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Bell Helicopters - Part II
Back to Part I
October, 1956 :
Bell 204 "Huey" ( UH-1 )
US Army 's first production-line turbine powered utility helicopter and
the most representative helicopter of the Vietnam era.
1957 :
Name changed to Bell Helicopter Corporation
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1958 :
The XV-3 makes the first conversion of tilting prop-rotor aircraft.
1960 : Spacecraft Recovery Rotor
1960 : Textron Inc.
Textron purchases the defense activities of Bell Aircraft and set ups
Bell Aerospace Corp as a wholly owned subsidiary with three
divisions.
1962 : Bell 207 Sioux Scout
A derivative of the Bell 47, this gunship concept demonstrator, was a very
important step for Bell and will end in the Model 209 years later.
Serial number N73927
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1962 : Bell 533 HPH
An UH-1B modified for research with sweptback wings and
side-mounted turbojet engines.
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1963 : Bell 206 ( YOH-4 )
Serial number 62-4201 lost US Army LOH ( Light Observation Helicopter )
competition against the Hughes YOH-6 (the winner) and the
Hiller FH-1100 ( YOH-5 ).
However, Bell continued developing this model and eventually
get the Bell 206A civilian series and later acquired by the militaries as the
H-57 / H-58 .
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1963 : Bell 204B ( H-48 )
Hueys modified as missile site support helos.
March 27, 1965 : Bell 208
An UH-1D fitted with two Continental turbines, was the
first twin turbine helicopter built by Bell
January 10, 1966:
Bell 206A JetRanger
1966 :
Bell receives a contract for 2115 UH-1 Iroquois.
Also this year, a unique radar antenna is built into a blade and succesfully tested.
March 17, 1966 : X-22
A V/STOL (Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft with four tilting
ducted fans and wings. Two prototypes built for the US Navy, one crash.
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Bell 209 AH-1 Cobra
In 1966, waiting for their
AH-56 Cheyenne program ,
the US Army made a request for a interim gunship
helicopter to be complete in one year to be deployed in Vietnam.
The winner was the Bell 209 HueyCobra against gunship derivatives of the Kaman SeaSprite, Boeing Vertol Chinook,
Piasecki Pathfinder and Sikorsky S-61
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1967 : Bell 205A ( UH-1D ) Huey with bigger fuselage.
1967 :
Huey Cobras first deployed to Vietnam
1968 : TH-57 SeaRanger & OH-58A Kiowa
The US Navy and US Army variants of the Bell 206A.
1969 : Bell 300
Mock-up. Tiltrotor development continues.
Continue - Part III
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