Bell 47J Ranger#Aircraft on display

{{Infobox aircraft begin

|name= Bell 47J Ranger

|image= File:Bell47J.JPG

|caption= Bell 47J Ranger

}}{{Infobox aircraft type

|type= Utility helicopter

|manufacturer= Bell Helicopter

|national origin= United States

|designer=

|first flight=

|introduced= 1956

|retired= July 1967 (UH-13J)

|status= Retired

|primary user=

|more users=

|produced=

|number built= 361

|unit cost= $65,000

|developed from= Bell 47

|developed into= Agusta A.115

|variants with their own articles=

}}

The Bell 47J Ranger is an American single-engine single-rotor light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was an executive variant of 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. 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. 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.

Variants

File:HAFm 7076.JPG

File:Bell 47J-2 Ranger AN0074222.jpg

File:AB.47J3 Carabinieri.JPG markings at Pratica di Mare AFB, Italy in 2006]]

File:UH-13J angle view.jpg

;47J Ranger

:Production variant powered by a 220hp Lycoming VO-435-A1B engine., 135 built.

;47J-1 Ranger

:Military VIP variant as the H-13J, two built.

;47J-2 Ranger

:Production variant with a 240hp Lycoming VO-540-B1B engine, powered controls and metal blades.,{{harvnb|Frawley|2003|p= 42}} 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.

;HUL-1

:United States Navy variant with a 260hp VO-435-B1B, 28 built became UH-13P in 1962.

;HUL-1G

:Two HUL-1s used by the United States Coast Guard, became UH-13Q in 1962.

;HUL-1M

:Variant of the HUL-1 with a 250shp YT-62-A-3 turboshaft engine, two built became UH-13R in 1962.

;HUL-2

:Proposed turboshaft-powered variant, not built.

;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.

;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.

;HH-13Q

:The HUL-1G re-designated in 1962.

;UH-13R

:The HUL-1M re-designated in 1962.

;HU-3

:Brazilian Navy designation of the 47J.{{Cite web |title=Brazilian Military Aircraft Designations |url=https://designation-systems.net/non-us/brazil.html |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=designation-systems.net}}

Operators

;{{ARG}}

Argentine Air Force{{Harvnb|Flight International 11 July 1968|p=48}}
Argentine Coast Guard

;{{CHI}}

Chilean Navy

;{{COL}}

Colombian Air Force{{Harvnb|Flight International 11 July 1968|p=50}}

;{{CUB}}

Cuban Air Force

;{{GRE}}

Hellenic Air Force{{Harvnb|Flight International 11 July 1968|p=52}}

;{{flaglist|Iceland}}

Icelandic Coast Guard

;{{IDN}}

Indonesian Air Force

;{{ITA}}

Italian Air Force
Italian Army
Carabinieri{{cite web|url= http://www.helis.com/database/modelorg/703/|title=Italian Gendarmerie AB-47J |access-date=20 March 2013}}{{vs|date=December 2019}}
Italian Navy

;{{MEX}}

Mexican Navy{{Harvnb|Flight International 11 July 1968|p=53}}

;{{ESP}}

Spanish Air Force{{Harvnb|Wheeler Flight International 1 August 1981|p=375}}{{cite web|url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Spain---Air/Bell-47J-3B-1-Ranger/1996097/L/&sid=0b5b7039cdd7d0a6f110c92d49dee65b |title= Spanish Air Force Bell 47J-3B-1 Ranger|publisher= Demand media|access-date=23 March 2013}}

;{{USA}}

United States Air Force
United States Coast Guard{{cite web | title = The BELL 47 Helicopter Family | publisher = bell47.net | url = http://www.bell47.net/Family/_Bell47Family.htm | access-date = 2013-03-20 | archive-date = 2015-10-23 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151023012808/http://www.bell47.net/Family/_Bell47Family.htm | url-status = dead }}
United States Navy

;{{VEN}}

Venezuelan Air Force{{Harvnb|Flight International 11 July 1968|p=60}}

Aircraft on display

File:Wobbies-world-helicopter.jpg

;Brazil

FAB 8510 – Bell 47J on static display at the Museu Aeroespacial in Rio de Janeiro.{{cite web|title=BELL 47J (H-13J) - RANGER | BELL HELICOPTER CORPORATION|url=http://www2.fab.mil.br/musal/index.php/anvs/388-ranger|website=Museu Aeroespacial|access-date=2 March 2017}}{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier - Bell47 / H-13 Sioux, s/n 8510 FABr, c/n 1746, c/r YV-E-DPY|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=104912|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=2 March 2017}}

