Bell HH-13
The Bell H-13, known in US Army service as the OH-13 and in rescue form as the HH-13, became an icon of the Korean War. Its exposed tubular tail boom and bubble canopy were instantly recognisable on the television series M*A*S*H, even though the show was made decades later. The simple two-blade rotor and piston engine made it a valuable early evacuation and observation helicopter. Few remain in active flying condition, so its familiar silhouette is now mostly seen in museums and films.
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Did you know?
The Korean War-era Bell H-13, with its exposed tubular tail boom and bubble canopy, later made famous by M*A*S*H.
Specifications
| Length | 9.6 m (32 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 2.8 m (9 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 10.7 m (35 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 2 |
| Persons on board | 4 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 1.2 t |
| Range | 220 NM (407 km) |
| Maximum speed | 90 kt (167 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 11,000 ft (3,353 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 18,000 ft (5,486 m) |
| Rate of climb | 800 ft/min (4.1 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 180 l |
| Engines | 1x Lycoming VO-435 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Bell HH-13 starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Bell, the HH-13 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
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