HUEY HELICOPTER VIETNAM WAR FULL

They also only attacked their target up until they were 500 feet away, then turned around to avoid flying over the enemy. This made for slow attacks, and they were still susceptible to ground fire from the enemy. To fly safely, the Huey needed to keep close to the treetops. On top of their maintenance issues, the HueyРІР‚в„ўs were singled out and heavily targeted. In general, the Huey needed repairs frequently, and if a Huey was deemed illegal to fly due to damage, it was out of commission until repaired. However, under the harsh Vietnam conditions, they needed replacements every 200 hours. The rotors of the Huey were expected to last 1,000 flight hours before needing to be replaced. While the Huey was useful in the war, it was not without its problems. NASA LangleyРІР‚в„ўs Bell UH-1H Huey helicopter returns to the Center after a five-year long stint supporting space shuttle operations at Kennedy Space Center. Approximately 390,000 wounded were transported via the Dust Off of that number, 90 percent of the wounded survived thanks to the Dust OffРІР‚в„ўs quick response time. On average, it took a Dust-Off Huey 100 minutes to reach a hospital. These units consisted of six Hueys, and each Huey carried a pilot, copilot, two medics, and had enough room for six stretchers. The Dust-Off units were medevac units, swooping into the thick of battle and carrying the wounded to a hospital for care. The GunshipРІР‚в„ўs sole mission was to destroy the Vietcong, and before long, it succeeded in striking fear into their hearts whenever in earshot. Even the mechanics that flew with them served as door gunners. Some were equipped with miniguns that could fire up to 4,000 rounds per minute, while others could hold and fire up to 48 rockets. Their main purpose was to escort these two other units and rain firepower down on whoever challenged them.

They were heavily armed helicopters equipped with weapons to defend the Utility and Dust-Off Hueys. The Huey Gunship was a new concept with a potential that hadnРІР‚в„ўt been tapped into with the helicopters of World War II and the Korean War. The need for an armed Huey was presented - and so the gunship was born. These birds could carry eight fully armed soldiers on their way to battle the Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army, but they were next to defenseless and many were shot down before reaching their destination. The Slicks, named after their smooth appearance with little to no armor or weaponry, were used as transports in place of jeeps and other military vehicles. Three different versions of the Huey were used in the war. The pilots and crew members who worked on these aircraft were a part of the 101st Air Cavalry, which comprised more than 500 helicopters and had the longest tour in history. According to the РІР‚СљBattle Stations: Huey Helicopter- Air ArmadaРІР‚Сњ documentary, the introduction of the Huey also made possible the Pilot Program, which allowed soldiers without college degrees who joined with the sole intention to be a helicopter pilot to fly the new HU-1РІР‚в„ўs. The Model 204 was renamed the HU-1 Iroquois, soon thereafter referred to simply as the РІР‚СљHuey.РІР‚Сњ It was esteemed for its vertical takeoff and many uses. Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) helicopters in flight over Vietnam, ca. Bell Helicopter was awarded the contract for their Model 204 Helicopter. Air Force was tasked to design a new breed of helicopter, one that could be multifunctional. The vast jungles and mountains proved difficult to traverse, and it became clear that a new way of fighting was needed. When the United States joined in the war, they soon discovered that ground troops were next to useless due to VietnamРІР‚в„ўs terrain.

Kennedy sending troops to the divided country.

HUEY HELICOPTER VIETNAM WAR FULL

This quickly increased to full military involvement from the United States, with President John F. The United States was one of many countries who became involved in the war, at first by sending military advisors to South Vietnam. North Vietnam sought to force its southern counterpart into communism, while the south struggled to retain a Western view on government. From 1955 to 1975, the Vietnam War wreaked havoc on North Vietnam and South Vietnam in a struggle to unify the nation.

Huey helicopter vietnam war