The venerable Bell 47

[skidsoff]

I have fond memories of the Bell47. It was a real workhorse in its time and could lift a reasonable load if flown carefully.
Early in my career I flew Bell47G3B1's in PNG. One of my tasks was regularly slinging 44 gallon drums of fuel, one at a time, to resupply repeater stations on mountain tops. That was hard work but with care the machine did the job. We did all sorts of charter work with the B47G back than, much of it in "hot and high" terrain. Often we would take off with 2 passengers and the litters loaded with cargo, almost always at max TOW and more often than not operating too and from confined areas.
Certainly taught me a lot about precision and careful flying!!

[FH1100 Pilot]

Just to add to this thread, here's a picture of my current office. Still flying scenics around Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. Is a 3b1 with a 435 lycoming non turbo.

Wouldn't that revert it back to a G-2A1?

Knew a guy...ag operator with a couple of D-1's who flew carnival tours in the off-season back in the early 1960's. Said they used to wind them up to 3500, then yank and push. By the time they got translational, the rpm had bled off to around 2900, enough to fly. I asked if their engines and trans's ever made it to overhaul? He just laughed. *Nothing* made it to overhaul back then. He said that when they got the G-2 they thought it had all the power in the world! Ahh, if they only knew what was coming in 1966...

[Evil Twin]

Not sure about that one, turbo was removed as we operate at sea level so is of little use. FH1100 eh, flown one of those too.

[Stan Switek]

The MASH choppers were Bell 47 D1's as Matari correctly stated. After the MASH series ended, the aircraft used in the series were purchased by a flight school at Chino Airport. I had the opportunity to fly these helicopter on numerous occasions with the MASH paint scheme still in effect.

These (D1's) were very possibly the most underpowered helicopters I have personally flown. Having flown these aircraft truly made me appreciate the skill of the pilots in the Korean War.

I knew a lot of pilots with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs department at that time. They were Flying the S58's (radial engine) MD500C's & Bell 47 G3's. Several of the pilots related to me that the Bell 47G3 turbocharged version actually had better performance at altitude than the 500C. One of the Bell 47 drivers on a regular basis was able make rescues that the 500C's could not perform. These were events that were related directly to me by the guys who flew the missions.

In the early 80's, I regularly flew a Bell 47G2A1. Great machine.

[albatross]

Credit Dave Redmond on the last one.

[Arnie Madsen]

The 47 is the only machine I have ever flown so of course it is my favorite.

Here is a good site which covers all the various models from ship #1 and onward. Lots of good photos.
The Bell 47 Helicopter Family - Models A thru K

[aseanaero]

Is Bell trying to finally kill off the B-47 ?

I noticed on the Bell website the price of new main rotor blades have jumped from $42,000 each in 2008 to $179,000 EACH in 2009 !

047-110-250-021 BLADE,MR (HR) EA 42,640.00

047-110-250-021 BLADE,MR (HR) EA 179,047.00

What's the justification in such a hefty price rise other than finally trying to get users to move on to later model helis due to higher parts costs ?

[brett s]

They've been trying to kill it off for years now, this isn't a new idea at Bell.

[outofwhack]

I fear how the price of new Bell blades might affect the price of insurance.

I'd rather Bell just take blades off the price book and admit they dont want to build them. After all who on earth is going to buy blades at those prices.

Bell are doing owners of the Bell 47 a great injustice. I own one because its a classic and all I can afford and unless I win lotto I wont ever afford a 407.

OOW

[aseanaero]

If anyone wants to have a look at the 2008 and 2009 B-47 price lists they can be downloaded from here

http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/sup...ook_01-047.pdf

http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/sup...1-047_2008.pdf

Maybe one of the parts guys thought he was working at Eurocopter when they reviewed the 2008 pricing ...

[Darren999]

Bell want these gone....

Bell can not wait for these to disappear. One person wanted to rekindle the 47, and bring out a newer version. Bell said thats fine buy the pattern, however, you take on all the past Bell 47's also.

I think this is the last straw to really get rid of them. Bloody shame if you ask me! Furthermore, here in the US we cannot use Agusta Westland parts. Engine baskets are now a fortune!!!
I was told the chap who used to refurb the wooden blades retired, and there isn't anyone to replace him! Such a wonderful helicopter, great trainier, a real shame

[Matari]

Darren:

I was told the chap who used to refurb the wooden blades retired, and there isn't anyone to replace him!

I think this outfit is still around:
Bell 47 Wood Blades

[aseanaero]

One person wanted to rekindle the 47, and bring out a newer version. Bell said thats fine buy the pattern, however, you take on all the past Bell 47's also.

That's quite normal for the new owner of the type certificate to take on liability and Bell probably did the buyer a favor as most of these guys go bankrupt trying to reproduce older designs.

I don't have a Bell 47 but have been asked by an operator here to put a package together for them to keep their B47 Soloys flying another 5 to 10 yrs for ab initio training as their 2 yr old 'euro trainers' break in hard landings where the B-47 just bounces a bit higher than normal and keeps on flying

[bladegrabber]

B47 in the UK

is anyone still flying them or training on them in the UK.

Would be great to fly one and compare to the more modern day R22/300C types

BG

[Oldlae]

At BHL FTS we had several mild steel discs painted red and staked down near the grass runway at Redhill. Pilots doing engine off's used to aim for the disc's, which was fine in the 47 as the skids just rode over them. A R22 tried this and the little ground pads under the skids caught under the steel disc resulting in a nasty accident. IIRC the cabin separated from the skids, no one hurt. I am impressed with the strength of the 22 cabin.

[FLY 7]

How about this?

vrtulniky-safari.cz

[aseanaero]

There's about 18 to 20 AB-47s hidden away in a warehouse in Europe owned by a business associate of mine

Most are ex Italian Air Force I think

Here's some photos I took in 2007

[Darren999]

Great pics

What a wonderful collection! Are the ones with cabin's J or K models?
It would be great if he could have them flying, I'm sure there would be people around to buy them too...
What we need is someone to come up with a plan to re design it slightly. You would have to re name it. It must have composite main rotor blades, a Lycoming engine, a way of extending the life of the heads, Jet ranger tail blades. That would give Schwizer a run for their money..What a dream

[aseanaero]

Are the ones with cabin's J or K models?

Agusta Bell 47-J3

Well I think with Bell increasing the price of MRBs that opens up new opportunities to other firms to come up with alternatives.

Maybe when they're redesigning it put a cheap to buy and maintain turbine in it like the Walter M601

[outofwhack]

While on the subject does anyone have the tool to remove a Bell 47 rotor head nut? and would like to sell it. There's none on EBAY
OOW