rucksacks and heavy weapons like missile launchers), the pilots, and two door gunners.  The Griffon can carry several bolt-on equipment kits, from missile pods to gun pods to fuel tanks.  These are normally carried on winglets bolted to the sides.  This leads to an unofficial version -- the AF, Aerial Firepower version, armed with gun pods, missile pods, rocket pods, and fuel tanks on heavy winglet hardpoints.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: HMX-1 still has four VH-1Ns in operation, though they are dispersed around the country at the time. The CH-146 is in short supply; most have been rendered unflyable due to cannibalization. Most such survivors are found in Quebec, Ontario, and British
Columbia.

*The instruments can be seen by pilots wearing night vision goggles.

Bell-Boeing UH-1Y Venom

     Notes: The Venom is the result of the US Marines' H-1 Upgrade Program (which also included the AH-1Z), and in early iterations known as the Yankee or the YankeeHuey.  The Venom has almost totally replaced the UH-1N in service and has replaced it in production, though early Venoms were heavily-modified UH-1Ns, particularly experimental and LRIP YUH-1Y models. The UH-1Y modifications includes a large amount of composites, particularly in the rotors, to decrease weight, an extended tailboom to enhance stability and maneuverability, masked intakes and exhausts, and 84% parts commonality with the AH-1Z at its conception.  In time, still newer avionics were added, and mission-specific elements were added.  Perhaps the most obvious change was the four-bladed main and tail rotors, which further increase stability and maneuverability as well as eliminating the distinctive "whop-whop" of the Huey's twin rotors.  The rotors were also extended, and the whole increased lift and power. Modern door guns were added and safety improvements made.

     The Venom has an all-glass cockpit, this allows for software upgrades as necessary, makes displays clearer, allows for use of a HUD, and makes the instrument panel fully readable by IR goggles. The Venom has the addition of a 3rd-Gen FLIR, radar altimeter, and a short-range SAR module. Mission details and maps were integrated into the pilots' displays.  A CCD LLTV was also integrated into the pilots' displays. Perhaps the most dramatic performance increase is in power, with the new engines delivering 1546 horsepower, with 2.5-minute 1828-horsepower bursts available every 6 turns.

     The Venom has 10 crashworthy squad seats and 2 crashworthy door gunner seats, plus the two pilots' seats.  Six litters or equivalent cargo may be carried instead.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Venom is a rare commodity in the Twilight 2000 timeline, with some 30 in service at the beginning of the war.

The Civilian Bells and their Variants

     Notes: The Bell 204/205, from which the entire UH-1 series arose, did in fact result from a bell Company private project, though one they were fairly certain that would be attractive to the US military.  However, this did also lead to a number of civilian types based on the military choppers, as well as some military versions based on those civilian models (sort of backwards seeding, so to speak), and civilian and military aircraft types went back and forth, and continue to do so.  Civilian versions may have cargo-carrying interiors. be set up like military aircraft (such as oil worker transport versions), or fully plush versions with deluxe seating, stereo systems, video systems, etc.  GMs will have to take my figures and come up with the specific types they want.

The Model 204/205

     The Model 204 is a group including the Model 204B, the Model 204 (UH-1B Iroquois), the Agusta-Bell AB-204, built in license in Italy, and the Fuji-Bell 204B-2 (called in its military guise by JGSDF the Hiyodori), built under license in Japan.  At their base, for game purposes, they are identical to the UH-1B. The Model 205 is, again, a blanket description for several helicopters with the same basic design. This includes the UH-1H, the Bell 205 and the Agusta-Bell AB-205, civilian versions, with an 1100-horsepower T53-11A engine.  The Bell 205A-1 has a 1400-horsepower engine, the T53-13B. The AB-205A-1 and FB-205A1 are Italian and Japanese license-produced variants.

Model 205B

     The Model 205B was an early version of the Model 210, and only 59 five were built for field test purposes; these were used as testbeds for various concepts and alternate designs.   The Model 210 used a Model 217 nose and 1500-horsepower T-53-17,  a K-Flex drive shaft, and the rotor blades of the Model 212.  The Bell 212 is a UH-1H remanufactured as a Model 205B.

