Aviation History - July 2018

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o Baby Boomers, the ubiquitous Bell 47 helicopter was

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later, this iconic open-frame, bubble-cockpit rotorcraft

was the signature feature in the opening sequence of the

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Bell 47s have been an ever-present umbrella over Wittman

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Bell machine.

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Sioux With

a Sting

AFTER ITS RETURN TO FLIGHT

IN LOUISIANA, A RARE GUNSHIP

VERSION OF THE BUBBLE-COCKPIT

H-13 HELICOPTER HAS GARNERED

AIRSHOW ACCOLADES

BY FREDERICK A. JOHNSEN

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“airworthy, but well-worn.”

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for about three years as-is,

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hour overhaul. Time for a

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“my work helicopter”), he

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keeping with a line of mili-

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RESTORED

16 AH JULY 2018

BELL RINGER Reid Hays

stands with his H-13E (top)

and sits in the cockpit at Air-

Venture in 2017 (above).