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Bell Helicopters Textron
Part III






Back to Part II


  • 1970 : Bell 212 ( UH-1N )

    Twin-turbine Hueys
    After the successful of the Models 204 / 205, Bell joined Pratt & Whitney Canada for develop a twin engine derivative, the result was the Model 212 Twin Two Twelve , soon followed by the Model 214 that was a lengthened version (with single and twin engine) of the Bell 205.
    In 1979 appear the Model 412 with a 4 blades main rotor


  • 1971 : UTTAS program - Bell 240
    The proposal for the 1971 's US Army UTTAS program ( Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System ) for a new helicopter to replace the Bell Huey.
    Lost the competition against the
    Sikorsky UH-60 BlackHawk page


  • Sept. 10, 1971: Bell 309 King Cobra
    Because the US Army 's AAFSS ( Advanced Aerial Fire Support System ) competition was cancelled ( See Lockheed Cheyenne ) , Bell designed the model 309 King Cobra as a company-funded project, like Sikorsky does with the S-67.

    Only 2 units of the KingCobra were built but some of the improvements would be applied to the following US Marines model: the AH-1T

  • 1972 : Bell 214 Huey Plus / Big Lifter
    A "big 205", Was first developed for the Iranian Armed Forces
  • 1974 :
    Bell conmemorates the delivery of it 20000th helicopter
  • October 1, 1975 : Bell 409 (YAH-63)
    Developed from the Model 309, two units were built for the US Army AAH ( Advanced Attack Helicopter ) program.
    Lost competition against the Hughes YAH-64 page

  • 1976 :
    New Name : Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

    The 2000th JetRanger roll out.

  • 1977 : Bell 222

    America 's first commercial midsize twin-turbine helicopter


  • May 3, 1977 : Bell 301 ( XV-15 ) page



  • 1978 : Bell 214ST
    A 19 place stretched version of the 214 with twin General Electric CT7 turboshafts developing 1625 shp.
  • 1979 : Bell 412
    The four-bladed version of the Bell 212
    FBI Bell 412


  • 1979 :
    First sale of US helicopters to China, 8 Bell 212s

  • 1980 :
    The first trasatlantic LIGHT helicopter crossing is completed ( 5100 miles ) by german pilots Karl Wagner and Warner Roschlau in a LongRanger II
  • 1981 :
    Delivery of the 25000th helicopter, a 222.

    Bell is selected as a contractor for the ACAP ( US Army Advanced Composite Airframe program )
  • 1982 : Bell 222B

  • 1982 :
    Bell join Boeing in the JVX program ( Joint Services Vertical Lift Aircraft ) that will end in the V-22 Osprey.

    New sale of 55 TH-57C advanced instrument trainers to the US Navy.

    The XV-15 demostrates its capabilities during three days of navy trials aboard the assault carrier USS Tripoli.

    Ross Perot Jr and Jay Coburn become the first pilots of an around the world flight in the Spirit of Texas, a Bell JetRanger II.
    The flight departed 9/1/82 and returned 9/30/82. It was 29 days, 3 hours, 8 minutes, 13 seconds. The average speed was 56.97 km/h.

    Australian pilot Dick Smith departs from Bell in a JetRanger III to fly the first solo flight around the world. ( 35.258 miles )
    On August 9, Smith lands in the UK after making the first solo helicopter crossing of the atlantic Ocean


    Continue Bell Helicopters - Part 4



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