So unassuming is the humble Huey (never called "Iroquois" by those who flew them) that its role as one of the major combat aircraft of the century is easily forgotten. More than 12,000 of all models were built and -- on any given day, during its heyday in Vietnam -- 2,000 could be in the air at once.

From 1962, when the first short-fuselage HU-1s arrived, to the later large-doored versions, they took on transport, utility and medevac or "dustoff" missions. The Huey later morphed into a gunship with multiple protrusions of guns and rocket pods added to protect and escort the unarmed troop-carrying "slicks."

When the new Huey Cobra appeared, a true Air Cavalry was born. Though most of the USAF machines are gone, the army expects to keep the Huey through the first decade of this century.

Shown here is a 1:72 scale replica of a CIA Bell UH-1B Huey helicopter that was flown by Air America, over Saigon, Vietnam, during Operation Frequent Wind, on April 29th, 1975. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Rotor Span: 7.5-inches
Length: 8-inches

Release Date: July 2012

Historical Account: "Air America" - Air America was an American passenger and cargo airline established in 1950 and covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Special Activities Division from 1950 to 1976. It supplied and supported United States covert operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

When the North Vietnamese Army overran South Vietnam in 1975, Air America helicopters participated in Operation Frequent Wind evacuating both US civilians and South Vietnamese people associated with the regime from Saigon. The iconic photograph depicting the final evacuation from the "U.S. Embassy" by Dutch photographer Hubert van Es was actually an Air America helicopter taking people off of an apartment at 22 Gia Long Street building used by USAID and CIA employees.