Fortunately, the “howitzer Huey” never materialized. It was likely an unworkable concept, given the helicopter’s limitations.

“(With the Huey), you hit the button once and ... While the newer helicopters have opened up the possibility for 24/7 fire fighting, it is not typically practiced, Anderson said.

Training in advance was prescient for helicopter crews who battled the recent Los Angeles wildfires, which devastated the region during what typically is the offseason for California forest fires.