Helicopters

=Helicopters=

Within the Vietnam war the united states millitary ran into some situations where the out come might not have been any better without the help of the Helicopters. Each time an offensive operation was happening the troops were brought in and taken out by a transport helicopter. The one most used and still known throughout the word is the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, another one that is still being used today is the Boeing Ch-47 Chinook. lastly one Helicopter that is still widely remembered today is the is the bell AH-1 Cobra.

=Bell UH-1 Iroquois=

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois also know as the "huey" first saw action in 1962 as troop transports and medevac helicopters but then later on asa assault helicopter. Some Huey's that had these modifications were used as escorts for the transport helicopters. With the UH-1 troops were able to be inserted and extracted to and from the battlefield, the united states had started a new type of warfare the same type we use today.

=Boeing CH-47 Chinook=

The Boeing Ch-47 Chinook helicopter was used as transport as well as being able to carry equipment to the battlefield. The Chinook was able to carry 37 to 55 combat ready troops into the fight, and with its external hooks it was able to carry battlefield equipment.

=Bell AH-1 Cobra=

The Bell AH-1 Cobra was the first designated attack helicopter. first produced in 1965, made for low flying air raid attacks on small excluded villages hidden in the mountains of vietnam. media type="custom" key="17537478" align="center"

=Sikorsky hh-3 jolly green giant rescue / heavy-lift transport helicopter=

no longer in service but gained huge fame in vietnam for its many rescues of downed air crews. it could me a rescue helicopter because the armor on the helicopter was extra thick so it could stand up to small arms fire. =Sikorsky ch-53 sea stallion heavy-lift transport helicopter= It could transport troops to bases, like new recruits and or medical units. has a top speed of 170mph and has the ability to lift and carrie 8000 pounds safely. heavily armored helicopter so it could stand up to weapon fire. this helicopter is still in use today. one of its uses is to safely transport vip's or even high level war criminals and terrorists that have been captured.

=Air cavalry=

the united states army is the only branch to have a cavalry, this unit would ride helicopters into the fight and became know as the air cavalry. For more info on the air cavalry click on the link Air Cavalry. media type="youtube" key="MKIhXAEMzxM" height="315" width="420" align="center"


 * The first Hueys to operate in Vietnam were medevac HU-1As that arrived in April 1962 before the United States became officially involved in the conflict.
 * These Hueys supported the South Vietnamese Army, but American crews flew them.
 * In October, the first armed Hueys, equipped with 2.75-inch rockets and .30 caliber machine guns, began flying in Vietnam.
 * The main role of these Huey 'gunships' was to escort Army and Marine transport helicopters. [[image:h1_3.jpg width="350" height="229"]][[image:images_2.jpg height="246"]]
 * By the end of 1964, the Army was flying more than 300 'A and 'B model Hueys.
 * During the next decade, the Huey was upgraded and modified based on lessons learned in combat: Bell introduced the UH-1D and UH-1H variants.
 * It was in Vietnam that Army and Marine soldiers first tested the new tactics of airmobile warfare. In a typical air assault mission, Huey helicopters inserted infantry deep in enemy territory while Huey gunships, equipped with machine guns, rockets, and grenade launchers, often escorted the transports.
 * Within minutes, helicopters could insert entire battalions into the heart of enemy territory - this was airmobility.