The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has retired its fleet of Bell UH-1H Huey utility helicopters after 52 years of operation, with ceremonies held on 7 October 2020. The ceremony was attended by three UH-1Hs including serial 5777 (construction number 10707, ex US Army 68-15777). According to Asia Pacific Defense Journal, The aircraft type flew its last mission, with 3 helicopters returning from its deployment in Pattani province, to its home in Fort Somdet Prasinakharinthara in Lopburi province on 29 September 2020. The UH-1H Huey has been replaced by various military helicopters in the RTA, including the Airbus UH-72A Lakota, Airbus H145, AgustaWestland AW139 and AW149, Mil Mi-17V5, Bell 212, and Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk.
The Dutch aviation media Scramble Magazine database lists The UH-1 Huey is known as the Hor Tor 1 (H.T.1) is RTA service, and has been in operation with the RTA since 1968 after the US handed over several units and formed the 1st Air Mobile Company, which is now known as the 1st Aviaition “Hummingbird” Battalion. More than 200 UH-1 helicopters served the RTA, many of which were already retired and disposed off with the help of the US Defense Logistics Agency.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a utility military helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine, with two-bladed main and tail rotors. The first member of the prolific Huey family, it was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet a 1952 US Army requirement for a utility helicopter, and first flew in 1956. The UH-1 was the first turbine-powered helicopter produced for the U.S. military, and more than 16,000 have been built since 1960. The Iroquois was originally designated HU-1, hence the Huey nickname, which has remained in common use, despite the official redesignation to UH-1 in 1962.
