Time to give your ages away, Rotorheads!
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Time to give your ages away, Rotorheads!
I just couldn't resist posting this advertisement
- and an extract from the accompanying blurb.
" Special Treats
It's a privilege to report that a particularly special guest at the Fly-In
will be none other than Chuck (Ken Tobey) star of the renowned "Whirlybirds"
television series of the 1950s.
"Ken's weekly adventures, with co-star "P.T." (Craig Hill) alongside in each episode, showcased the capabilities of the Bell 47G and 47J helicopters and kept
several generations of aviation enthusiasts glued to the TV screen.
"Now in his hale 80s, Ken is paying us the honor of turning out for the Fly-In to get reaquainted with the Model 47 and say hello to participants whose commitment to helicopters and the Bell was stimulated by his show."
Chuck (right) and 'P.T.' on the 1950's Whirlybirds set
The pic is sometimes slow to download, but gets there eventually!
And, for those too young to know what on earth we're talking about, click on: http://cellmath.med.utoronto.ca/B47/...bLaunchIt.html
Who else, remembers them?
I can, but only just - I was very, very young.
Honest answers only, please!
[This message has been edited by Flying Lawyer (edited 06 April 2001).]
- and an extract from the accompanying blurb.
" Special Treats
It's a privilege to report that a particularly special guest at the Fly-In
will be none other than Chuck (Ken Tobey) star of the renowned "Whirlybirds"
television series of the 1950s.
"Ken's weekly adventures, with co-star "P.T." (Craig Hill) alongside in each episode, showcased the capabilities of the Bell 47G and 47J helicopters and kept
several generations of aviation enthusiasts glued to the TV screen.
"Now in his hale 80s, Ken is paying us the honor of turning out for the Fly-In to get reaquainted with the Model 47 and say hello to participants whose commitment to helicopters and the Bell was stimulated by his show."
Chuck (right) and 'P.T.' on the 1950's Whirlybirds set
The pic is sometimes slow to download, but gets there eventually!
And, for those too young to know what on earth we're talking about, click on: http://cellmath.med.utoronto.ca/B47/...bLaunchIt.html
Who else, remembers them?
I can, but only just - I was very, very young.
Honest answers only, please!
[This message has been edited by Flying Lawyer (edited 06 April 2001).]
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Loved the show FL, just wish I could claim to have been watching re-runs......
Grew up in Canada and watched it along with Superman and, later, Ripcord.
Still got the scars from trying to fly out of the window like Clark Kent (it was the only special effect they had each week and yes, there was a warning after every show).
Did the skydiving and light aircraft bit for many years a la Ripcord. Sadly despite jumping from them never did get a helo licence but one day, one day........
Regards from the Towers
Rob Lloyd
[email protected]
Grew up in Canada and watched it along with Superman and, later, Ripcord.
Still got the scars from trying to fly out of the window like Clark Kent (it was the only special effect they had each week and yes, there was a warning after every show).
Did the skydiving and light aircraft bit for many years a la Ripcord. Sadly despite jumping from them never did get a helo licence but one day, one day........
Regards from the Towers
Rob Lloyd
[email protected]
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While you guys were dreaming about being helicopter pilots I was already working on Bell HTL-1s and had accumulated around 150 hours as flight mechanic along with a lot of stick time. A picture of the Bell that I worked on and flew in is on the helicopter history site under either Coast Guard or, Bell. Hopefully some kind soul that reads this post has the skills to lift the picture and put it on this post.
The helicopter in the picture crashed and killed the flight mechanic. The story I got was that the pilot had a heart attack and slumped over the controls. The mechanic could have landed the helicopter if the flight controls were free. It was on floats and when it hit it bounced and landed upside-down. My age? I turned 70 last December and I still work on helicopters but in an engineering capacity.
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The Cat
[This message has been edited by Heliport (edited 08 April 2001).]
