Often referred to as a Huey because of the American Army designation of Helicopter Utility-1 or HU-1, the CH-118 Iroquois was a general purpose helicopter that also was used for search and rescue. First developed in the 1950s, Bell manufactured more than 16,000 of these utility helicopters until production stopped in 1976.

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army used the Huey for transporting troops and cargo, medical evacuation, aerial attacks and visual reconnaissance, and in many ways it came to represent the sounds and sights of that conflict. It was the success of this helicopter in Vietnam that led to Canada acquiring 10 for its armed forces. Unlike the American aircraft, Canadian Iroquois helicopters were unarmed. Most were based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Cold Lake, Alberta, Chatham, Ontario, and Bagotville, Quebec. Although one was lost in a crash, the remaining nine continued to serve until the reliable Hueys were retired from the CAF in 1995.

The Canadian Armed Forces replaced those nine original Iroquois and the additional 50 Twin Hueys acquired in 1971 with Bell CH-146 Griffons. Today many Iroquois/Huey helicopters are still in use by both other military and civilian organizations for humanitarian efforts, firefighting, search and rescue and more.

The Museum’s Bell Iroquois CH-118 helicopter was used with the RCAF/Canadian Armed Forces from 1968 until 1995. During that time, tail number 118101 was a Combat Support Unit serving originally with the 403 Squadron at CFB Petawawa and later with the 439 Tiger Squadron based at Bagotville, Quebec. It later was used for Aircraft Battle Damage Repair training at CFB Borden and CFB Trenton until the end of May 2007. It was acquired by the Museum in 2007 and carries the 439 “Fangs of Death” Tiger Squadron insignia.