Bell 47 / H13 helicopter review and flight 

My wife’s great grandfather was a test pilot for Bell and her grandmother has told us how she flew from New York to Tennessee with her father in a Bell 47 before most people knew what a helicopter was and how people would look at them like they were aliens when they would land. Really cool stories and memorabilia she has.

I can’t put my finger on it or explain it well, but this helicopter is one of the only helicopters that actually looks like a helicopter

Since I was a kid I've always loved the look of the 47...that bubble canopy panoramic view really makes it a pilot's helicopter! And that one looks great with the blue and white paint job!..

I just finished watching one of the smoothest helicopter pilots I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Great flying John.

The most helicoptory helicopter ever helicoptered.

I saw the Bell 47 and had to watch. My step Dad flew these in the 60’s thru 80’s. He was a Warrant Office the the U.S.Army and flew C and C ( Command and Control), missions in Korea in 1952-53 at Camp Page. Ironically i joined the Army as a mechanic on AH-1F Cobras and was stationed at Camp Page during the Seoul Olympics in 1988. My Dad was one of the first to develop aerial application of herbicides in irrigation canals in Citrus Groves in the early 70’s. He used the Bell 47 to do this. In the late 70’s, he converted the power plant to a Allison turbine conversion to carry heavier loads. He used to land and reload on the ground but soon we used a semi tractor trailer to haul 2 or 3 thousand of gallons on chemicals and he landed on a structure built over the cab. The startup brought back so many memories when I would fly with him. I too became a Warrant Officer and soon was flying UH-60 Blackhawks. I flew the last C and C mission In Iraq in 2011. I never realized just how good of a pilot he was until I was flying a way more advanced helicopter. He was one of the best. Your video brought me a lot of memories. Good job.

The first flight of my life was in Bell 47...about 45 years ago...vividly remember the excitement.

Hi Nick. Great 47 video. That Lycoming sound takes me back. Have 1000 hours on the G3B, B1 and J2. Learning on the 47 prepared pilots for all future helicopters because it was honest and taught skills like milking the collective when RPM droops meaning that's all you got. It's got the best view of any aircraft particularly in the mountains where I worked. When passengers clenched coming over a great drop I would just say do what I do - close your eyes (just joking of course). That got their attention. As to the comment about John wearing a helmet and not you my answer was always you're just riding for a short time but I spend thousands of hours next to this engine and a helmet saves your hearing and helps prevent fatigue. Cheers

Beautiful... The Bell 47 has always been my favorite helicopter. There's just something about it... simple and beautiful. I've had one or two flights in one, years ago, and I loved it.

...what a lift up!! In a 1965- mod Bell...!!? Going fm the ground and straight up in 2 seconds!! Amazing flying skills- no doubt he`s been flying Helicopters a few times! Thx so much again!

About a hundred years ago I attended a corrosion control seminar given by a rep from the Redstone Arsenal and he was going over some of the Army's colossal screwups made in the area of corrosion. One was the UH13 helos used for medevac during the Korea conflict. The copters had one prone body carrier mounted on each skid plus an empty passenger seat. Fully loaded with 4 people the copter was right at its load limit. So the Army looked for ways to lighten the machine. One of the modifications was to replace the steel fuel tanks with a lighter magnesium alloy fuel tank. Weight wise it was successful. However over a relatively short period of time the fuel tended to eat a hole in the fuel tank. This became evident when a pilot in flight noticed liquid being spread across the bubble canopy by the rotor downdraft.

I’m glad you didn’t edit out the airplane taking off. Makes it more real. I love doing a preflight and watching the guys take off. Gets me in the mooood.

these videos are popping up in my recommended and I'm not complaining.

More helicopter reviews, this was great.

Thank you Nick. Very enjoyable and informative. Nice to see the Bell 47 still flying !