The helicopter in the picture crashed and killed the flight mechanic. The story I got was that the pilot had a heart attack and slumped over the controls. The mechanic could have landed the helicopter if the flight controls were free. It was on floats and when it hit it bounced and landed upside-down. My age? I turned 70 last December and I still work on helicopters but in an engineering capacity.
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The Cat
[This message has been edited by Heliport (edited 08 April 2001).]
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Remember watching this on the floor of our 'rec room' on a large 20" wooden cabinet Magnavox B&W television (during the years 1962-1965). This was back in the era when a hand would insert a placard bearing the words "We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties, Please Stand By" quite frequently.
(Dammit where's the Geritol when you need it!)
(Dammit where's the Geritol when you need it!)
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Age? Hmm..
Well I can remember Supercar! With its pilot Mike Mercury and his furry friend, Mitch the monkey and all.
And also Torchy the battery boy, Twizzel and Four Feather Falls.
"Muffin the Mule" was not then something you would find on a dubious web page
Yes of course they were real!
ShyT
Well I can remember Supercar! With its pilot Mike Mercury and his furry friend, Mitch the monkey and all.
And also Torchy the battery boy, Twizzel and Four Feather Falls.
"Muffin the Mule" was not then something you would find on a dubious web page
Yes of course they were real!
ShyT
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On a similar thread, does anyone remember the 1970's Australian TV series Chopper Squad ?
Acting was sparse, scenery was wooden and the plot lines were fairly weak ! They flew a Jetranger in a SAR type role, plucking people from the sea but seemed determined to use the helicopter in any way possible for the show - Including hovering 20ft over a live terrorist bomb and winching it away to safety - A braver pilot than me obviously !!
Acting was sparse, scenery was wooden and the plot lines were fairly weak ! They flew a Jetranger in a SAR type role, plucking people from the sea but seemed determined to use the helicopter in any way possible for the show - Including hovering 20ft over a live terrorist bomb and winching it away to safety - A braver pilot than me obviously !!
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Have to admit, I was an avid fan. Also wasn't there an Aussie helo programme, too. Seem to remember they always walked away from it burning and turning, dressed in shorts and tee shirts, no helmets... What about 'Fireball XL5...'sorry...
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Thermal runaway.
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Thermal runaway.
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I went rotary after problems flying the Folland Gnat - I was too tall. Having persuaded the military to let me train on helicopters, I was sent to the training school where I started to learn the complexities of rotary flight on the Bell 47G.
Words cannot describe the pleasure of a hover at a few feet above the pad with such wonderful visibility. There is probably no other aircraft in the world that allows the pilot such a fantastic view from the cockpit.
Some 40 hours later, I qualified and went on to support helicopters, anti-tank and eventually the CH47 but I have never forgotten the B47. I don't fly any more but if I had the chance to fly for fun- please let it be in the Sioux.
Words cannot describe the pleasure of a hover at a few feet above the pad with such wonderful visibility. There is probably no other aircraft in the world that allows the pilot such a fantastic view from the cockpit.
Some 40 hours later, I qualified and went on to support helicopters, anti-tank and eventually the CH47 but I have never forgotten the B47. I don't fly any more but if I had the chance to fly for fun- please let it be in the Sioux.
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And .....
For interior closeups they used a cut-away bubble so that the images shot from straight on would not be distorted by the curved plexiglass. The helicopter was run without rotor blades whilst in the studio - the shadow of the stabilizer bar passing over the canopy was enough to give the illusion of the aircraft in flight.
For interior closeups they used a cut-away bubble so that the images shot from straight on would not be distorted by the curved plexiglass. The helicopter was run without rotor blades whilst in the studio - the shadow of the stabilizer bar passing over the canopy was enough to give the illusion of the aircraft in flight.
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No way to avoid this one, I guess. My R/W conversion course was completed in British Columbia on Bell 47G3-B1's (the turbocharged version, for those of you who forgot). This was at a time when the '47 was still the principal bush workhorse - hmmm, make that workbird. With the turbocharger she was great in the Rockies. I flew two full seasons in B.C. and the Yukon on 47's before upgrading to the Hughes 500 (A model, if you please).