     Experimental versions of this design include the AB-205BG, which was fitted with two Gnome H-1200 turboshafts developing 1200 horsepower each.  The AB-205TA used two Turbomeca Astazous turboshafts at 978 horsepower each. The Bell 208 was the prototype for the original UH-1N Twin Huey; this was a company project, but resulted in large military orders and civilian orders. All three had problems with the transmission and the airframe with the power of the engines, and were either dropped or the engines derated.

    In several models, special modifications were carried out on certain aircraft to test concepts.  The Model 205A++ was a field-upgraded Model 205A using a 1500 horsepower engine -- about the limit for a single engine design for the period.  In practice, it did not offer sufficient improvements over the Models 205B and 210.  The FB Advanced 205B was a testbed only; I have been unable to determine performance. The Golden Eagle is a Canadian modification using two total 1940-horsepower engines on a Model 210 base; though measures were made to reduce fuel consumption, in the end, the high fuel cost did it in.  The Huey 800 Is an upgraded commercial version fitted with an LHTEC T800 1563-horsepower engine, one that enjoyed some commercial success, as a variant of the Model 205.

     The Iranians, before the Revolution, bought the Model 205 as a VIP helicopter.  Years later, these Models 205 have been undergoing unlicensed production since 2002 as the Panha Shabaviz 2-75.  It is essentially the Model 205, with the addition of a pair of hardpoints and posts for locally-manufactured MG-3 doorguns.

Model 214

     The Model 214 is another heavy-lift Huey that started out as a company project.  The Model 214 was sometimes called the HueyPlus.  The Model 214 was based on the Model 205/UH-1H.  It featured a 1900-hosepower engine, along with the new Nodomatic rotor system that allowed the rotors to take the full power of the engine without undue wear or stress. Loadouts could range from basic military to plush civilian.  It primarily served as a stepping-stone to later models, but also saw production. The Model 214A was developed primarily for the Imperial Iranian Armed forces.  Most production took place in Dallas, though Iranian production was to start in 1979; the Iranian Revolution scuttled this.  It was revealed in the early 2000s, however, that the Iranians were producing the Model 214A on a non-licensed basis and had been for some time.  Called Isfahan by the Iranians, they remain the primary user of the type, and are produced as the Model 214A, a military variant, and the Model 214C, a SARbird.

     The Model 214B BigLifter was designed for civilian use and has no military or police users as of yet, since production began in 1976. The BigLifter differs primarily in having emergency escape windows in the cargo doors, an engine automatic fire extinguisher, and avionics suitable for a civilian helicopter rather than a military helicopter. Two primary versions of the BigLifter are available: a personnel transport, and as a cargo lifter, with an interior suited primarily for cargo and little room for personnel. It has a sling-load point under the fuselage. Other, less common versions include a cropduster, and a firefighter able to carry 2275 kilograms of water or flame retardant. A model 214B-1 was certified, using a cargo or personnel versions only, and lighter than the standard 214B. Though the engine is nominally rated at 2930 horsepower, the engine is derated to 2050 horsepower, since even new rotor system cannot handle the full power of the engines.  This is despite the addition of an advanced rotor hub, with elastomeric bearings, an automatic flight control system, and avionics normally reserved for fixed-wing aircraft such as a radar altimeter, radar approach system, and IFR flight.

     The Model 214ST is more of a "related" helicopter; though it shares much of its systems with the Huey and has a marked family resemblance to the Huey (it looks somewhat like a streamlined Huey). Originally designed for the Shah's Military, those orders were cancelled, and most of these choppers ended up in the Armed Forces of Peru, Brunei, Iraq and Thailand.  Before this was some civilian production.  The fuselage is larger and stretched to carry a large number of potential passengers.  It has rotor and transmission able to take advantage of its full 1625 horses.  A large fuel tank is fitted, and even civilian models have wet hardpoints.  Though still produced by the Dallas production line, the Model 214ST was replaced at the Mirabel Production Facility by the Model 230.

*The instruments can be seen by pilots wearing night vision goggles.