Bell 47J Ranger

Bell 47J Ranger

Bell 47J Ranger
Role	Utility helicopter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Bell Helicopter
Introduction	1956
Retired	July 1967 (UH-13J)
Status	Production completed
Number built	361
Unit cost	$65,000
Developed from	Bell 47

The Bell 47J Ranger is an American two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter that was manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was an executive variant based on the highly successful Bell 47 and was the first helicopter to carry a United States president.

Design and development

The 47J was a four-seat variant of the earlier three-seat Bell 47H. The 47H was a deluxe variant of the 47G with a fully clad fuselage and an enclosed cabin. The 47H proved to be too small, so Bell developed the 47J. The 47J was a single pilot aircraft with the pilot seat and controls centered in the front of the cabin, and positioned close to the 180° view unobstructed Lexan "bubble" windscreen. A single bench seat at the rear of the cabin spanned its entire width and allowed for a passenger capacity limited by weight to typically 3 or 4 adults.

Operational history

In March 1957 two Bell 47Js were bought by the United States Air Force as presidential transport and designated H-13J.^[1] On 13 July 1957 a H-13J was the first helicopter used by a United States president when it carried Dwight D. Eisenhower from the White House.^[1] In March 1962 the two helicopters were moved from presidential duties but were used as VIP transports for the next five years until retired in July 1967.^[1]

Variants

Agusta-Bell 47J Ranger at the Hellenic Air Force Museum at Dekelia (Tatoi), Athens, Greece

Agusta-Bell AB.47J3 Ranger in Italian Carabinieri markings at Pratica di Mare AFB, Italy in 2006

Bell UH-13J Sioux at the National Museum of the United States Air Force

47J Ranger: Production variant powered by a 220hp Lycoming VO-435-A1B engine.,^[2] 135 built.
47J-1 Ranger: Military VIP variant as the H-13J, two built.^[3]
47J-2 Ranger: Production variant with a 240hp Lycoming VO-540-B1B engine, powered controls and metal blades.,^[2] 104 built.
47J-2A Ranger: Production variant with a 260hp Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 engine and a collective boost system, 75 built.
47J-3: Italian built variant by Agusta-Bell.
47J-3B1: High-altitude variant of the 47J-3
47K: Training variant for the United States Navy, see HTL-7.^[4]
HUL-1: United States Navy variant with a 260hp VO-435-B1B, 28 built became UH-13P in 1962.^[4]
HUL-1G: Two HUL-1s used by the United States Coast Guard, became UH-13Q in 1962.^[4]
HUL-1M: Variant of the HUL-1 with a 250shp YT-62-A-3 turboshaft engine, two built became UH-13R in 1962.^[4]
HUL-2: Proposed turboshaft-powered variant, not built.^[4]
HTL-7: Model 47K training version of the HUL-1 with a modified two-seat cockpit and a 240hp Lycoming O-435-6 engine, 18 built, later designated TH-13N in 1962.
UH-13J: Two Bell 47J-1 Ranger aircraft utilizing the 179 kW Lycoming VO-435-21 engine acquired for VIP transport of the U.S. President by the U.S. Air Force. Originally designated as H-13J until 1962.^[2]
UH-13P: United States Navy variant for use aboard ice-breaking ships, Originally designated as the Navy HUL-1.
TH-13N: The HTL-7 re-designated in 1962.^[4]
HH-13Q: The HUL-1G re-designated in 1962.^[4]
UH-13R: The HUL-1M re-designated in 1962.^[4]

Operators

Argentina

Argentine Coast Guard^[5]

Colombia

Colombian Air Force^[6]

Greece

Hellenic Air Force^[7]

Iceland

Icelandic Coast Guard^[7]

Italy

Spain

Spanish Air Force^[9]^[10]

United States

Aircraft on display

The first UH-13J, which first carried a U.S. President, is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia.
The second UH-13J is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio in the Museum's Presidential Gallery.

Specifications (Bell 47J-2A)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66^[13]

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 3 passengers
Length: 32 ft 5 in (9.87 m)
Height: 9 ft 3 in (2.83 m)
Empty weight: 1,833 lb (831 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 2,950 lb (1,338 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming VO-540-B1B vertically mounted air-cooled flat-six, 260 hp (190 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 37 ft 2 in (11.33 m)
Main rotor area: 1,085 sq ft (100.8 m²)

Performance

Maximum speed: 105 mph (169 km/h; 91 kn) at sea level
Cruise speed: 91 mph (79 kn; 146 km/h)
Range: 258 mi (224 nmi; 415 km) (no reserves)
Service ceiling: 11,000 ft (3,353 m)
Rate of climb: 870 ft/min (4.4 m/s)