I don't know how I found you but I've had such an enjoyable day working from home (I'm a freelancer) and watching/listening to you explain things. I'm not a pilot, but this is all very, very interesting and I've subscribed. I'm going to tell my 12 year old son to watch / subscribe to your channel - you're a mix between a teacher and a historian ! Well done, and thanks :)

Yeah, more of these rotary wing vids please Nick! Awesome stuff!!

Thanks Nick. That's a great insight into my favourite helicopter of all time.

Awesome video again Nick! Thanks for sharing this!

Your videos are so interesting to watch !! Solid effort Nick!! thanks man.

Another great heli review, Nick. And so fun to see PYM: I learned to fly there 25 yrs ago.

Thanks Nick, Ive always like the old school 47, i really enjoyed all the tech info .

Love these helicopter reviews! Keep up the good work!

As always a great review. I love helicopter so i also love your series of helicopter reviews! Keep doing that awesome job!

I was a loader driver for Wishhart Helicoptors in in the late 1960's. in New Zealand. The helicopter was a Bell 47G. The pilot was John Hamilton. It was a lovely little aircraft. Thanks from a New Zealander to another New Zealander for the video.

Really nicely presented,I like the down to earth approach with your video's,the vintage Bell 47 still has quite a following and you can see why from this appraisal.

Flew the 47 D&G model, no doors, when I was in my 20's. Loved the Bubble. The kidney shake during long flight can lead to quick exit 😊

Nice one, Nick. I was looking forward to another heli review. The 47 brings back pleasant memories of M.A.S.H.

Hi Nick ! Great video and Great Helicopter I got over 300 hr on Bell 47/G2 and this is the way to be Helicopter Pilot ! Hello from NJ...... Thanks Nick.

Thank you very much for for bringing back great memories in New Zealand.

That was fun! I also learned to fly here in a Schweitzer in 1990...but a 2-33 glider at Plymouth Aviation. I see their old hangar is gone, lots of new big hangers there now. Keep up this great videos!

2 kool dudes on duty with an amazingly fascinating machine :D Thank's for this nice feature!

When I was a kid late 50 ‘s or early 60’s there was a black and white TV called the “Whirlybirds”. I loved that showed featuring this copter. Never missed an episode. I spent hours drawing that copter in school and at home. Chuck and PT, as I recall they were policemen hero’s, saving folks in trouble and catching bad guys. 😀

This was certainly one of the best reviews.

This was my helicopter in flight school in Pensacola, FL. The Navy designation was HTL-13. Learning to hover and move the helicopter was a challenge.

Excellent film footage and sound. The instructional part is a great touch.

Great video and pilot….had my first demo flight in a Bell 47 years ago….brilliant 🚁👍

Great! I really like the Bell 47, especially with pontoons. It is really a nice and great looking helicopter.

Great review nick!

Wow I haven't come across helicopter reviews on RU-vid, very nice!

Nice flying thank you for the video great to see Bell 47 flying hope things are ok have a good day

you explain things so well, thankyou :)

Great Flying, beautiful heli, luv the way it hovers!

There was a Helo service in Norfolk VA that had a few of these used mainly for the TV / radio traffic reports and Police searches throughout the 1970’s. Very distinct sounding. I remember them well!

Boy, does this bring memories? The Bell 47 I learned to you had to use the heel of your right foot to depress the lever to engage the starter motor, much like an old early chevy pickup truck. Where have the years gone? where have the years gone?

i love helicopters...had a few hours in a old 47 and what fun. nothing like it. noise rattle and shake. now i'm into RC helicopters and the nice part is i can walk away every crash. safety first and minimal crashes. nice looking bird THANKS J.

Very nice videos. Still one of the coolest helps, especially the sound.

