AAC Huey over Plymouth

[Akrotiri bad boy]

No it's not what they did but what they were flying in!

Yesterday I heard what I thought was another Wokka messing about over the Hoe. I glanced up as the thump thump of blades receded to see a Bell Huey in AAC markings heading off eastwards. The Huey returned later in the afternoon before again heading off to the east.

I thought these aircraft were operated in Brunei/Belize, I know it rains a lot down here but it's not quite as humid as the chopper's usual theatre of ops.

Can anyone add any details as to who/what/why

Thanks in anticipation

Akro

[Door Slider]

The Bell 212 flight which was based in Belize (25 flt?) returned to the uk several months ago and now operates from Middle Wallop, however the other flight is still based in Brunei.

At Middle Wallop the Bell is used for conversion and winch training as well as provided BH support to exercises.

[SASless]

A Bell 212 does not a "Huey" make.....there is but one "Huey" and that is a Bell UH-1....or Bell 205.

There is one in the UK....up at Wesham near Blackpool....but it wears American Arny Colours....as it rightly should!

[500N]

SaS

That is a cool photo.

[SASless]

They have a pretty good Web Site with a lot of photos and video's.....Phil and his "crew" do a great job and the Huey named after his Missus....Miss Jo is a beauty. (The Helicopter too!)

[500N]

Thanks. Yes, I did a Google search on the 129th and found the web site.

Interviews with people who flew that helo during the war
and at other times.

Did you have anything to do with them ? (129th ? or that helo ?)

[charliegolf]

it wears American Arny Colours

It'll be back!

CG

[AARON O'DICKYDIDO]

SASless

.....there is but one "Huey" and that is a Bell UH-1....or Bell 205.

That'll be two then.



Aaron.

[Rosevidney1]

Quote:
.....there is but one "Huey" and that is a Bell UH-1....or Bell 205.

That'll be two then.



Aaron.

Actually you can add the XH-40 and the HU-1 at various times.

So that'll be four then.

[Rigga]

UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1C, UH-1D, UH-1E, UH-1F, (I don't know if there was a G) UH-1H

205A, 205A-1, 214

[Kitbag]

From that well known and respected source of information


U.S. Military variants

• XH-40: The initial Bell 204 prototype. Three prototypes were built, equipped with the Lycoming XT-53-L-1 engine of 700 shp (520 kW).[13]
• YH-40: Six aircraft for evaluation, as XH-40 with 12-inch (300 mm) cabin stretch and other modifications.
  • Bell Model 533: One YH-40BF rebuilt as a flight test bed with turbofan engines and wings.
• HU-1A: Initial Bell 204 production model, redesignated as the UH-1A in 1962.[13] 182 built.[46]
  • TH-1A: UH-1A with dual controls and blind-flying instruments, 14 conversions.[46]
  • XH-1A: A single UH-1A was redesignated for grenade launcher testing in 1960.[13]
• HU-1B: Upgraded HU-1A, various external and rotor improvements. Redesignated UH-1B in 1962.[13] 1014 built plus four prototypes designated YUH-1B.[46]
  • NUH-1B: a single test aircraft, serial number 64-18261.[13]
• UH-1C: The UH-1B gunship lacked the power necessary to carry weapons and ammunition and keep up with transport Hueys, and so Bell designed yet another Huey variant, the "UH-1C", intended strictly for the gunship role. It is an UH-1B with improved engine, modified blades and rotor-head for better performance in the gunship role.[13] 767 built.[46]
• YUH-1D: Seven pre-production prototypes of the UH-1D.
• UH-1D: Initial Bell 205 production model (long fuselage version of the 204). Designed as a troop carrier to replace the CH-34 then in US Army service.[13] 2008 built many later converted to UH-1H standard.[46]
  • HH-1D: Army crash rescue variant of UH-1D.[13]
• UH-1E: UH-1B/C for USMC with different avionics and equipment.[13] 192 built.[46]
  • NUH-1E: UH-1E configured for testing.
  • TH-1E: UH-1C configured for Marine Corps training. Twenty were built in 1965.[13]
• UH-1F: UH-1B/C for USAF with General Electric T58-GE-3 engine of 1,325 shp (988 kW).[13] 120 built.[46]
  • TH-1F: Instrument and Rescue Trainer based on the UH-1F for the USAF.[13] 26 built.[46]

