The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter

The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946. More than 5,600 Bell 47 aircraft were produced, including those produced under license by Agusta in Italy, Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan, and Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom. The Bell 47J Ranger is a modified version with a fully enclosed cabin and fuselage.

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

Bell 47J Ranger

Early models varied in appearance, with open cockpits or sheet metal cabins, fabric covered or open structures, some with four-wheel landing gear. Later model D and Korean War H-13D and E types settled on a more utilitarian style. The most common model, the 47G introduced in 1953, can be recognized by the full bubble canopy, exposed welded-tube tail boom, saddle fuel tanks and skid landing gear.

The later three-seat 47H had an enclosed cabin with full cowling and monocoque tail boom. It was an attempt to market a "luxury" version of the basic 47G. Relatively few were produced.

Engines were Franklin or Lycoming vertically-mounted piston engines of 200 to 305 HP (150 to 230 kW). Seating varied from two (early 47s and the later G-5A) to four (the J and KH-4).

As of 2005, many are still in use as trainers and in agriculture.[citation needed]

In April 2011 there were 1068 registered with the FAA[3] and 15 in the UK.

Bell 47s were produced in Japan by a Bell and Kawasaki venture; this led to the Kawasaki KH-4 variant, a four-seat version of the Model 47 with a cabin similar to the Bell 47J. It differed from the "J" in having a standard uncovered tailboom and fuel tanks like the G series. It was sold throughout Asia, and some were used in Australia.

In February 2010, the Bell 47 type certificates were transferred to Scott's Helicopter Services.

OPERATIONAL HISTORY

The Bell 47 helicopter entered U.S. military service in late 1946, in a variety of versions and designations for three decades. In the Korean War, it was designated the H-13 Sioux by the U.S. Army. It has also served as the helicopter of choice for basic helicopter flight instruction in many countries.

The Batcopter from

Batman: The Movie (1966)

Two helicopter types, the 47G and the 47J Ranger, were used in the popular television series Whirlybirds from 1957 to 1960.

The "Telecopter," a Bell Model 47 rented by television station KTLA in Los Angeles, California, outfitted with a television camera, made the world's first flight by a television news helicopter on July 3, 1958, with its inventor, John D. Silva, aboard. When the television station reported that it was receiving no video, Silva exited the helicopter's cockpit to climb onto its landing skid while it hovered at 1,500 feet (457 m) so that he could investigate the microwavetransmitter bolted to its side, where he discovered that a vacuum tube had failed due to vibration and hot weather. After Silva fixed the problem overnight, the Telecopter made the world's first successful television news flight on July 4, 1958.

Batman used a Bell 47 as the "Batcopter" in Batman: The Movie in 1966.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department used the Bell 47 when it started its law enforcement helicopter division in 1971

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had a number of Bell 47s during the Apollo program, used by astronauts as trainers for thelunar lander. Apollo 17 commander Eugene Cernan had a nearly disastrous crash into the Indian River in Florida in 1972, shortly before his flight to the moon.

General characteristics

Crew: 1 or 2

Capacity: 1 passenger or 2 litters

Length: 31 ft 7 in (9.63 m)

Rotor diameter: 37 ft 2 in (11.32 m)

Height: 9 ft 3 in (2.83 m)

Disc area: 1,085 sq ft (100.8 m²)

Empty weight: 1,893 lb (858 kg)

Useful load: 1,057 lb (482 kg)

Max. takeoff weight: 2,950 lb (1,340 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming TVO-435-F1A flat, six-cylinder, reciprocating engine, 280 hp (210 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 91 knots (105 mph, 169 km/h)

Cruise speed: 73 knots (84 mph, 135 km/h)

Range: 214 nmi (245 mi, 395 km)

Rate of climb: 860 ft/min (4.37 m/s)

Government operators

 Colombia

Colombian Air Force

 Greece

Hellenic Air Force

 Italy

Italian Air Force

Italian Army, formerly including Carabinieri

Italian Navy

Guardia di Finanza

Vigili del Fuoco (Fire brigades)

 New Zealand