Stellar job man Super duper way way kool I took my first Whirly Bird ride in a 47

Thank You Nick. The helicopter reviews are the best and most interesting to watch. He did not let you mess up the collective on his collectible aircraft? Please fly the next one! :)

Anybody remember the TV show in the late fifties "Whirlybirds". I had a chance to fly in one of these at LA County Fare when i was about 9 yrs old went with my grandfather....those were the days...This to me is the iconic helicopter.

brilliant footage

The first machine I trained in. The G2 had wooden blades. Then we were given the 206. Once licensed I moved up to the Astar. Lots of room and power but the old 47 was pretty cool. I liked the G4 as it had much more power and metal blades.

Great video. Loved it!

Got a ride in a Bell 47 at a remote First Peoples village in northern Canada back in the early 1960s. Coming up on 60 years ago and I still fondly remember it.

I flew one just like this in 1959 at Ft. Rucker Al. We were wrapping up 3 months of helicopter maintenance school. We were supposed to run one up and check it out to be ready for flight. I ran one up and did a required operation check-out and, for what ever reason, I pulled up on the 'Collective', and because it wasn't tied down I began to lift up. I did a very big OOPS and lifted up to around 35 or feet. I was 17 at the time and there wasn't anything I didn't know so I stopped and just hoovered and took in the sites. I looked down and saw the instructor waving his fist at me so I I waved back and eased down of the 'Collective' and set the ship back down. I caught hell but I didn't really care. The funnest part to all this was they asked if I wanted to sigh on for another 6 years and get Helicopter flight school. My one regret in the ARMY was at that time. I turned down the offer. DAMN!

Keep up the reviews! awesome!

keep em coming nick

Love the video! More please!

Great visibility in the old 47 I remember in the 90s they had one doing joy flights at seaworld car park goldcoast in australia

When I was in Army flight school, we used TH13Ts for instrument training. Had my one and only engine failure while doing and ITO (instrument takeoff) in a 13. IP took over and took it to the ground while I was still under the hood. A bit of an adrenaline rush.

Captain Dick Gilbert used to fly a Bell 47 which to alot of people who live in Louisville, Kentucky and listened to WHAS 84 AM Radio and they were listening to Captain Gilbert would do a traffic report stating where the trouble spots are, the helicopter was known commonly as “Skywatch 84”.

Very smooth. You can tell he has the feel for exactly where that rotor disk is. This comes from not only having many many flight hours in general but also the specific craft itself. Shame the two auto rotations didn’t have the proper accompanying sound, in a Bell 47 you really get the sense of sudden comparative “silence” when you throttle back and down collective and that Lycoming 6 stops howling!

I love the model Bell 47.. Amazing.. 👍👍👍👀

Thank you! I will consider buying this next time!

Awesome! Can’t hear and see with info just any old place. Thanks a bunch! 👍❤️

These types used to land at the army camp we lived on as kids. As a result this is my first and therefore reference idea of what is a helicopter. Used to land on the playing fields & would turn up anytime.

Shot in Plymouth Ma, the best municipal airport in the state. Tom Marr and his staff does a fantastic job keeping it that way. Dont forget to visit Plane Janes for a bite and Alpha one flight school for some fixed wing training.

Great video - reminds me of " Whirlybirds " !!

Great video!!!!

The Bell 47 is one of the significant birds in aviation history both as the civilian model and as the H13.

Good review nick. Reminds me of a giant dragonfly

That pilot was excellent at flying that old bell. I want to learn and when I start taking lessons I hope the pilot is at least half as good.

I grew up in the 70’s, and I remember the sheer number of times I saw one of these in movies and on TV, and not just on MASH. It’s even been a pop icon, with the members of ABBA posing in one for an album cover, on “ARRIVAL”. John’s experience shows in the smoothness of his manoeuvres, and all manual systems to boot. Great video.

One beautiful clasic. Nice work guys. Hope I’ll get on before I die ?? Hmm

I used work for Wishart Helicopters in during the early 1970's doing agriculture work using the Bell 47G. The pilot I flew with w.as John Hamilton. Beautiful little machin e

Excelente video amigo, gracias 🙏👌

Great video! Would love to know what cameras you used....very clear and crisp.

Great review. thanks

Thanks Nick!