• UH-1H: Improved UH-1D with a Lycoming T53-L-13 engine of 1,400 shp (1,000 kW).[13] 5435 built.[46]
  • CUH-1H: Canadian Forces designation for the UH-1H utility transport helicopter. Redesignated CH-118.[13][47] A total of 10 built.[46]
  • EH-1H: Twenty-two aircraft converted by installation of AN/ARQ-33 radio intercept and jamming equipment for Project Quick Fix.
  • HH-1H: SAR variant for the USAF with rescue hoist.[13] A total of 30 built.[46]
  • JUH-1: Five UH-1Hs converted to SOTAS battlefield surveillance configuration with belly-mounted airborne radar.[13]
  • TH-1H: Recently modified UH-1Hs for use as basic helicopter flight trainers by the USAF.
• UH-1G: Unofficial name applied locally to at least one armed UH-1H by Cambodia.[48]

• UH-1J: An improved Japanese version of the UH-1H built under license in Japan by Fuji was locally given the designation UH-1J.[49] Among improvements were an Allison T53-L-703 turboshaft engine providing 1,343 kW (1,800 shp), a vibration-reduction system, infrared countermeasures, and a night-vision-goggle (NVG) compatible cockpit.[50]
• HH-1K: Purpose built SAR variant of the Model 204 for the US Navy with USN avionics and equipment.[13] 27 built.[46]
• TH-1L: Helicopter flight trainer based on the HH-1K for the USN. A total of 45 were built.[13]
  • UH-1L: Utility variant of the TH-1L. Eight were built.[13]
• UH-1M: Gunship specific UH-1C upgrade with Lycoming T53-L-13 engine of 1,400 shp (1,000 kW).[13]
• UH-1N: Initial Bell 212 production model, the Bell "Twin Pac" twin-engined Huey.[13]
• UH-1P: UH-1F variant for USAF for special operations use and attack operations used solely by the USAF 20th Special Operations Squadron, "the Green Hornets".[13]
• EH-1U: No more than 2 UH-1H aircraft modified for Multiple Target Electronic Warfare System (MULTEWS).[51]
• UH-1V: Aeromedical evacuation, rescue version for the US Army.[13]
• EH-1X: Ten Electronic warfare UH-1Hs converted under "Quick Fix IIA".[13]
• UH-1Y: Upgraded variant developed from existing upgraded late model UH-1Ns, with additional emphasis on commonality with the AH-1Z.

Note: In U.S. service the G, J, Q, R, S, T, W and Z model designations are used by the AH-1. The UH-1 and AH-1 are considered members of the same H-1 series. The military does not use I (India) or O (Oscar) for aircraft designations to avoid confusion with "one" and "zero" respectively.

[kernowbird]

It was ZJ964

My friends on the Runway 26 Google group saw a Bell 212 ZJ964 chugging around

[SASless]

For the "Not Knowing" here.....the Vietnam War Icon Huey....was the UH-1D/H.

There are hundreds of variants, models, types, colors, markings etc....but the Huey is but one aircraft type and model.

There's many like her....but there is but one Huey.

Unless you were there.....you just don't understand.

You Tube

[Rigga]

Well thats all right then...5 years on the -H model.

[Tankertrashnav]

Unless you were there.....you just don't understand.

I was there - for approximately 90 minutes! In January 1968, just before the Tet offensive I was staging through Qui Nohn in an RNZAF Bristol Freighter en route to Kai Tak. Goodness knows how many Hueys were there - on the ground, taking off and landing. Must have been hundreds - probably more than the RAF's whole rotary fleet at the time, on that one base. Amazing sight! I saw a few Hueycobras as well, think that was their first time on ops but may be wrong there.

[EmeraldToilet]

It is indeed 25 Flt that operate from Middle Wallop carrying tasking throughout the UK as tasked by JHC.

Some of the Ac could have very well started life as a Huey, they are old enough to have been modified from the UH-1 to the 212..



IMG_7658 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Alan Biles]

"Some of the Ac could have very well started life as a Huey, they are old enough to have been modified from the UH-1 to the 212."

No, they're all 212's; born and bred. Four of them ex-Bristow and one ex-Gulf Helicopters but that one only has 20K on it so it's barely run-in.

AB

[Samuel]

Still wockering after all these years...RNZAF Iroqois over Lake Wanaka