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Bell UH-1B/C Huey Cobra / Frog

1962 COLD WAR VIETNAM WAR

Bell UH-1B/C Huey Cobra / Frog Story

One of the hallmarks of American involvement in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) became the ubiquitous Bell UH-1 "Huey" transport helicopter. It excelled in the role of "air cavalry" and was also pushed to transport troops in and out of contested areas, while also being critical to medical evacuation operations. Another major role for the system is the helicopter "gunship", as the base design was modified into a range of weapons to accompany the transport version and cover fire.

Under this arrangement, the transport aircraft could conduct immediate air support (CAS) over areas where loitering by fixed-wing aircraft would prove impractical.

Over the course of the war, the U.S. Army modified and tested various platforms as special gunships, including the large mid-lift tandem rotorcraft Boeing CH-47 Chinook and the smaller Sikorsky H- 34 series.

The transition usually revolves around installing wings for rocket pods/tubes and cannon pods on the existing fuselage, while adding machine guns at door and window stations where possible. Turret-mounted grenade launchers and autocannons, and even rockets, round out some of the weapons tested on these vehicles.

These gunships are largely a temporary measure until more specialized attack platforms such as the Bell AH-1 "Cobra" series emerge.

The UH-1B was the first attack helicopter and has been in countless service worldwide. The full-gun models are called "cobras" (or "guns"), while the rocket-carrying forms are called "frogs" and "pigs." The use of the name "Cobra" in this context was also the first of its kind in the U.S.

Army helicopter service prior to the arrival of the aforementioned Bell AH-1 series. Eventually, versions with guns and rocket pods appeared.

Specialized personnel carriers, known simply as "oil slicks", do not have short wings/missile pods, but can carry side-door gunners for localized suppression of enemy elements.

The Cobras and Frogs/Hogs are powered by the Lycoming T53-L-11 turboshaft engine, which produces 1,100 hp when driving the twin-blade main rotor and twin-blade tail rotor. These aircraft can perform calculations at nearly 95 miles per hour, making them fast platforms that can respond quickly to changing conditions and keep up with troop movements.

Both the UH-1B and UH-1C Huey production models served in the gunship role during the war.

The UH-1 attack helicopter is a true weapons platform and demonstrates the versatility of the overall design. The most powerful of these (the "Cobra" form) had short wings attached to a quad .30 caliber machine gun assembly (two guns stacked at each end) and a single pylon for 7 or 19 rounds of 2.75 inches. A total of 14 rocket wing stubs (the former in the "XM-6 Quad Mount" system) In the nose is a powered turret with a 40mm M-5 automatic grenade launcher fed by 107 rounds of projectiles in these mounts Behind the unit is an M60 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) (or M134 Trainable Machine Gun) carried on each side door, which can be trained and operated by a dedicated gunner.

A typical aircrew consists of four people, therefore, required to operate various onboard systems and weapons. Trainable searchlights on the side doors can also support nighttime operations and require additional staff to function (sighting devices are also part of this configuration).

UH-1 attack helicopters excelled in their role because the firepower they carried was a much-needed attribute of Army doctrine at the time. Helicopters have access to areas far from the front line, which means they usually operate within the area while firing. Therefore, war planners and infantry alike attached great importance to repression.

The role of the Huey gunships has also been expanded, and when combined with light helicopter platforms such as the Hughes OH-6 and Bell OH-58 helicopters, they form half of the Hunt and Kill team. Alternatively, the light helicopter can be swapped out for a fixed-wing attack aircraft like the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, which can fly low and slow enough to fight alongside the UH-1 attack helicopter.

These observation helicopters can locate and assess enemy positions and work with waiting gunships before delivering their lethal payloads to designated areas.

Due to its excellent combat record, the UH-1 attack helicopter directly influenced the desire to bring the Bell AH-1 Cobra over Vietnam. The AH-1 eventually took over the direct attack mission from the Huey gunship type in the late 1960s, and while the AH-1 helicopters themselves proved effective, their lack of inherent troop transport capabilities limited them tactically - Especially where medical evacuations and troop withdrawals are critical to the success or failure of relocations.

The Soviets understood this and added a troop cab to their equally excellent Mil Mi-24 "Hind" line, effectively making them an armored and heavily armed "gun car".