PPRuNe Forums - The Rotary Nostalgia Thread

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I couldn't identify this one!

Might be wide of the mark here, but it looks like a 47H1 :O

She is indeed a 47H-1. More about G-AZYB in post 447 of this thread.

Griffo, your initial Bölkow shot has spawned a series of similar images (see post 1285 above)! :ok:

All the Bells (but no Whistles!)

Ah, Savoia, that's what happens when negatives lay 'unprinted' for nearly 40 years...I thought it was some kind of Enstrom....no excuse, either, I've been to the Weston Museum!....Pretty little helicopter....Italian styled, perhaps?
My neighbour from my Fifties schooldays in Heston took this shot of the Turriff Bell 47J there (1964ish)
Agusta-Bell 47J-2 Ranger, G-ASNV, Turriff Construction Ltd.

Does anybody in the rotary scene have other pics at Heston?....I know the CAA made a ceremonial JetRanger flight from Heston to Fairoaks when they vacated their Heston offices in the Seventies

A30yoyo:

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(are you sure this is the M4, Mildred?)

Actually yoyo, when I saw that pic the first thought that popped into my mind was:

Hyacinth: "Richard! Do be careful as there seems to be one of those dreadful eggbeaters off to your right. Sound your horn, dear."

Out of curiosity, what type of car is it? Either a Vauxhall or Ford I am sure.

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Pretty little helicopter ..

Yes, not bad for her day. The 47 'H' model was Bell's attempt at a 'deluxe' version of the successful 'G' model. Features included an enclosed sound-proofed cabin which could accommodate one pilot and two passengers. The cabin had leather upholstery throughout as well as a leather covered instrument panel which grouped all the switches and carburetor controls. The enclosed metal monocoque tail boom contained a luggage compartment (unique for a Bell in those days). The craft was powered by a 200hp Franklin 6V4-200-C32AB engine.

Produced in 1955, Bell gave the 'H' model the name 'Bellairus' - she was intended for the executive market but .. sadly, though Bell did a good job of putting this bird together, it turned out to be too small for the job.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m...6/47HHenry.jpg
The 47 'Bellairus' with its enclosed monocoque tail boom

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-p...40/HMODELS.jpg
Newly produced 'H' models awaiting delivery

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Italian styled, perhaps?

Ah no friend. If I were to post some of the earlier Italian rotary-wing designs I would have to go hide under a rock somewhere. I'm afraid it took a couple of decades before the post-war Italian depression began to lift to the point where morale was restored and we began to see the revival of that creative spirit for which Italy is now known.

However, not long after the introduction of the Bellairus Agusta did re-vamp a Bell design which became the Agusta 102. As with all Italian designs up to that point .. not especially attractive but functional and with (from what I understand) reasonable performance.

The aircraft was based on the mechanical components of a Bell 48 that Agusta incorporated into an all-new, streamlined fuselage. The first flight was on 3 February 1959 at Cascina Costa under the hand of then well-known Agusta test pilot Ottorino Lancia. The prototype was exhibited at that year's Paris Air Show in faux military colours.

Only two production examples were built, operated by Elivie in a regular air service between Turin and Milan from 1961. However, the advent of turbine-powered helicopters in the 1960s soon rendered the A102 obsolete.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-g...Locarno_01.jpg
The A102 at Locarno Airport on 28th October 1960 (Quite what the sheep were doing grazing at the airfield I don't know but I suspect it was probably an arrangement between the airfield manager and a local farmer)

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R...ggianti_01.jpg
The float-equipped 102 I-AGUT

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-o...cockpit_01.jpg
The 102's panel

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-p..._AB-102_01.jpg
.. and cabin (which could accommodate 9 passengers)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R...ell_48A_01.jpg
The 102 was developed from Bell's model 48A

(Photos: Mario Bazzani and the Agusta archives)

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I know the CAA made a ceremonial JetRanger flight from Heston to Fairoaks when they vacated their Heston offices in the Seventies.

Quite extraordinary that you should mention this Yoyo because over on the Mann Thread we have just been discussing the craft in question which, as it happens, ended-up being bought by Noel Edmonds.

The event you refer to (the last official movement recorded at Heston Aerodrome) took place on 6th June 1978 in an Alan Mann JetRanger (described above) G-BWCN and which you can read about in post 89 of the Mann Thread.

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Out of curiosity, what type of car is it?

I think it's a Vauxhall Victor FD. :8

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Out of curiosity, what type of car is it?

I think it's a Vauxhall Victor FD.

I'd also say it's a Victor, but I'd go for the later FE :8

(The FD was a slightly prettier version with twin round headlights and a slight "coke bottle" hint to the rear of the bodyshell).

I'm very happy to stand corrected... I'm a tit man myself.

see Victor photo post#1298....btw what limit is there on memory use on Photobucket?

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....btw what limit is there on memory use on Photobucket?

Errm........ I can't remember. No, don't tell me - it'll come to me in a minute... Errr.. bu99er... it's no good.... it's gone.

Forget the Vauxhall, look at that lurvely Puma in the back ground; my old sqn too, by the looks of it. I think that was a Tiger Meet year, too.

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I think that was a Tiger Meet year, too.

Ah, yes - 1936... a lovely day too..

Well Wikipedia reckons its a Victor FE (a.k.a. Chevrolet Royale or inscrutably a Shinjin Record :))

Well, that's settled then.

Gordy - Queste sono Bellissime!

These are wonderful images with the Bell 47 being the industry's all-time universal classic. So many North American rotary-wing pioneers began their businesses with this craft .. the likes of Carl Brady (ERA) and Bob Suggs (PHI) and doubtless many others.

In Papua New Guinea (where I flew for a season) Rotorwork Helicopters began their activities with a 47 (Tony Karas was one of their early partners). I'm not sure which type Mal Smith began with, if not a 500 then it may well have been a 47 also.

Tell me, what age was the old boy in your image of him flying the 206?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1...1956%2520b.jpg
Agusta built 47's at one of Agusta's hangars c.1956

Mmmm ...

I do believe Mal Smith started Pacific Helicopters with (Ex Aussie Army mates) Peter Spoor and Roger Dundas in the early mid'70's with Hughes 500's ....

Mal I believe is still trying to run PNG (good luck with that Mal) Peter is enjoying life and Roger spends time 'Yachting' and 'stockmarketing' down in Melbourne ....

:}

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If I were to post some of the earlier Italian rotary-wing designs I would have to go hide under a rock somewhere

Dare I mention... Fiat 7002? :}

It was one of a number of prototype helicopters I remember from 1960s editions of the Observers Book of Aircraft - the Piasecki Pathfinder and Filper Beta (which looked rather like the result of an illicit union between a Bond Bug and a CH-46!) are two others that have surfaced amidst my mind's flotsam.

That Bell 48/Agusta 102 does look a bit like an early and rather ill-defined Bell 204, any commonality?