General
The Bell UH-1D is a variant of the legendary "Huey" family (from UH-1, "Utility Helicopter"), which is one of the best-known and most-built helicopters in the world. Originally developed by Bell Helicopter in the USA, it became a symbol of the Vietnam War and shaped the image of modern air mobility like almost no other aircraft. In the 1960s, the UH-1D, a medium-weight multi-purpose helicopter, was built under license by Dornier in Germany for the German Armed Forces - the "D" in the designation stands for "Dornier", the German licensed manufacturer.
The helicopter is based on the American Bell UH-1, which was originally developed for the US Army. In Germany, the UH-1D was primarily used as a transport, SAR (search and rescue) and liaison helicopter.
Variants at a glance
| Version Period | Main differences / features | |
| UH-1A | from 1959 | First series version with 770 kW engine; low payload |
| UH-1B | from 1961 | Extended cabin, more powerful T53-L-5 engine, wider rotor blades |
| UH-1C | from 1965 | Specially optimized for gunship role, improved control and performance |
| UH-1D | from 1963 (USA) / 1967 (Dornier) | Extended airframe (15 seats), Lycoming T53-L-11 engine with 1100 kW |
| UH-1H | from 1966 | Same airframe as UH-1D, but more powerful T53-L-13 engine (1400 kW), improved avionics |
| UH-1N | from 1970 | Two-motor version (Twin Huey), significantly more powerful |
| UH-1Y | from 2008 | Highly modernized version with four-blade rotor, glass cockpit, modern avionics |
History
UH-1D German Armed Forces
Between 1967 and 1981, over 350 aircraft were built for the German Armed Forces, which served in a wide variety of roles: Troop and material transport SAR (Search and Rescue) Liaison and VIP flight Disaster control and forest fire fighting The German UH-1D differed slightly from the US version in terms of technology due to specific avionics, instrumentation in metric units and adaptations to NATO standards.
Highlights
Year of construction
Empty weight - kg
Maximum speed - km/h
Technical data
Height - m
Width - m
Length - m