Microsoft Flight Simulator celebrates a historic period of rotary wing aviation with this Native Legend launch!
BIRTH OF A LEGEND
The one-engine, four-seat Bell 47J Ranger is likely one of the most necessary and profitable helicopters developed within the early period of rotary wing aviation. Famend for its versatility, ruggedness, and reliability, the Ranger traces its growth to the Golden Age of Flight, the interval from the top of World Battle I to the start of World Battle II aeronautical expertise loved exceptional strides. Within the late Twenties, American Arthur Younger, impressed by flight improvements of the time, started independently experimenting with primary helicopter design. In 1941, after greater than a decade of labor on his personal, Younger joined the Bell Plane Firm to develop a full-size, totally functioning helicopter.
His work yielded the Bell 30, an indication helicopter that took its maiden flight on June 26, 1943. The profitable Bell 30 design supplied the premise for Bell’s first business helicopter, the Bell 47. The Bell 47 is a “tail rotor helicopter” that makes use of a 2-blade essential rotor and a 2-blade anti-torque tail rotor. The prototype took its maiden flight on December 8, 1945, and Bell launched the primary manufacturing variant, the 2-seat 47A, in 1946. The 47A was the primary helicopter to be licensed for civilian use in the USA and shortly turned broadly adopted for a wide range of functions. Many iterations adopted, together with the H-13 Sioux, utilized by the U.S. and British navy.
YEARS OF SUCCESS AND REFINEMENT
The Bell 47 household of rotorcraft turned probably the most profitable plane lineages, of any sort, in historical past. Bell and different corporations underneath its license manufactured greater than 5,000 47s. Many stay airworthy many years after the prototype first flew. Within the Fall of 1954, Bell launched the Bell 47G, a strong 4-seat normal utility model of the 47. The Bell47H, primarily based on the 47G, shortly adopted. The 47H was the primary helicopter supposed for government use, and Bell bought solely 33 fashions of it. Though the 47H proved a business disappointment, Bell remained steadfast in its resolve to introduce a helicopter for the enterprise and government transport market.
THE BELL 47J RANGER TAKES FLIGHT
In 1956, Bell launched the 47J Ranger, a 4-seat model of the 47H. Bigger than its predecessor, and fitted with a extra highly effective engine, it proved an amazing success. The Ranger was the primary helicopter to move a sitting American president and was featured in various well-liked films, together with the James Bond movie “Thunderball.”
The Bell 47J contains a single-pilot console that’s centered on the ahead portion of the cabin. The helicopter’s bubble cover gives most visible situational consciousness for the pilot, with a 180-degree unobstructed discipline of view. The cabin is roomy and has seating for as much as three passengers behind the pilot. The helicopter makes use of commonplace skids for its touchdown gear and will be fitted with floats for marine operations.
The 47J Ranger proved to be probably the most profitable members of the Bell 47 household. The corporate manufactured 361 Rangers, with a mixture of civil and navy subvariants. The helicopter was used worldwide for each business functions and in transport for the governments of a dozen nations. Along with government transport, the Ranger was used to maneuver folks and cargo, air ambulance, commuter flights, aerial surveying, and a wide range of navy functions, together with liaison and reconnaissance.
The U.S. Air Power bought two 47Js, designated UH-13J Sioux, in March of 1957 to be used as the primary presidential transport helicopters in American historical past. On July 12, 1957, American President Dwight D. Eisenhower turned the primary U.S. president to be transported by helicopter when an Air Power Sioux lifted off from the White Home garden. The Bell 47J measures 32 ft, 5 inches in size, stands 9 ft, 3 inches tall, and has a
2-blade essential rotor system with a diameter of 37 ft, 2 inches. It’s powered by a 6-cylinder Lycoming VO-540-B1B piston engine that delivers as much as 260 horsepower to the rotor techniques. It has a spread of 260 miles, climbs at 870 ft per minute, and has a service ceiling of 11,000 ft above sea stage. It cruises at 91 miles per hour and has a prime pace of 105 mph.
THE MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR BELL 47J RANGER EXPERIENCE
The Microsoft Flight Simulator Bell 47J Ranger is the 14th plane within the franchise’s Native Legend collection, and the primary time a rotary-wing craft has been featured. Recreated in beautiful element, Microsoft Flight Simulator pilots will savor their time within the 47J Ranger’s cockpit, flying certainly one of rotary wing aviation’s nice icons all through the world.
With two touchdown gear varieties—typical skids and floats—pilots will be capable of discover your complete globe by way of limitless flying alternatives. Every variant is on the market with seven liveries: White; White and Blue; Pink, White, and Black; Yellow; Pink, White, and Blue; Xbox Aviators Membership; and Aviators Membership. Purchase it right this moment for $14.99. The sky is looking!
Microsoft Flight Simulator is on the market for Xbox Collection X|S and PC with Xbox Sport Move, PC Sport Move, Home windows, and Steam, and on Xbox One and supported cellular telephones, tablets, and lower-spec PCs by way of Xbox Cloud Gaming. For the most recent data on Microsoft Flight Simulator, keep tuned to @MSFSOfficial on Twitter.