Project Description

MPH

105

SEATS

2

Bell 47

Role:  Multipurpose Light Helicopter

National Origin: United States

Manufacturer: Bell Aircraft, Bell Helicopter Company

First Flight: 1946

Primary User: United States Army, British Army

Number Built: 5600

The Bell 47 is a two bladed single engine helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young.  It was the very first helicopter to receive a type certificate for civilian use which was obtained on March 8, 1946.  There were many variants of the Bell 47, and in total,  more than 5,600 47 models were built including those built under license.  As of 2015 there are still 1,209  Bell 47’s on the US registry, and maybe ½ of those are flyable helicopters.

On July 12, 1957 Dwight D Eisenhower became the first US president to ride in a Helicopter.The helicopter chosen was a Bell 47 J variant classified as a UH-13-J.

The Bell 47 G Model operated by Mid America Flight museum was built in 1963  (N6356X) and is powered by a normally aspirated Franklin 210 HP engine spinning two Wooden rotor blades.

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1 or 2
  • Capacity: 1 passenger or 2 litters (1,057 lb (479 kg) payload)
  • Length: 31 ft 7 in (9.63 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
  • Empty weight: 1,893 lb (859 kg)
  • Max Takeoff Weight: 2,950 lb (1,338 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming TVO-435-F1A six-cylinder vertically mounted horizontally-opposed air-cooled piston engine, 280 hp (210 kW)
  • Main Rotor Diameter: 37 ft 2 in (11.33 m)
  • Main Rotor Area: 1,085 sq ft (100.8 m2)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 91 kn (105 mph; 169 km/h)
  • Cruising Speed: 73 kn (84 mph; 135 km/h)
  • Range: 214 nmi (246 mi; 396 km)
  • Rate of climb: 860 ft/min (4.4 m/s)