Operational History
The Bell 47 helicopter entered U.S. military service in late 1946, in a variety of versions and designations for three decades. In the Korean War, it was designated the H-13 Sioux by the U.S. Army. It has also served as the helicopter of choice for basic helicopter flight instruction in many countries.
NASA had a number of Bell 47s during the Apollo program, used by astronauts as trainers for the lunar lander. Apollo 17 commander Eugene Cernan had a near-disastrous crash into the Indian River in Florida in 1972, shortly before his flight to the moon.
Two helicopter types, the 47G and the 47J Ranger, were used in the popular television series Whirlybirds from 1957 to 1960.
Batman used a Bell 47 as the "Batcopter" in Batman: The Movie in 1966.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department used the Bell 47 when it started its law enforcement helicopter division in 1971.
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