This family of helicopters has its origin in a team-up between Agusta and Bell, hence the first version was designated AB139. It was seen as a successor to the famous Bell UH-1 Huey. Later Bell withdrew from the project and since the helicopter is known as AW139, from AgustaWestland. Other members of the family are the smaller AW169 and larger AW149/AW189.

The AW139 family is quite a conventional helicopter. Characteristics are a five blade main rotor, two turboshaft engines and the end of the long gear box/nacelle pylon on top of the fuselage, a double nose wheel and single main landing gears retracting in small sponsons. There are no gear doors; the gears remain visible from below. It has a 'bone line' across the side of the fuselage and along the tail boom. The key recognition point is in the horizontal stabilisers: the tips are pointed up on most versions! Also quite typical are the flat rear fuselage side panels that continue on the tail boom.

To distinguish the different versions of the AW139 to AW189 family you'll have to look at

• the number of blades on the tail rotor
• the number and size of cabin windows
• the number of winches
• whether the main gear partly or fully retracts
• the length of the strake along the tail boom

Details will be added later.

Originally the base helicopter was designed by a team of Agusta and Bell, hence the designation AB139. When Bell Helicopters had bailed out and Agusta merged with Westland, the name became AW139. This version is characterised by a five blade main rotor and four blade tail rotor. Along the top left side of the tail boom there is a long strake. It has three cabin windows on each side, after the side window in the cockpit door. These side windows are more or less the same size, but the exact shape can differ per individual helicopter. Often the last two are in a sliding door and then they are equal in shape. Some VIP models have hinged doors and then the middle window is largest. Finally, customers can choose between a short and long nose.

In Italian military service this helicopter is designated VH-139A. It is not different from the basic version, except for some sensors below the nose.

The Italian military use several SAR and utility versions of the AW139. The HH-139A is one with a single winch on the right side. Additionally, it has large boxes on top of the main gear sponsons.

The improved version of the HH-139A is called HH-139B. Apart from internal changes, most important differences are the dual winch and the flat main gear sponsons.

The AW149 is a larger, military version base don the AW139. The extra length is especially visible in the fourth side cabin window. Another difference is in the main gear. The wheels retract in the sides of the sponsons without tilting and remain visible depending on the shape of the sponson. Furthermore, the horizontal strake on the left side of the tail boom is shorter, and about half of the tail boom. Finally, the AW149 can be equipped with pylons hanging from the sides of the fuselage. For the rest the AW149 is essentially the same as the AW139.

AW189 is the model name for the civil version of the AW189, that is the same except for the pylons and military equipment.

The AW149 is clearly longer than the AW139 and further differs in the main gear retracting upward without tilting. Here is stays outside the sponsons. Also not the optional pylons. (photo: Airwolfhound/WikiMedia)

While the AW149 is larger than the AW139, the AW169 is smaller. Regarding the cabin window configuration you can recognise it by the two large side windows, most times accompanied by one small window. Another feature is the three blade tail rotor. The main gear retracts normally in the small sponsons without tilting, similar to on the AW149. On particular versions the gear cannot be retracted and has small skis. The AW169 can also be equipped with long skids and no wheels. Initially, the horizontal stabilisers were the same as on the AW139, but on later production aircraft the vertical endplates on the horizontal stabilisers curve inward at the tops. 

The Italian military have several AW169M, the military marketing name. The version with skids of the Guardia di Finanza is designated MH-169A, the one with a fixed wheel gear of the same operator UH-169A and the variant with a retractable wheeled gear UH-169B. The latter is called AW169MA by the manufacturer. 

AW169B may be the designation of an AW169 with skids and/or the horizontal stabilisers with curved end plates, but we haven't found any evidence for that yet.

The Austrian air force operates the AW169B. It shows the skid landing gear and the new style horizontal stabilisers, of which the end plates curve inward at the top. (photo: Österreichisches Bundesheer, modified)