References

1 2 3 National Museum of the United States Air Force Bell UH-13J Sioux fact sheet
1 2 3 Frawley, page 42
↑ Andrade 1979, p. 188
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Andrade 1979, p. 197
↑ "Prefectura Naval Argentina history". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
↑ "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 50". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
1 2 3 4 "World Helicopter Market 1968 pg. 52". Retrieved 2013-03-20.
↑ "Italian Gendarmerie AB-47J". Retrieved 20 March 2013.
↑ "World Air Forces 1981 pg 375". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
↑ "Spanish Air Force Bell 47J-3B-1 Ranger". Demand media. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
↑ "BELL UH-13J Sioux". nationalmuseum.af.mil. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
1 2 "The BELL 47 Helicopter Family". bell47.net. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
↑ Taylor 1965, p. 187.

Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
Donald, David (1997). The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY, NY: Barnes & Noble. ISBN 0-7607-0592-5.
Frawley, Gerard (2003). The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd. p. 44. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
Taylor, John W. R. (1965). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bell 47.

Aircraft produced by Bell Aircraft and Bell Helicopter

Manufacturer designations	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 47 48 49 50 52 54 58 59 60 61 65 66 67 68 200 201 204 205 206 207 208 210 211 209 212 214/214ST 222 230 249 301 309 400 407 409 412 417 427 429 430 440 445 449 505 525 533 D-188 D-255 D-292

Fighter aircraft	YFM-1 P-39 XFL P-59 P-63 XP-77 XP-83

Target drones	PQM-56

Attack helicopters	207 AH-1 (singles) AH-1 (twins) 309 YAH-63

Observation and utility helicopters	H-13 UH-1 UH-1N UH-1Y TH-57 OH-58 TH-67 ARH-70

Commercial helicopters	47 204 205 206 210 212 214 214ST 222 230 407 412 427 429 430 505 525

Tiltrotors	V-22 BA609 TR918 QTR

UAVs	MQ-8C

Non-production helicopters	400 417 440

Experimental aircraft	ATV 201 533 D-188 D-255 D-292 L-39 LLRV/LLTV X-1 X-2 X-5 X-14 X-22 XF-109 XP-52 XV-3 XV-15

United States helicopter designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Numerical sequence used by USAAC/USAAF/USAF 1941–present; US Army 1948–1956 and 1962–present; US Navy 1962–present

Main sequence
(1941–1962)

Prefix R-, 1941–1948	R-1 R-2 R-3 R-4 R-5 R-6 R-7 R-8 R-9 R-10 R-11 R-12 R-13 R-14 R-15 R-16

Prefix H-, 1948–1962	H-5 H-6 H-9 H-10 H-11 H-12 H-13/J H-15 H-16 H-17 H-18 H-19 H-20 H-21 H-22 H-23 H-24 H-25 H-26 H-27 H-28 H-29 H-30 H-31 H-32 H-33 H-34 H-35 H-36¹ H-37 H-38¹ H-39 H-40 H-41 H-42 H-43 H-44¹ H-45¹

Main joint sequence
(1962–present)

1962 redesignations	OH-13/UH-13J UH-19 CH-21 OH-23 UH-25 CH-34 CH-37 HH-43

New designations	CH-46/HH-46/UH-46 CH-47 UH-48 XH-49 QH-50 XH-51 HH-52 CH-53/HH-53/MH-53/CH-53E/CH-53K CH-54 TH-55 AH-56 TH-57 OH-58 XH-59 UH-60/SH-60/HH-60/HH-60J YUH-61 XCH-62 YAH-63 AH-64 HH-65 RAH-66 TH-67 MH-68 H-69¹ ARH-70 VH-71 UH-72 H-73 to H-91¹ VH-92

1962 redesignations
reusing old numbers

¹ Not assigned

USN helicopter designations pre-1962

Helicopter, Anti-submarine

Bell	HSL

Sikorsky	HSS-1 HSS-2

Helicopter, Crane

McDonnell	HCH

Helicopter, Observation

Convertawings	HOC

Hiller	HOE

Gyrodyne	HOG

Kaman	HOK

Sikorsky	HOS HO2S HO3S HO4S HO5S

Helicopter, Trainer pre-1948

Sikorsky	HNS

Helicopter, Trainer 1948-1962

Hiller	HTE

Kaman	HTK

Bell	HTL

Helicopter, Transport 1944-1962

Boeing Vertol	HRB

McDonnell	HRH

Piasecki	HRP

Sikorsky	HRS HR2S HR3S

Helicopter, Utility pre-1949

McDonnell	HJD

McDonnell	HJH

Piasecki	HJP

Sikorsky	HJS

Helicopter, Utility 1950-1962

Kaman	HUK HU2K

Bell:	HUL

McCulloch	HUM

Piasecki	HUP

Sikorsky	HUS HU2S

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, January 19, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.