Is it a Huey?

[Zead]

Is it a Huey using Epsom flight path into London. Haven't had the chance to take a pic, but it is military green with orange flo chevrons underneath, nose and engine cowl. It's fantastically noisy on approach and appears to have the twin rota of a UH1. if something else please tell me.
Z

[KieronGSi]

Almost a huey, its a Bell 212.

[Eric Mc]

The 212 is a family relative of the Bel UH-1 Iroquois (commonly referred to as the Huey). The word Huey comes from the original US Army designation for the helicopter - which was the HU-1. The designation was changed to UH-1 early on in the life of the helicopter (early 1960s).

PS - it's "rotor" by the way. A "rota" is something else.

[Zead]

Thanks guys, that's it. I just love the twin blade deep chop, chop, chop, on approach as the blade cuts the exhaust. That's why i thought it was Huey and was similar looking. I'm a bit of a novice at chopper spotting, so it's good to tell my young boys what it is. Dad points!

[wildcat45]

When did the British army run these? I am right in thinking the one in the pic is painted in UK colours.

[Zaxxon]

They have or had two in Brunei.

I fell of the end of the abseil line from one. I was lucky just winded, my mate broke his back though.

[Vixpy1]

The only airworthy one in the UK (IIRC, please feel happy to correct me ) belongs to a chap who bought it from the British Goverment, It was taken from the Argentinians at the end of the Falklands war, or abandonded on the Islands and was essentially brand new. It was sold off. It flew into Longcross a few years ago for the filming the the Green Zone, (Why they used a Huey I have no idea) was pushed into the Studio for filming, then a week or so later it was pushed back out, the chap arrived by taxi and he took off, Bloody fantastic sight, if a little windy!

[Deerfoot]

wildcat45 said:

When did the British army run these? I am right in thinking the one in the pic is painted in UK colours.

There are 5 212s at Middle Wallop now. Three returned from Belize around a year ago when 25 Flight Army Air Corps relocated. They are operated under the MRCOA system (Military Registered, Civilian Owned) so are maintained by a Part 145 organisation.

There are also 212s in Brunei as has been stated.

[wildcat45]

Are they Griffins, or is that a different aircraft?

[Deerfoot]

Nope, the Griffon is a varient of the Bell 412, the 412 differs from a 212 by having a four bladed main rotor head and a slightly different fuel system, a lot of parts however are common with the 212.

The 412s are operated out of Shawbury and Valley for SAR training.

There are also some 412s operated in Cyprus from 84 Sqn RAF.

[robemcdonald]

Eric Mc said:

The 212 is a family relative of the Bel UH-1 Iroquois (commonly referred to as the Huey). The word Huey comes from the original US Army designation for the helicopter - which was the HU-1. The designation was changed to UH-1 early on in the life of the helicopter (early 1960s).

PS - it's "rotor" by the way. A "rota" is something else.

Is that right? I was under he impression it was called a Huey because UH1 was taken by some as UHI and then pronounced as a word "you-he". Others mis-heard and thought hey we're saying Huey and that name stuck.

[smack]

robemcdonald said:

Eric Mc said:

The 212 is a family relative of the Bel UH-1 Iroquois (commonly referred to as the Huey). The word Huey comes from the original US Army designation for the helicopter - which was the HU-1. The designation was changed to UH-1 early on in the life of the helicopter (early 1960s).

PS - it's "rotor" by the way. A "rota" is something else.

Is that right? I was under he impression it was called a Huey because UH1 was taken by some as UHI and then pronounced as a word "you-he". Others mis-heard and thought hey we're saying Huey and that name stuck.

Yup, Eric is right. It was redesignated in 1962 to UH-1

[robemcdonald]

I'd better start telling people the right story in future. Always good to learn something new.

[bluesatin]

Just flew over Marlow!

[Eric Mc]

smack said:

robemcdonald said:

Eric Mc said:

The 212 is a family relative of the Bel UH-1 Iroquois (commonly referred to as the Huey). The word Huey comes from the original US Army designation for the helicopter - which was the HU-1. The designation was changed to UH-1 early on in the life of the helicopter (early 1960s).

PS - it's "rotor" by the way. A "rota" is something else.

Is that right? I was under he impression it was called a Huey because UH1 was taken by some as UHI and then pronounced as a word "you-he". Others mis-heard and thought hey we're saying Huey and that name stuck.

Yup, Eric is right. It was redesignated in 1962 to UH-1

In 1962, the complicated system of aircraft designation that was used by the US military was streamlined. From the 1920s, the US Navy and the US Army had adopted very different systems for defining individual aircraft. That is why the Douglas DC-3 in US military service was called the C-47 by the US Army and the R4D by the US Navy. The Harvard was referred to as the T6 Texan in US Army service and the SNJ in US Navy service. There are lots of similar examples.
When the US Air Force separated from the US Army in 1947, it retained the old Army system.

In 1962 the two systems were scrapped and many aircraft already in service or just coming into service wwere redesignated. The HU-1 helicopter was one of the newer designs that was affected by the changeover. Another was the Phantom, which was designated the F4H in Navy service and the F110 in Air Force service. In 1962 it became the F-4 in both Air Force and the Navy.

[Eric Mc]

smack said:

robemcdonald said:

Eric Mc said:

The 212 is a family relative of the Bel UH-1 Iroquois (commonly referred to as the Huey). The word Huey comes from the original US Army designation for the helicopter - which was the HU-1. The designation was changed to UH-1 early on in the life of the helicopter (early 1960s).

PS - it's "rotor" by the way. A "rota" is something else.

Is that right? I was under he impression it was called a Huey because UH1 was taken by some as UHI and then pronounced as a word "you-he". Others mis-heard and thought hey we're saying Huey and that name stuck.

Yup, Eric is right. It was redesignated in 1962 to UH-1

In 1962, the complicated system of aircraft designation that was used by the US military was streamlined. From the 1920s, the US Navy and the US Army had adopted very different systems for defining individual aircraft. That is why the Douglas DC-3 in US military service was called the C-47 by the US Army and the R4D by the US Navy. The Harvard was referred to as the T6 Texan in US Army service and the SNJ in US Navy service. There are lots of similar examples.
When the US Air Force separated from the US Army in 1947, it retained the old Army system.

In 1962 the two systems were scrapped and many aircraft already in service or just coming into service were redesignated. The HU-1 helicopter was one of the newer designs that was affected by the changeover. Another was the Phantom, which was designated the F4H in Navy service and the F110 in Air Force service. In 1962 it became the F-4 in both Air Force and the Navy.