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UH-1H Huey:
The utility of the Bell UH-1 series Iroquois, widely renowned as the "Huey," solidified air mobility as the primary means to insert infantry into combat environments. The Huey began arriving in South Vietnam in 1963. The utility of the Bell UH-1 series Iroquois, widely renowned as the "Huey," solidified air mobility as the primary means to insert infantry into combat environments. The Huey began arriving in South Vietnam in 1963. The UH-1H is a late variant of the Huey, the most common utility helicopter used in Vietnam. To save weight, the Slick was fitted typically with M60 machine guns used by door gunners. By the time the conflict ended, more than 5000 Hueys were introduced throughout SE Asia. The Huey was a versatile aircraft and was employed in many aspects of operation. They were used as air assault vehicles, command and control, medical evacuation, gun ships, counter-insurgency, and transport.
HH-1K Huey:
27 HH-1K Huey aircraft were produced primarily as US Navy sea/air rescue helicopters. The Sealords were flown in various missions in Vietnam: Logistics, SEAL inserts, SAR, medivac, and others as directed. The Sealords were actively involved with supporting the Seawolves, SEALS, and Riverine forces with their respective missions throughout the Mekong Delta.
AH-1S Cobra:
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-blade, single-engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter, developed using the engine, transmission and rotor system of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois. AH-1 Cobras were in use by the Army during the Tet offensive in 1968 and through to the end of the Vietnam War. Cobras provided fire support for ground forces, escorted transport helicopters and other roles, including aerial rocket artillery (ARA) battalions in the two Airmobile divisions. They also formed "hunter killer" teams by pairing with OH-6A scout helicopters. A team featured one OH-6 flying slow and low to find enemy forces. If the OH-6 drew fire, the Cobra could strike at the then revealed enemy. On 12 September 1968, Capt. Ronald Fogleman was flying an F-100 Super Sabre when the aircraft was shot down and he ejected 200 miles north of Bien Hoa. Fogleman became the only pilot to be rescued by holding on to an Army AH-1G's deployed gun-panel door. Bell built 1,116 AH-1Gs for the U.S. Army between 1967 and 1973, and the Cobras chalked up over a million operational hours in Vietnam; the number of Cobras in service peaked at 1,081. Out of nearly 1,110 AH-1s delivered from 1967 to 1973 approximately 300 were lost to combat and accidents during the war.