TODAY IN AVIATION HISTORY - OCTOBER 20, 1956 - FIRST FLIGHT OF THE BELL MODEL 204

The Bell Model 204 (designated XH-40-BF serial number 55-4459 by the United States Army) made its first flight at Bell's helicopter facility in Hurst, Texas, with Chief Pilot Floyd W. Carlson and Chief Experimental Test Pilot Elton J. Smith. The XH-40 is a light helicopter with six seats and a turboshaft engine. Its primary duty is battlefield medical evacuation.

This helicopter was the prototype for what would become known as the "Huey" around the world. The helicopter was originally designated as HU-1 by the US Army, but due to a service-wide rearrangement of aircraft names, it was renamed UH-1.