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Information About

Bell 47




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The Bell 47 (military H-13 Sioux) was the first Helicopter to be certified for civil use, in May 1946. It was largely designed by Arthur M. Young who assigned his helicopter patents to, and joined Bell Helicopter in 1941. Over 5,600 were produced through 1974, including 1200 under license in Italy , 239 in Japan , and 239 in the UK . Early models had open Cockpit s or Sheet Metal cabins, but the most common model, the '''47G''' , introduced in 1953, can be recognized by the full bubble Canopy , exposed welded-tube tail boom, and saddle Fuel Tank s. Later '''H''' and '''J''' models had a regular cabin with full cowling and Monocoque tail boom. Engine s were Franklin or Lycoming horizontally-opposed Piston Engine s of 200 to 305 HP (150 to 230 KW ). Seating varied from two to four.

  • A---S---H_(movie)" class="copylinks">M---A---S---H ''. A design, as well as a utilitarian, success, it was added to the permanent collection of the Museum Of Modern Art of New York in 1984. Many are still in use as Trainer s and in Agriculture (as of 2005).


NASA had a number of Bell 47s during the Apollo Programme which astronauts used as a primitive trainer for the Lunar Lander . Eugene Cernan had a near disastrous accident shortly before his flight to the moon on Apollo 17 by crashing one into the Indian River at high speed.


SPECIFICATIONS (BELL 47G)


General

  • Crew: 1

  • Capacity: 3

  • Length: 9.63 m (31.6 ft)

  • Height: 2.83 m (9.28 ft)

  • Rotor diameter: 11.32 m (37.2 ft)

  • Main rotor disk area: 100.8 m2 (1085 ft2)

  • Empty: 858 kg (1893 lb)

  • Maximum takeoff: 1340 kg (2950 lb)

  • Powerplant: one Lycoming TVO-435-F1A flat six piston engine, 210 kW (280 hp)



Performance

  • Maximum speed: 169 km/h (105 mi/h, 91 kt)

  • Cruise speed: 135 km/h (84 mi/h, 73 kt) at 1,525 m (5,000 ft)

  • Range: 395 km (245 mi, 214 nm) at 1,830 m (6,000 ft)

  • Hover ceiling: 5,400 m IGE ; 3900 m OGE (17,700 IGE; 12,700 OGE ft)

  • Rate of climb: 262 m/min (860 ft/min)



MILITARY OPERATORS

  • Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Senegal, South Yemen, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom (Army, RAF), United States (Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, Marine Corps), Uruguay, Venezuela, Zaire, Zambia.



EXTERNAL LINKS


  • Story of Arthur M. Young and the development of the Model 47 ( PDF file with photographs)

  • Bell 47 enthusiast site attempts to cover all aspects of the Model 47

  • Model 47G museum site

  • Model 47G specs from ''The International Directory of Civil Aircraft'' by Gerard Frawley