Bell Aircraft Since 1935

257 Pages·1992·189.67 MB·English

by  Alain J. Pelletier

PUTNAM
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Aircraft
Bell
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since 1935
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Bell Aircraft
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Bell Aircraft
since 1935
J
Alain Pelletier
NAVAL
INSTITUTE
PRESS
FRONTISPIECE:BellModel212C-FNSA(cln30524)ofFrontierHelicopters
droppingwaterduringademonstration. (Conair)
,©A.].Pelletier1992
FirstpublishedinGreatBritain1992by
PutnamAeronauticalBooks,animprintof
ConwayMaritimePressLtd
101FleetStreet
LondonEC4YIDE
PublishedanddistributedintheUnited
StatesofAmericaandCanadabythe
NavalInstitutePress
118MarylandAvenue,Annapolis,Maryland21402-5035
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNo
91-66350
ISBN1-55750-056--8
Thiseditionisauthorizedforsaleonly
intheUnitedStates,itsterritories
andpossessions,andCanada
Allrightsreserved.Unauthorized
duplicationcontravenesapplicablelaws
ManufacturedinGreatBritain
Contents
PrefaceandAcknowledgements 7 TwinTwo-TwelveandMilitaryTwin 142
Models209/249and309andAH-1 HueyCobra,
Author'sNotes 8
KingCobra,SeaCobra,SuperCobraandViper 148
DesignD-2127X-22A 163
Originand CorporateHistory 9
Model214and214STSuperTransport 166
Model206LLongRangerandTexasRanger 169
XFM-1/YFM-1 Airacuda 19 Model409YAH-63 172
Model11115,26and33/P-39Airacobra 25 Model222 174
Model5XFL-1 Airabonita 40 Model301XV-IS 177
Models33and41P-63Kingcobra 42 Model412 180
Model27P-59Airacomet 50 Model680rotor 184
Model30 55 Model400/440TwinRanger 186
Model32XP-77 59 Model406(AHIP),OH-58DAdvancedScoutandKiowa
XP-83 61 Warrior,andModel406CSCombatScout 188
Model47R-13/H-13/HTL/HULSioux 63 DesignD-292ACAP 193
Model42 80 Bell-BoeingV-22Osprey 195
L-39 82 Model230 200
Model44X-I andX-IE 83
Model58X-lA,BandD 83 Appendices
Model48R-121H-12 91
ISelectedBellProjects 201
Model54XH-15 93
IIMiscellaneousTypes 213
Model60X-5 94
IIIMilestonesinBellHistory 221
Model52X-2 97 IVBellModelDesignations 224
Model61 HSL-1 100 VProductionDetails 227
Model65ATV 103
VIBellAircraftusedByNASA 237
Model200XV-3 105 VIIFrenchAiracobrasandKingcobras 241
Model204H-40andUH-1A/B/CIE/F/K/L/M/P
VIIISerialNumbersofForeignMilitaryand
Iroquois 108 CivilUH-1s 242
Model68X-14 119 IXBellHelicoptersCombatLosses- VietnamWar 245
Model205UH-lD/WUIVIXIroquois 122 XWestlandSiouxProductionList 246
Model206AandB]etRangerOH-58Kiowa/TH-57
AbbreviationsandAcronyms 251
SeaRanger 132
Model533 140
IndexofAircraft 252
Model207SiouxScout 141
Model208TwinDelta,Model212 IndexofPeople
'Althoughhumansubtletymakesa
varietyofinventions,itwillneverdevise
aninventionmorebeautiful,more
simpleormoredirectthandoesnature,
becauseinherinventions,nothingis
lackingandnothingissuperfluous.'
LAWRENCEDBELL
Preface and Acknowledgements
Bell is a unique manufacturer in complete panorama ofBell activities (Suripto Sugondo), the Museum of
United States aviation history. Born since 1935 up to the present, Army Flying 0R Cross), the NASA
as a tiny company with a handful of through its aeroplanes and helicop Lyndon B Johnson Space Center
employees and virtually no design ters as well as some of its projects (Mike Gentry), the National Airand
contracts, it became a significant andotherflyingmachines. Space Museum/Smithsonian In
aircraft manufacturer within a few stitution (Paul Silbermann), the US
years through afull seriesofinnova * * * Army, the US Army Aviation
tive fixed-wing aircraft. Now when Museum (Thomas J Sabiston), the
we look at these designs, from the Of course such a book could not US Army Center of Military His
twin-engined XFM-l Airacuda to havebeenwrittenbyasingleisolated tory, the US Coast Guards (R L
the ducted-fan X-22 VTOL re person. In fact, this is the work ofa Scheina); the embassies of Austria
search aircraft, we must admit that full team comprising individuals (MajWinkler), Israel(Attias Saguit),
none ofthemwas conventional. And throughout the world who shared New Zealand (0 Dunn), Norway
all this was done thanks to the their knowledge. That is why I (Sigurd Hellstrom) and Spain (Gra
tireless work of two outstanding remain indebted to all those men valosGuzman).
personalities, both animated by the tioned here (plus those I may have A very special thanks to my good
strongest will to succeed, Lawrence overlooked): friend Rene J Francillon for his
D. BellandRobert].Woods. Bob Leder, Ted Hayes and TerryA prolonged assistance and en
This innovative path was rein Arnold of Bell Helicopter Textron couragement.Mygratitudealsogoes
forced afew years laterwhenathird Inc; Eleanor L Ponto ofBell Aero to the Putnam editorial team for
man joined the team. His name was space Textron; Helene Carrier of their confidence in my project. And
Arthur Young and with him Bell Textron Canada Ltee; my fellow finally, Iwish to express my deepest
