Bell 47

what is it?

The Bell 47 is a single-rotor single-engine light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was based on the third Bell 30 prototype, which was the company's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young. The 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946.

🔎How to recognise it: 1 piston engine · 11.3 m main rotor

base stats

• speed 169 km/htop speed
• range 396 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 1passengers
• size 1,338 kgmax take-off weight
• built 5,600made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 81 years ago, in 1945.
• 🚗Rotor of 11.3 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1945-12-08

introduced

1946

number built

5,600

role

multipurpose light helicopter

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

AgustaWestland, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Westland Aircraft, Bell Aircraft Corporation

engines

1× Lycoming TVO-435-F1A

crew

1

passengers

1

length

9.6 m

rotor diameter

11.3 m

height

2.8 m

max take-off weight

1,338 kg

top speed

169 km/h

cruise speed

135 km/h

range

396 km

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family