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Bell Model 204 / Model 205

1959 COLD WAR MODERN AIRCRAFT

History

The Type 204 proved to be a major success for Bell Helicopter in the 1950s and 1960s. Not only did it become the legendary UH-1 Huey/Iroquois transport aircraft of the Vietnam War (1955-1975) and revolutionized helicopter warfare ever since, it proved to be a successful commercial market platform.

The Type 204 and Type 205 are civilian offshoots of the military UH-1, based on the UH-1B and UH-1H, respectively. The Type 204 prototype flew for the first time on October 22, 1956, and was produced from 1956 to the 1980swith approval from government and law enforcement agencies, among others.

The Type 204 grew out of the US Army's need for a user-friendly transport helicopter in 1955. Bell used this work to produce the military Huey and its civilian counterparts, the Type 204 and 205.

The key to the success of the series was the introduction of the turboshaft engine, which until then had not been widely considered a viable part of the helicopter makeup. The turboshaft significantly improved performance and increased power compared to previous propulsion systems, which helped propel the Huey family to the forefront of helicopter design worldwide - making it one of the most successful products of its time.

Type 204 is based on UH-1B production. The Type 204B is equipped with a Lycoming T53-09A engine and can carry up to 10 passengers. Agusta-Bell in Italy produced the brand under the name "AB204". Likewise, Japan's Fuji-Bell (Fuji Heavy Industries) built the Type 204B-2.

These were also adopted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) under the name "Hiyodori".

The Type 204B carries one or two pilots in an 8- to 9-seat passenger configuration. It can carry up to 3,000 pounds of cargo instead of people. The overall length is 41.7 feet, the overall rotor diameter is 48 feet, and the height is 14.6 feet. Curb weight is 4,600 lbs and MTOW is 9,500 lbs.

Power is provided by a 1,100-horsepower Lycoming T53-L-11A turboshaft engine, driving a twin-blade main rotor and a twin-blade tail rotor. Performance includes a top speed of 135 mph and a cruising speed of about 125 mph. Range is 300 nautical miles and service is capped at 19,400 feet.

The climb rate is 1,755 feet per minute.

The UH-1H became the basis for the Type 205A, which were powered by T53-11A engines but could accommodate up to 14 people. The Model 205 was a larger, more powerful version of the Model 204 developed by Bell in 1960 after successfully galvanizing the U.S. Army's interest in this improved form. The 205A-1 model was equipped with a T53-13A engine, which Agusta-Bell referred to as the AB205. Fuji-Bell was followed by the local FHI 205A-1.

Only five examples of the Bell 205B were built, using the T53-17 engine modification and the 212 nose section and main rotor blades. The Bell 210 was also based on the UH-1H, but refurbished and resold as new. These are equipped with the more powerful T53017 engine.

Agusta-Bell also produced the experimental 205BG (2 French Gnome H1200 turboshafts) and 205TA (2 French Turbomeca "Astazous" turboshafts). The Bell 208 was Bell's private investment in 1965 and included a twin-engine (2 x Continental XT67-T-1) configuration based on the UH-1D model.

Type 205A++ as a modified Type 205A with a T53-17 engine attached to the Type 212 main rotor. "Advanced Model 205B" is a proposed variant offered to, but not accepted by, Japan. The Global Hawk is a project to retrofit a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67D engine onto a UH-1H frame with an improved tail rotor assembly.

The "Huey 800" is another upgrade proposed by the LHTEC T800 turboshaft engine.