Defence Force sells off retired Iroquois helicopter fleet

Ten of the Royal New Zealand Air Force's Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters (Hueys), like the one in this photo with Joe Cox, will be sold to Dakota Air Parts. Photo / NZ Defence Force

The Defence Force has sold its retired Iroquois helicopter fleet.

Ten of the Royal New Zealand Air Force's Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters, known as Hueys, will be sold to Dakota Air Parts, subject to final approvals by the United States and New Zealand governments.

The remaining three airframes will be retained for display.

The $3-5 million deal with Dakota includes the 10 airframes plus spares.

Of the remaining Iroquois, NZ3801 is already on display at the Air Force Museum, NZ3802 will be displayed at the Army Museum, and NZ3808 will remain at Ohakea.

A partial airframe has been loaned to the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology as a training aid.

The famous, versatile Iroquois aircraft - which have served in war zones around the world, and carried out search and rescues across New Zealand the Pacific - were retired in June after nearly 50 years of service.

They have been replaced by new bigger, faster A109 and NH90 helicopters as part of a $2 billion fleet upgrade.