The Bell UH-1 Iroquois—a.k.a. the “Huey”—is the main character in what may be the film’s most iconic scene.

Apocalypse Now is generally regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, period. And as far as military-related films go, Apocalypse Now may be the single greatest film ever made. Arguments could be made for Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, All Quiet on the Western Front, Patton, Platoon, etc, but most observers will place Apocalypse Now at, or near, the top of their list.

Apocalypse Now is engaging in various respects—it’s atmospheric, patient, adapted from great literature, believable. But for readers of the more wonkish and enjoyable aspects of the film, at least from the perspective of a National Interest editor, is the heavy albeit peripheral emphasis on military aviation. Despite being a story based mostly on water, Apocalypse Now features a wide variety of military aircraft. Let’s take a closer look at the fixed-wing, and rotary-wing, aircraft in Coppola’s masterpiece.

Ride of the Valkyries

The most prominently featured aircraft in Apocalypse Now is the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, known as the “Huey.” The Huey is the main character in what may be the film’s most iconic scene, a Richard Wagner-scored raid on a Vietnamese beach. The scene demonstrates the jarring violence of the conflict, and perhaps more importantly, the arbitrary nature in which the war is fought. Robert Duvall’s scene-stealing Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore leads the raid with memorable effect as Martin Sheen’s passive Captain Ben Willard watches perplexed.

The Huey constitutes the backbone of Kilgore’s efforts, which is consistent with the Huey’s prominence within the Vietnam effort at large. Used so ubiquitously that it has become synonymous with the Vietnam War itself, the Huey was prolific, versatile, and capable.

Complementing the Huey force on Kilgore’s raid are a handful of Hughes OH-6 Cayuse, or “Loach.” The Loach is a rather small, single-engine helicopter, used in a light observation role. The compact Loach was renowned for its difficulty to shoot down, and for the fact that operators often survived forced landings—making the Loach a favorite amongst the Army.

For what it’s worth, the Bell OH-58 Kiowa makes an appearance in the film, too—delivering the Playboy Playmates for their USO show.

Napalm in the Morning

The helicopter is the most prominently featured aircraft in Apocalypse Now, but the aircraft tied to the film’s famous bit of dialogue is the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter.

“I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” Kilgore declares after a five-ship of F-5s napalms a nearby tree line. To call in the F-5 strike, Kilgore communicates through a Cessna O-2 Skymaster, an unarmed observation plane that was used as a forward air control platform during Vietnam. The O-2 is unassuming, essentially a piece of general aviation equipment that seems out of place in a foreign battlespace. The napalm scene, featuring the O-2 and the F-5s, represents the Air Force’s lone moment in a film that the Army and Navy otherwise dominate.  

Well, technically the Air Force is featured in one other scene. Once Willard and his river boat have crossed into Laos, they cruise past the lost tail section of a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress—implying that America was bombing in places it wasn’t supposed to be bombing. The scene, the downed tail section, is amongst the eeriest in the film. 

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.

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