Huey Gunship and Loach

Vietnam War era helicopters over the skies at the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday. A Huey Gunship and a Loach. Good thing I brought a camera!

The Loach was officially named the Cayuse, it was a light observation helicopter that was sometimes equipped for combat. In the movie “Blackhawk Down” you hear them referenced as “Little Birds” operated by U.S. Army’s Special Operations Forces.

The Huey Gunship, actually the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, where 7,000 of them saw extensive service in the Vietnam War. Used for everything from troop transport and medical evacuation, it became most known for it’s combat role as “Air Calvary”. The Huey reached Hollywood epic star stars in the Vietnam War movie “Apocalypse Now”.