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The 'Bell 47' was the first helicopter certified for civilian use, on 8 March 1946.^[1][2] It was mostly designed by Arthur M. Young, who joined Bell Helicopter in 1941. More than 5,600 were produced until 1974, including 1,200 under license in Italy, 239 in Japan, and 239 in the UK.
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 (1950-1953) it was designated the 'H-13 Sioux' by the United States Army, a highlight of its extensive career.

Contents

Design

Operational history

Variants

Civilian

Military

Conversions

Bell 47 redesignations

Operators

Survivors

Specifications (Bell 47G)

Popular culture

References

External links

Related content

Design

Early models were variable in appearance, with open cockpits or sheet metal cabins, covered or open structures, some with four-wheel landing gear. Model D and Korean War types settled to 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. Later '47H' and '47J Ranger' models had a regular cabin with full cowling and monocoque tail boom. Engines were Franklin or Lycoming horizontally-opposed piston engines of 200 to 305 HP (150 to 230 kW). Seating varied from two to four. Many are still in use as trainers and in agriculture (as of 2005).

Operational history

NASA had a number of Bell 47s during the Apollo program, used by astronauts as a 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.
Initially, the US Navy procured several Bell 47s, designated 'HTL-1', between 1947 and 1958. The US Coast Guard evaluated this model, and procured two HTL-1s for multi-mission support in the New York Harbor. The most common US Navy version of the 47 was designated the 'HTL-4', and dispenses with the fabric covering on the tail boom. The US Coast Guard procured three 'HTL-5's in 1952 (similar to the HTL-4 but powered by a Franklin 0-335-5 engine) and used these until 1960. A History of Coast Guard Aviation, , Arthur, Pearcy, Naval Institute Press, , ISBN 0-87021-261-3
The Coast Guard procured two of Bell's Model 47G and designated them 'HUL-1G' in 1959.
The British version of the '47G', called by the British Army the 'Sioux AH.1', was built by Westland Helicopters for use by the Army Air Corps, who used it until the early 1980s. The Sioux military version was often equipped with military evacuation panniers, one to each skid, with an acrylic glass shield to protect the patient from wind.
H-13 were produced in Japan by a Bell and Kawasaki venture;this led to the Bell-Kawasaki KH-4 variant, essentially a three seat version of the Model 47.

Variants

Civilian

^[3]
;Bell 47
;Bell 47A
;Bell 47B: equivalent to the military YR-13/HTL-1, powered by the Franklin O-335-1.
;Bell 47B-3: agricultural/utility version with open crew positions
;Bell 47C
;Bell 47D: first to appear with a moulded 'goldfish bowl' canopy
;Bell 47D-1: introduced in 1949, it had an open tubework tailboom reminiscent of the Bell Model 30, ship number 3, and a three-seat configuration.
;Bell 47E
;Bell 47F
;Bell 47G: combines a 149 kW Franklin engine with the three-seat configuration of the 47D-1 and introduced the saddle-bag fuel tank configuration.
;Bell 47G-2: Powered by the Avco Lycoming VO-435 engine. Produced under license by Westland for the UK military.
;Bell 47G-2A: Powered by a 179 kW version of the VO-435.
;Bell 47G-2A-1: Wider cabin, improved rotor blades and increased fuel capacity.
;Bell 47G-3: Powered by a supercharged 168 kW Franklin 6VS-335-A.
;Bell 47G-3B: Powered by a turbocharged 209 kW Avco Lycoming TVO-435.
;Bell 47G-4: Three-seat helicopter powered by an Avco Lycoming VO-540 engine.
;Bell 47G-5: A three-seat, utility version of the U.S. Air Force's UH-13J. It was marketed as the 'Model 47J Ranger' and powered by an Avco Lycoming VO-435 engine. A two-seat agricultural version was later known as the 'Ag-5'. The 47G-5 was the last model to be produced by Bell.

Military

³
;YR-13/HTL-1: 28 Bell 47A helicopters procured by the U.S. Air Force for evaluation. The YR-13 was powered by a 117 kW Franklin O-335-1 piston engine. 10 of the aircraft were evaluated by the U.S. Navy as trainers.
;YR-13A: 3 YR-13 aircraft winterized for cold-weather testing in Alaska.
;HTL-2
;HTL-3
;H-13B: 65 aircraft ordered in 1948 by the U.S. Army. All Army versions were later named Sioux.
;H-13C: 15 H-13B aircraft converted to carry external stretchers in 1952.
;H-13D: Army two-seat version with skid landing gear, stretcher carriers, and Franklin O-335-5 engine.
;OH-13E: H-13D configuration with three-seat aircraft with dual controls.
;XH-13F/Bell 201 : Modified Bell 47G powered by a Continental XT51-T-3 (Turbomeca Artouste) turboshaft. The first Bell helicopter powered by a turbine engine.
;OH-13G: Introduced a small elevator on the tailboom.
;UH-13J: Two Bell 47J Ranger aircraft utilizing the 179 kW Lycoming VO-435 engine acquired for VIP transport of the U.S. President by the U.S. Air Force. Originally designated as H-13J.
;OH-13H/UH-13H: Equipped with a 186 kW Lycoming VO-435 engine. UH-13Hs were used by the U.S. Air Force.
;OH-13K: Two converted H-13Hs with a larger diameter rotor and a 168 kW Franklin 6VS-335 engine for test evaluation.
;TH-13L: Originally designated as the Navy HTL-4.
;HTL-5: Utilized a Lycoming O-335-5 engine.
;TH-13M: Incorporated a small movable elevator. Originally designated as the Navy HTL-6
;TH-13N:Two-seat, dual-control, instrument trainer with all-weather instrumentation. Originally designated as the Navy HTL-7.
;UH-13P:Used aboard ice-breaking ships. Originally designated as the Navy HUL-1.
;HH-13Q:Originally the HUL-1G, it was used by the U.S. Coast Guard for search and rescue.
;OH-13S:Three-seat observation helicopter to replace the OH-13H.
;TH-13T:Two-seat instrument trainer for the U.S. Army based on the 47G-3B-1.