Chuck Martin and P T Moore flew one of these in the 1950s in 'Whirlybirds'.

I flew in one at a county fair as a kid in the 70s with an actual MASH pilot (while the show was still on too). The pilot said that he was one of the first 30 US pilots to be trained in helicopters.

Hey Nick Hello! Brother your Jet Ranger 206 and Bell 47 and Robinson R22 was great! Hope to learn and Fly with you someday! Plz do more Helicopter videos!

NICE VIDEO

I love your video it's awesome

Great review Nick!! This is such an interesting helicopter with that bubble enclosure. Which would have me slightly uncomfortable, but makes for a beautiful view. I'm looking forward to more video reviews off the ground!! Question for you Nick, is it standard procedure to always fly with two people in the cockpit for safety reasons or do you do a lot of solo flights?

Nick, when people talk about genius Arthur Young's invention of the iconic BELL 47G, they rarely mention a 1957 TV show that was literally responsible for a whole generation of kids worldwide wanting to become helicopter pilots... It's use in the Korean War was a true lifesaver, but Desilu/CBS really introduced BELL Helicopters to the world through their direct to syndication show WHIRLYBIRDS! Unfortunately, with all that free advertising the Bell corporation somehow wasn't flying too good until another war conveniently came along and got them out of debt with the Bell-UH1 (Huey) and made them very profitable thanks to Vietnam! I worked in HOLLYWOOD on shows like AIRWOLF withace head pilot Davey Jones, and on BLUE THUNDER with the dean of helicopter flying Jim Gavin, the things those guys did and all before CGI spoiled it all. Still the BELL 47G is the very definition of a well designed and proven helicopter that even us mere civilians can own and maintain...

Marvelous Guys amazing from Carlos Portugal

thats a pilot with a lot of stick time ,,,, great video , very well explained

Love this chopper

The centrifugal clutch is only for starting the engine. The lower planetary ring gear has a sprag clutch around its circumference that allows freewheeling during autorotation.

I just finished watching your video. I thought you did a really good job and the video was very informative. However, there is one item i think should be clarified. When the owner, John, was talking about the magnetos, he said "there is one magneto for each side of the engine.", which is incorrect. There are two magnetos, but they are not designed for "each side" of the engine. Reciprocating aircraft engines have two spark plugs for each cylinder, one spark plug on the top of the cylinder and the other spark plug on the bottom of the cylinder, as viewed when the engine is mounted horizontally. (Since this engine is mounted vertically the engine would have one set of spark plugs closer to the front of the helicopter, and the other set would be closer to the tail rotor.) One of the two magnetos provides the electrical current to the "top" row of plugs and the other magneto provides the electrical current to the "bottom" row of plugs. This provides a redundant system so if one magneto fails, the other magneto will ensure that ALL cylinders continue to function. The explanation John mentioned would only provide electrical current to the plugs on ONE side of the engine, causing the other bank of cylinders to be inoperative due to lake of spark from the plugs. Although i think the engine would continue to run with only one side firing, i don't think it would create enough power to keep the aircraft airborne for very long. Worst case scenario of this configuration would be the engine coming apart in flight! The "top" OR "bottom" row of plugs will produce enough power to maintain operation. Albeit, the power will be reduced slightly as it is when a "Mag Check" test is performed. Sorry about this being so long, but i couldn't think of a shorter way to explain the redundancy of the magnetos.

Love that bell

I had a Kawasaki KH4 which is basically the same as the J model. Great machine but the slow speed and noise means it’s hard to compete with the likes of Robinson’s and they are more expensive to maintain.

Track suit guy is my favorite. That look on his face lol

Loved that helicopter. Could do almost anything.

A commercial Helicopter ... Pro... Very good fight. Demonstration That shows all the importance to take off with your wings or a blades. Very nice.

Best looking helo in my opinion 😊

Very smooth engine start ..

Great visibility.

KPYM. one of my favorite airports.