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Closely related with the development of the Bell AH-1 is the story of the Bell UH-1 – predecessor of the modern helicopter, icon of the Vietnam War and still one of the most numerous helicopter types in service today.
Bell's XH-40 prototype first flew on 22 October 1956 and entered production in the same year as the HU-1A. The “HU” designation spawned the famous “Huey” nickname, although the re-alignment of US service designations in 1962 changed it into the familiar UH-1. The UH-1 made the theory of air cavalry practical, as the new tactics called for US forces to be highly mobile across a wide area. Unlike before, they would not stand and fight long battles, and they would not stay and hold positions. Instead, the plan was, that the troops carried by fleets of Hueys, would range across the country, to fight the enemy at times and places of their own choice.
It soon became clear that the unarmed UH-1 troop helicopters were not able to make unopposed troop drops in the landing zones, but that heavy firepower would be needed to clear the Viet Cong and NVAVietnam War The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) was the regularly trained and organized military force of the North Vietnamese government during the Vietnam War. The PAVN typically operated in regimental strength but sometimes formed elements as small as troops out of the way.
By 1962 a small number of armed HU-1As (UH-1As) were escorting H-21 (CH-21) troop transports in and out of the landing zones, but the strict rules of engagementThis article describes the military term of the rules of engagement. For information about the movie with the same name see Rules of Engagement (movie). In military or police operations, the rules of engagement ROE determine when, where and how force shal at the time prevented the gunships from operating effectively, as they could not fire until fired upon.
The massive expansion of American military presence in Vietnam opened a new era of war from the air. The linchpin of US Army tactics were the helicopters, and the protection of those helicopters became a vital role.
In December 1962 Bell had initiated a company-funded venture to provide a purpose-built gunship to US forces in Vietnam. The role of this new helicopter was to protect the troopships and to wield a full combat capability of its own. Bell's first design was built around a modified Model 47 , leading to the sleek Model 207 Sioux Scout which flew its maiden flight in July 1963Events January-March January 11 The Whisky A Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened. January 14 George Wallace becomes governor of Alabama. January 22 Elysee treaty between France and Germany January 28 Black student Harvey.
The Sioux Scout had all the key features of a modern helicopter gunship – a tandem cockpitA cockpit was originally a pit used for cockfighting, where owners would pit fighting roosters against each other for the purpose of gambling. In 1759, the English artist William Hogarth produced a satirical print called The Cockpit showing the enthusiasm, stub wingsFor some other uses of the word "wing" please see Wing (disambiguation . Laughing Gull on the beach in Atlantic City. Birds' bones are hollow, to cut down on weight and allow flight A wing is a surface used to produce an aerodynamic force normal to the di for weapons and a chin-mounted gun turretIn architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects from the wall of a building, such as a medieval castle or baronial house. A building may have both towers and turrets; turrets might be smaller or higher but the difference is generally considered t. After evaluating the Sioux Scout in early 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort, the Army was impressed by it, but also believed that the Sioux Scout was too small, underpowered, unsophisticated and too fragile to be of practical use.