My most memorable '47 flight was the emergency evacuation of a heart attack patient from a bush camp in the middle of a moonless night (oh the hubris of youth). The patient was sitting upright, with his brother between us to keep him from toppling into my lap. No radio navaids of course. Fortunately, I knew the local topography really well and had VASIS experience from my F/W days.
For visibility and pure sense of flying there never was anything like it after. With that bubble and the console off to the right, you had absolutely nothing in front or below you to interfere with the view.
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You are welcome to visit HELIDRVR here
My most memorable '47 flight was the emergency evacuation of a heart attack patient from a bush camp in the middle of a moonless night (oh the hubris of youth). The patient was sitting upright, with his brother between us to keep him from toppling into my lap. No radio navaids of course. Fortunately, I knew the local topography really well and had VASIS experience from my F/W days.
For visibility and pure sense of flying there never was anything like it after. With that bubble and the console off to the right, you had absolutely nothing in front or below you to interfere with the view.
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You are welcome to visit HELIDRVR here
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Yup, Ah wuz there too...
But does anybody know...
Why has every helicopter in every film since then sounded like either a B47 (or B204/5/212 if it's a biggie)....
And why haven't they learned that the noise DOESN'T reduce AS it lands, but only afterwards...
Answers please, to my wife, who groans every time I moan about it...
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Ground tested, no fault found
But does anybody know...
Why has every helicopter in every film since then sounded like either a B47 (or B204/5/212 if it's a biggie)....
And why haven't they learned that the noise DOESN'T reduce AS it lands, but only afterwards...
Answers please, to my wife, who groans every time I moan about it...
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Ground tested, no fault found
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If you are interested in obtaining a Whirlibirds patch for your jacket contact the following:
National Helicopter Service & Engineering Company
P.O. Box 17150
Encino, California
91416-7150
USA
The price is $9.95 plus shipping (50 cents in the US)
Phone 818 345-5222
Fax 818 782-0466
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The Cat
National Helicopter Service & Engineering Company
P.O. Box 17150
Encino, California
91416-7150
USA
The price is $9.95 plus shipping (50 cents in the US)
Phone 818 345-5222
Fax 818 782-0466
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The Cat
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WhirlyBirds TV show
I use to watch this show in first run. I just wanted to let any other fans (and what helicopter pilot wouldn't be?) you can find quite a few episodes on YOUTUBE now.
Quality isn't great but boy are these shows heroic and fun. The star is the Bell 47 G and J.
Great flying, nice little stories of good and bad. Quite a few good character actors from movies too.
Kenneth Toby was the star (many sci fi movies). Just YOUTUBE search Whirlybirds TV. Just watched "the human bomb" and "glamor girl" whirlybirds. HOpe you like it.
Quality isn't great but boy are these shows heroic and fun. The star is the Bell 47 G and J.
Great flying, nice little stories of good and bad. Quite a few good character actors from movies too.
Kenneth Toby was the star (many sci fi movies). Just YOUTUBE search Whirlybirds TV. Just watched "the human bomb" and "glamor girl" whirlybirds. HOpe you like it.
Hi Glendalegoon , many thanks for that. I used to love that show and also
Skippy from Austrailia which also featured the 47 G.
I'm pretty sure these program's sparked my never ending love of rotary
Flight
R
Skippy from Austrailia which also featured the 47 G.
I'm pretty sure these program's sparked my never ending love of rotary
Flight
R
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I know the feeling RINKER. The story behind the Whirlybirds is interesting too. I LOVE LUCY had an ep where LUCY missed the boat to europe and got on via helicopter. THAT ep inspired the over 100 eps of WHIRLYBIRDS>
Hope you can see some. I went fixed wing but boy oh boy did I love this show.
Hope you can see some. I went fixed wing but boy oh boy did I love this show.