began to explore a nearly unknown historians Peter M Bowers, Robert thanks to Maryse, my wife, who has
territory, that ofvertical flight. Even L Burns, Michel Cristescu, Richard endured more than she should have
this explorationwas hard and full of Currie, Robert F Dorr,Jean-Pierre forthesakeofthisbook.
trapsbutitprovedsuccessfultosuch Dubois,Jeffrey L Ethell, Edward F As illustrations have been
an extentthattoday Bellhasbecome FurlerJr, J M G Gradidge, Joseph gathered from a variety of collec
one ofthe world's major helicopter G Handelmann, Peter J Marson, tions, every attempt has been made
manufacturers. One helicopter out David W Menard, David W to credit the original photographer
oftwo flying in the western world is Ostrowski, Arthur Pearcy Jr, Jean but with the passing of time some
aBell. This fact is sotrue thatin the Jacques Petit, Louis Sampite, Jerry names have been lost; my sincere
minds of most people the name of Scutts, Jean-Pierre Tedesco, Carl apologies to those slighted by an
Bellhas simplybecome synonymous WaldenmaierandJohnWegg. incorrectcreditline.
withthehelicopter. Thanks also to Agusta SpA,
For both the personalities in Boeing Helicopters (Madelyn
volved and the products designed, Bush), Conair (Robert M Stitt),
the history ofBellhad to bewritten. GIAT (Martine Chayrigues), ITPN ALAINJPELLETIER
This account will give the reader a Nusantara Aircraft Industries Ltd Bures,January, 1992
Author's Notes
Thisbookconformswith mostother numbers were allocated in sequen designations, where applicable, were
Putnam titles. Only the histories of tial order and remained in use as given in the traditional way with the
aircrafthave beencovered and these designation numbers for the com usualsequenceoftypesymbolletter,
are presented in chronological mercial types. Variants were given a model number, series letter, block
order. Where applicable the aero sufftx letter (in alphabetical order) number, and manufacturer identi
planes are identified by both Bell and sub-variants asufftxnumber. At fication letters. For Bell, the last
Model number and customer de a later date, this designation system wereasfollows:
signation. At the end of the book, was used in adifferentway. Chosen
numerousappendicesaredevoted to Modelnumberswerenotnecessarily BABellAtlanta,Georgia
selected projects and miscellaneous given in sequential order, thereby BC Bell Aerosystems, Buffalo, New
typesaswellastonon-technicaldata creating gaps, the first digit some York
such as production details (con timesindicatingthe numberofrotor BEBell,Buffalo,NewYork
struction numbers, serial numbers, blades. In addition the sufftx letters BFBell,FortWorth,Texas
etc),listsandmilestones. were not necessarily allocated in
From the beginning Bell used to alphabetical order and sometimes Manufacturer's serial numbers,
assign a Model number during the had a meaning (U standing for generally called constructor's num
preliminary phase of each project. Utility, L for LongorSP for Special bers or clns, have been allocated by
For a long period, these Model Performance, etc). The US military sequence foreachmodel.
I
Origin and Corporate History
planes and kites. In 1912, Larry
completed his studies at the Santa
Monica Polytechnic and decided to
join his brother Grover who was at
this time working with Glenn L
Martinas anexhibitionflyer. Unfor
tunately, a year later, on 4 July,
1913, Grover died in a crash while
flying a Curtiss Pusher Model D.
Thiswasashockfor Larrywhothen
decidedto giveupaviation.
Thanks to the obstinacy of his
friend Dave Hunt, he returned and
both built wing-floats for float
planes. Soonafter, Larryenteredthe
MartinCompanyand one ofhis first
tasks was to prepare abiplanewhich
had been sold to Pancho Villa, the
Mexican revolutionary. In August
1915, the 23-year old Donald W
Douglas joined Glenn L Martin as
chief engineer; he would soon de
A strong personality, Lawrence Dale Bell, sign the Martin MB-2. Two years
the founder ofBell Aircraft Corporation. later, Martin decided to merge with RobertJWoods,fatherofmanyBelldesigns.
(Bell) the Wright company to form (Bell)
Lawrence (Larry) Dale Bell(*) was
born on 5 April, 1894, in the little
town ofMentone, Indiana. He was
the youngest ofthe ten children of
Isaac Evans Bell and Harriet Sarber
Bell. The young Lawrence was only
13 when his parents decided to
retire to Santa Monica, California.
1910 was an important year for
Larry, he got his first paid job, and
he and two ofhis brothers (Vaughn
and Grover) saw an aeroplane for
the first time at the Dominguez
Field aviation meeting (10-20Janu
ary, 1910). This event was an eye
openerforthethreeboyswhoindue
course began to build model aero-
* Not to be confused with the famous
inventorandaviationpioneerAlexanderGra
ham Bell (see Canadian Aircraft since 1909,
pages101-104),norwiththeEnglishpioneer
pilot C Gordon Bell who tested the Hum
phreysmonoplanein1911.
LawrenceBellatthecontrolsofhisbrother's
biplanein1912.(Bell)