Bell 204/205

The Bell 204 and 205 are the civil versions of the UH-1 Iroquois, the single-engine military helicopter of the Huey family. Bell designed the Model 204 in response to a 1955 United States Army requirement for a utility helicopter, and it was one of the first helicopters powered by a turboshaft engine, whose light weight and high power gave a useful payload over respectable ranges. The civil 204B was first delivered in 1961, and the longer, larger and more powerful Model 205A-1 is equivalent to the UH-1H. Bell and Agusta-Bell built about 12,000 Model 205s, and the series became the most successful western helicopter family in terms of numbers built. They are type-certificated in the transport category and fly crop dusting, cargo lifting, forestry and aerial firefighting work.