Conversions

;Agusta A.115^[4][5]:1971 Italian prototype of a Bell 47J with an unclad, tubular tail boom, and powered by a Turboméca Astazou II turboshaft engine.
;Carson Super C-4
;El Tomcat Mk.II^[6]:Bell 47G-2 modified extensively for agricultural spraying by Continental Copters Inc. First flew in April 1959.
;El Tomcat Mk.III:Improved version of the Mk.II, it first flew in April 1965.
;El Tomcat Mk.IIIA:Powered by the Franklin 6V4-200, 6V-335, or 6V-350 engines.
;El Tomcat Mk.IIIB:Featured a modified fiberglass nose with a repositioned windscreen and a lower cabin roof, and was powered by the 235 hp Franklin 6V-350-A. Produced in 1967.
;El Tomcat Mk.IIIC:Improved version with 200 hp Franklin 6V4-200-C32, 210 hp 6V-335-A, or 235 hp 6V-350-A engines.
;El Tomcat Mk.V:First flown in June 1968, it was powered by a 220 hp Lycoming VO-435-A1A.
;El Tomcat Mk.V-A:Powered by a 260 hp Lycoming VO-435-A1F with a foldable jump-seat.
;El Tomcat Mk.V-B:Powered by a 265 hp Lycoming VO-435-B1A.

Bell 47 redesignations

The Bell 47 was designated under multiple systems, see United States of America military aircraft designation systems. It is best known as the H-13 Sioux, though it actually started as the YR-13 in 1946. It became the H-13 under the USAF, though the USN had called it the HTL.
In post-1962 US designations combinations with the number 13 are often skipped, but in the older system the R-13/H-13 shared the number with the X-13 Vertijet and XP-13 Viper (see List of military aircraft of the United States)
In 1962 Army, Navy, and Air Force versions were redesignated under the new Tri-service system. Mainly, the H-13 based ones were converted to new standards which included a vehicle type designator and a mission symbol (2 letter prefix; OH, UH, XH, etc. This was a shift from the initial USAF 1948 system (with the numbered carried over from the USAAF/C system) and the USN 1922-1962 system to the new 1962 system.^[7]

Designations

Service	Pre-1962	1962-
Army	H-13E	OH-13E
	H-13G	OH-13G
	H-13H	OH-13H
	H-13K	OH-13K
USAF	H-13H	UH-13H
	H-13J	UH-13J
Navy	HTL-4	TH-13L
	HTL-6	TH-13M
	HTL-7	TH-13N
	HUL-1	UH-13P
	HUL-1M	UH-13R
USCG	HUL-1G	HH-13Q

Operators

Bell 47 in Italian Carabinieri markings

Bell 47G in ''M
★ A
★ S
★ H'' paint scheme.

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★ : Icelandic Coast Guard

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★ : Philippine Air Force

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★ South Yemen

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★ : British Army, RAF

★ : USAF, US Army, US Navy, US Marines, US Coast Guard

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Survivors

★ The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia. includes the H-13 which was the first helicopter to carry an American President (Dwight D. Eisenhower) as well as the Model 30 predecessor and the Bell 47.

★ The Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton, Alberta is restoring a 47G Model.

★ The Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum, Pueblo, Colorado has a restored H-13G with a "M
★ A
★ S
★ H" look.

★ Aviation Enthusiast's List of H-13 Survivors

Specifications (Bell 47G)

Popular culture

The Bell 47 appeared, and played key roles, in film and television productions. It has been associated with both the ''M
★ A
★ S
★ H'' film, and the ''M
★ A
★ S
★ H'' television series, and the ''Whirlybirds'' TV series (1957–1959).^[8]

References

1. Bell Helicopters
2. Biography of ARTHUR MIDDLETON YOUNG
3. Bell Model 47 "Sioux"
4. Jane's encyclopedia of aviation, , M. J. H., Taylor, Studio Editions, 1989, ISBN 1851703241
5. Airlife's Helicopters and Rotorcraft, , R. W., Simpson, Airlife Publishing, 1998,
6. Continental Copters "El Tomcat"
7. U.S. Military Aircraft and Weapon Designations Derek Bridges
8. University of Toronto Bell 47 Web site project


★ The complete encyclopedia of world aircraft, , David, Donald, Barnes & Noble Books, 1998, OCLC 52598955

★ Jane's encyclopedia of aviation, , Fred T, Jane, Portland House, 1989, ISBN 0517691868

★ Mutza, Wayne. ''H-13 Sioux Mini in Action''. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-89747-329-0

★ Bell aircraft since 1935, , Alain J, Pelletier, Naval Institute Press, 1992, ISBN 1557500568

★ French Helicopter Operations in Algeria, Riley, David, , , Marine Corps Gazette, pp. 21-26.

★ The first helicopter war: logistics and mobility in Algeria, 1954-1962, , Charles R., Shrader, Praeger, 1999, ISBN 0275963888

★ Whirlybirds a history of the U.S. helicopter pioneers, , Jay P., Spenser, University of Washington Press in association with Museum of Flight, 1998, ISBN 0295980583

★ United States, Headquarters Department of the Army, Army Concept Team in Vietnam. ''Final Report of Essential Load of Scout Helicopters''. Saigon, Vietnam: Army Concept Team in Vietnam, 1966

External links

★ Bell 47.net

★ Bell 47 Enthusiast site

★ Model 47G Museum site

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

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