UH-1 US Army Huey Medevac

Die-cast model with plastic display stand

Developed by Bell Helicopter, the “Huey” was nicknamed after the phonetic sound of its original designation, the HU-1 Iroquois. In 1962 the designation was changed to UH-1, but “Huey” remained and became so popular that Bell began casting the name on the helicopter’s anti-torque pedals. The Huey was developed in 1952 in order to meet the United States Army’s requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter. With its first flight on October 20, 1956, the Huey began arriving in Vietnam in 1963. Used for MEDEVAC, command and control, and air assault, Hueys became, more than any other aircraft, a symbol of the Vietnam War. The Huey’s ability to carry patients inside the aircraft was a key element in the reduction of mortality and morbidity. Medical personnel could begin treatment during the flight to a field hospital, reducing the average delay until treatment to one hour, helping to reduce the mortality rate to 1 death per 100 casualties. With the unmistakable sound of its blades, the sound of an approaching Huey was said by those that served in Vietnam to be the sound of rescue, the sound of freedom and the sound of going home.