Showing posts with label UH-1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UH-1. Show all posts

Monday, January 6, 2025

Lex Anteinternet: Equipment of the Vietnam War, National Museum of Museum of Military Vehicles. UH-1.

Lex Anteinternet: Equipment of the Vietnam War, National Museum of M...

Equipment of the Vietnam War, National Museum of Military Vehicles, Dubois Wyoming.



UH-1 "Huey", a helicopter synonymous with the Vietnam War.

Hueys came into use in a major way during the war, and remained in use for many years thereafter. They were still the predominant helicopter when I was a National Guardsmen in the 1980s, and even now I'll occasionally see an Air Force example in Cheyenne in operation.

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Bell UH-1 with Nose Mount


This is a UH-1, a "Huey", in Casper, Wyoming painted in old Vietnam War era camouflage.  It's fitted with a nose mount, which can house cameras and electronic devices.  Nose mounts were fitted to UH-1s during the Vietnam War, and they continue to be offered for commercial UH-1s.

The odd thing about this helicopter is that even though it retains the USAF or US Army Vietnam era camouflage scheme, it lacks national markings, which most surplus aircraft which retain military paint schemes do.  Additionally, I could not see a registration number on it anywhere.  That may be because I took this photograph from a distance, with an iPhone, and it could be painted in black on the dark green aft of the helicopter.  It obviously should have this painted on it.

When I happened to arrive at the airport on the day this photo was taken, a crew was standing by it as the refueling truck was getting ready, and they were having their photograph taken.  I thought they were a military crew, but I wasn't paying much attention.  UH-1s are no longer in common US use, but the UH-1N is still used by the USAF in connection with nuclear missiles and missile silos, and that variant does in fact often have the nose mount fitting, although it should have USAF markings and this old camouflage scheme would be a surprise.