THE HUEY, THE COBRA, AND THE WAR
During the Vietnam War, the Huey was an icon on the battlefield. It carried troops, evacuated the wounded, and operated in combat zones where few aircraft dared to go. Yet, as it became the backbone of operations, it also became a target. It wasn’t fast or agile enough — Hueys were getting shot out of the sky, and something had to change.
The answer came from their manufacturer. Bell developed the AH-1 Cobra as an armed complement to the UH-1, sharing up to 80% of its components. The Cobras entered combat in 1968 and stayed in the fight through 1973, with more than 1,100 delivered during the war.
They are brothers. The Huey is the heavy- lift helicopter — the one that carried the troops and is slower and more vulnerable. The Cobra was built to protect — more agile, always armed, ready to defend its bigger brother. Together, they formed one of the most iconic teams in military aviation history.
YEARS IN THE MAKING
The idea had been living in Aulfinger’s head for years. Not only is he an EASA examiner, but he’s also a commercial helicopter pilot, an FAA Certfied Flight Instructor, and co-founder of KSA, an educational platform for helicopter pilots. He is a Huey fanatic; on top of owning one, Aulfinger runs a social media account called “Huey Fun Flights” on both Facebook and Instagram with over 14,000 followers. He’s the one who pulled the helicopters together and pushed the project until it became real.
“The Huey is known as the helicopter of Vietnam,” Aulfinger explains. “It was one of the few helicopters ever built more than 10,000 times, and even though it was designed for a conflict, it’s still flying more than 50 years later. In Vietnam, they flew together constantly — the Cobra would clear the landing zones so the Huey could come in, drop soldiers or pull out the wounded.
“Hundreds of thousands of soldiers flew in Hueys around the world — in peacetime and in war. For them, the aircraft’s sound is unforgettable. This flight formation was a tribute to everyone who ever flew in one, or who served.”
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Sept/Oct 2026
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