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Air ForcesUnited States

Bell 205

Utility helicopterFielded 1959Pending verification
Air ForcesUSA
Bell 205
Photo: R6, State & Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection · Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Fact cardConfidence · Source
System
TypeUtility helicopter
Date of introduction1959
ProliferationAt least 45 countries
Crew2Med[1]
Dimensions and weight
Length12.7 m42 ftMed[1]
Height4.45 m15 ftMed[1]
Empty weight2,087 kg4,601 lbMed[1]
Max takeoff weight4,309 kg9,500 lbMed[1]
Flight performance
Engine1 × Lycoming T53-L-11AMed[1]
Thrust / power1,100 shp (820 kW)Med[1]
Cruise speed206 km/hMed[1]
Service ceiling5,910 m19,390 ftMed[1]
Rate of climb8.92 m/sMed[1]
Armament and payload
Main Gun SystemNone normally fitted; all provisioned for pintle-mounted 7.62-mm M60 machine guns.Med[1]
Variants
XH-40The initial Bell 204 prototype. Three prototypes were built, equipped with the Lycoming XT-53-L-1 engine of 700 shp (520 kW).[1]
YH-40Six aircraft for evaluation, as XH-40 with 12-inch (300 mm) cabin stretch and other modifications.[1]
Bell Model 533One YH-40BF rebuilt as a flight test bed with turbojet engines and wings.[1]
HU-1AInitial Bell 204 production model, predesignated as the UH-1A in 1962. 182 built.[1]
TH-1AUH-1A with dual controls and blind-flying instruments, 14 conversions.[1]
XH-1AA single UH-1A was predesignated for grenade launcher testing in 1960.[1]
HU-1BUpgraded HU-1A, various external and rotor improvements. Redesignated UH-1B in 1962. 1014 built plus four prototypes designated YUH-1B.[1]
NUH-1BA single test aircraft, serial number 64–18261.[1]
Summary

The Bell 204 and 205 are the civilian versions of the UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopter of the Huey family of helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting, and aerial firefighting.

Draft entry. Values come from the cited public sources and are awaiting editor verification.
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Operators
United StatesAlbaniaArgentinaBosnia and HerzegovinaBoliviaBrazilSwitzerlandChileColombiaDominican RepublicSpainGeorgiaGreeceGuatemalaHondurasIndonesiaIranIraqItalyJordanJapanKazakhstanKenyaSouth KoreaLebanonMexicoNorth MacedoniaOmanPakistanPanamaPhilippinesPapua New GuineaParaguaySudanSenegalEl SalvadorThailandTunisiaTürkiyeTaiwanTanzaniaUruguayVietnamYemenZambia
Sources
  1. Bell 205 American Utility Helicopter, U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
    Published/updated 2026-03-20 · Tier 1 · checked 2026-10-10
Change log
  • 2026-10-10 Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import
  • 2026-10-10 Added photo (Public domain)