;Canada

1827 – Bell 47J-2 on static display at the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum in Goffs, Nova Scotia.{{cite web|title=Aircraft Display Collection|url=http://atlanticcanadaaviationmuseum.com/museum-collections/aircraft-display-collection/?wppa-album=1&wppa-occur=1&wppa-photo=43|website=Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum|access-date=2 March 2017}}{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier - Bell 47 / H-13 Sioux, c/n 1827, c/r CF-PQZ|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=100482|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=2 March 2017}}

Slovenia

Agusta Bell-47J-2A (reg. YU-HAK) on static display at Slovenian Alpine Museum in Mojstrana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. It was a helicopter of police aviation unit from 1967 to 1984 and was the first helicopter in Slovenia used for mountain rescue operations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.planinskimuzej.si/?mod=aktualno&action=viewOne&ID=651|title=Slavnostni prevzem helikopterja Augusta Bell 47 – legendarnega burduša, v soboto, 27. maja 2017, od 16. ure dalje {{!}} Planinski muzej|last=d.o.o.|first=NoviSplet - Atribut|website=www.planinskimuzej.si|access-date=2017-05-23}}

;United States

57-2728 – UH-13J on static display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.{{cite web|title=Bell UH-13J Sioux|url=https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195802/bell-uh-13j-sioux/|website=National Museum of the US Air Force|access-date=3 March 2017|date=1 October 2015}}
57-2729 – UH-13J on static display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. It was the first helicopter to carry a U.S. president.{{cite web|title=Bell H-13J|url=http://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/bell-h-13j|website=Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum|access-date=8 March 2017|archive-date=8 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308221326/https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/bell-h-13j|url-status=dead}}

Specifications (Bell 47J-2A)

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66{{harvnb|Taylor|1965|p=187}}

|prime units?=imp

|genhide=

|crew=1

|capacity=3 passengers

|length m=9.87

|length ft=

|length in=

|dia m=

|dia ft=

|dia in=

|width m=

|width ft=

|width in=

|height m=2.83

|height ft=

|height in=

|empty weight kg=

|empty weight lb=1833

|gross weight kg=

|gross weight lb=

|max takeoff weight kg=

|max takeoff weight lb=2950

|fuel capacity={{convert|48|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}}

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Lycoming VO-540-B1B

|eng1 type=vertically mounted air-cooled flat-six

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=260

|rot number=1

|rot dia m=

|rot dia ft=37

|rot dia in=2

|rot area sqm=100.8

|rot area sqft=

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=

|max speed mph=105

|max speed kts=

|max speed note=at sea level

|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=91

|cruise speed kts=

|range km=

|range miles=258

|range nmi=

|range note=(no reserves)

|endurance=

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=11000

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=870

|lift to drag=

|disk loading kg/m2=

|disk loading lb/sqft=

|more performance=

|avionics=

}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

[https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195802/bell-uh-13j-sioux/ National Museum of the United States Air Force Bell UH-13J Sioux fact sheet]

}}

Bibliography

{{cite book |last= Andrade |first= John |title= U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909|year=1979 |publisher=Midland Counties Publications|isbn= 0-904597-22-9}}
{{cite book |last= Donald |first= David |title= The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft |year= 1997 |publisher= Barnes & Noble |location= NY, NY |isbn= 0-7607-0592-5 }}
{{cite journal |last1=Elliott|first1=Bryn|title=On the Beat: The First 60 Years of Britain's Air Police |journal=Air Enthusiast |date=January–February 1999 |issue=79 |pages=68–75 |issn=0143-5450}}
{{cite book |last= Frawley|first= Gerard|title=The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003–2004 |year= 2003 |publisher=Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd |location= Fyshwick, ACT, Australia |isbn=1-875671-58-7 }}
{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John W. R.|title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66|year=1965|publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Company|location=London|author-link=John W. R. Taylor }}
{{cite magazine |last=Wheeler |first=Barry C. |title=World's Air Forces 1981 |magazine=Flight International |date=1 August 1981 |volume=120 |issue=3769 |pages=323–384 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%202495.html |access-date= 7 December 2019 |ref={{harvid|Wheeler Flight International 1 August 1981}} }}
{{cite magazine |title=World Helicopter Market |magazine=Flight International |date=11 July 1968 |volume=94 |issue=3096 |pages= 48–60 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%201204.html |access-date=7 December 2019 |ref={{harvid|Flight International 11 July 1968}} }}