Bell 47J Ranger

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.

Bell 47J Ranger
Bell 47J Ranger
Role	Utility helicopter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Bell Helicopter
Introduction	1956
Retired	July 1967 (UH-13J)
Status	Retired
Number built	361
Developed from	Bell 47
Developed into	Agusta A.115

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

A Bell 47J-2 Ranger, with floats. (California, 1978)

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]

HU-3

Brazilian Navy designation of the 47J.^[5]

Operators

 Argentina

• Argentine Air Force^[6]
• Argentine Coast Guard^[6]

 Chile

• Chilean Navy^[7]

 Colombia

• Colombian Air Force^[7]

 Cuba

• Cuban Air Force^[7]

 Greece

• Hellenic Air Force^[8]

 Iceland

• Icelandic Coast Guard^[8]

 Indonesia

• Indonesian Air Force^[8]

 Italy

• Italian Air Force^[8]
• Italian Army^[8]
• Carabinieri^{[9][verification needed]}
• Italian Navy^[8]

 Mexico

• Mexican Navy^[10]

 Spain

• Spanish Air Force^[11][12]

 United States

• United States Air Force^[1]
• United States Coast Guard^[13]
• United States Navy^[13]

 Venezuela

• Venezuelan Air Force^[14]

Aircraft on display

The helicopter at its present site on Dandenong-Frankston Road.

Brazil

• FAB 8510 – Bell 47J on static display at the Museu Aeroespacial in Rio de Janeiro.^[15][16]

Canada

• 1827 – Bell 47J-2 on static display at the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum in Goffs, Nova Scotia.^[17][18]

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.^[19]

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.^[20]
• 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.^[21]

Specifications (Bell 47J-2A)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66^[22]

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)
• Fuel capacity: 48 US gal (40 imp gal; 180 L)
• 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 (146 km/h, 79 kn)
• Range: 258 mi (415 km, 224 nmi) (no reserves)
• Service ceiling: 11,000 ft (3,400 m)
• Rate of climb: 870 ft/min (4.4 m/s)

See also

Related development

• Agusta A.115
• Bell 47
• Bell 201/XH-13F
• Bell 206 JetRanger
• Bell 207 Sioux Scout
• Bell YOH-4

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Aérospatiale Alouette II
• Hiller OH-23 Raven
• TH-55 Osage/Hughes 269
• Hughes/Schweizer 300
• PZL SM-4 Łątka

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of rotorcraft