Bell, HUL-1G (1959)

Two four-place HUL-1s were transferred from the Navy in 1959 and redesignated HUL-1Gs in Coast Guard service. Both aircraft were assigned standard USCG four-digit serials, 1337 and 1338. In addition to full instrumentation for night flying, both machines featured a 400 pound capacity rescue hoist. Based at CGAS Kodiak they flew ice reconnaissance from the icebreaker NORTHWIND during the 1959 Bering Sea Patrol, and later operated from the cutter STORIS in the Bering Sea for search and rescue and utility duty. One float-equipped aircraft operated from cutters and icebreakers in the Gulf of Alaska during the 1960s. They could also be ski-equipped. The helicopters could be carried in the C-123 greatly increasing their utilization potential. The type was redesignated HH-13Q in 1962 and served the Coast Guard until December of 1967.