Bell's successful Model 206 was born from the company's failed YOH-4 bid used in the 1960 U.S. Army Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) initiative. The service sought a four-seat, light-class platform to which Bell developed the D-250. After review, the Bell and a competing Hiller designs were selected for development and a revision of the D-250 produced the evolved "Model 206" for the company. This continued in Army testing as the YOH-4A come 1962 and five prototype forms followed. A head-to-head fly-off with competing designs from Hiller (Fairchild-Hiller) and Hughes followed to which the Hughes YOH-6 entry was chosen as the eventual winner - entering U.S. Army service as the OH-6 "Cayuse" in 1966.
All was not lost for Bell continued work on their YOH-4 as a five-seat passenger helicopter for the civilian market. In this guise, the aircraft completed its first flight on January 10th, 1966 and, following successful testing, began serial production and deliveries before the end of the year as the Model 206 "JetRanger".
In 1967, the U.S. Army returned with its LOH requirement still unfulfilled due to delays and costs related to the OH-6 commitment. This resulted in the Model 206A being ordered and adopted into Army service as the OH-58A "Kiowa" military platform and the two helicopters served side-by-side for decades. Deliveries began in May of 1968 and some 2,000+ units were delivered in their Kiowa form. Canada ordered the militarized type as the COH-58 (this later becoming the CH-139) through 72 examples.
The classic Model 206 form incorporated a two-seat, side-by-side cockpit overlooking a short nose assembly through bulbous front windscreens. Each crewman was given hinged automobile-style doors along the fuselage sides and these sat ahead of sliding side doors giving access to the passenger cabin. The cabin sat under the turboshaft installation which drove a two-bladed main rotor overhead and a two-bladed tail rotor at rear. The tail rotor was seated facing portside with a vertical dorsal and ventral fin being featured. Horizontal planes were affixed along the midway point of the tail stem. The undercarriage consisted of a simple skid arrangement, the twin skids connected by two parallel beams under the mass of the fuselage.
In time, U.S. Army models were upgraded to the more potent OH-58C standard featuring a more powerful engine fit. Australia took up local assembly of Model 206B-1 helicopters. The base Model 206 helicopter begat the stretched, seven-seat Model 206L "LongRanger" and Agusta-Bell of Italy took on licensed production of the Model 206 for Europe as the "AB 206" (AB 206A, AB 206A-1, AB 206B, AB 206L-1, AB 206L-3). The "SeaRanger" ended as a U.S. Navy / Marine / Coast Guard helicopter trainer for its time in the air and the "TexasRanger" was nothing more than abandoned export model of 1981. The PANHA Shabaviz 2061 became an unlicensed local Iranian version of the Model 206 JetRanger for the light utility role and these entered service in 1998 as part of the Iranian Air Force inventory.
In all, some 7,300 Bell Model 206 helicopters were produced with manufacture of the product - in one form or another - still ongoing today (2016). Variants for the line have proved plenty and include the "LongRanger II" with uprated Allison 250-C28 turboshaft engine and the "LongRanger III" with Allision 250-C30P turboshaft engine. Military models continue in service today with a myriad of operators the world over - from Albania and Argentina to Venezuela and Yemen. Beyond U.S. Army and Navy units using the Model 206, the Los Angeles police department operates the type.
Former military operators include Australia, Canada, Chile, Jamaica, Malta and Sweden.
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January 2019 - The United States Navy has issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) under the TH-XX helicopter trainer initiative to find a successor for its aging fleet of TH-57B/C Advanced Helicopter Trainers.
Specifications
Bell Helicopter Textron - USA Manufacturer(s)
Albania; Argentina; Australia; Austria; Brazil; Bangladesh; Brunei; Bulgaria; Canada; Chile; Columbia; Croatia; Cyprus; Ecuador; Finland; Guatemala; Guyana; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Latvia; Lesotho; Macedonia; Malta; Mexico; Morocco; Myanmar; Pakistan; Peru; Serbia; Slovenia; South Korea; Sri Lanka; Sweden; Thailand; Taiwan; Turkey; Uganda; United Arab Emirates; United States; Venezuela Operators
CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
COMMERCIAL AVIATION
Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, ferrying both passengers and goods over range.
VIP SERVICE
Used in the Very-Important-Person (VIP) passenger transport role, typically with above-average amenities and luxuries as standard.
INTELLIGENCE-SURVEILLANCE-RECONNAISSANCE
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
TRAINING
Developed ability to be used as a dedicated trainer for student pilots (typically under the supervision of an instructor).
32.3 ft (9.84 meters) Length
35.3 ft (10.77 meters) Width/Span
9.5 ft (2.91 meters) Height
1,583 lb (718 kilograms) Empty Weight
2,998 lb (1,360 kilograms) Maximum Take-Off Weight
+1,415 lb (+642 kg) Weight Difference
1 x Allison T63-A-700 (Allison 250) turboshaft developing 317 horsepower while driving two-bladed main rotor and two-bladed tail rotor. Propulsion
Civilian models unarmed. Military / police mission-specific armament is minimal:
2 x 7.62mm machine guns (pintle-mounted at side doors).
0 Hardpoints
Model 206 - Base Series Designation
YOH-4 - Original Bell bid for four-seat U.S. Army LOH competition
Model D-250 - Bell revision of YOH-4 to become YOH-4A
YOH-4A - Revised YOH-4 platform
Model 206A "JeRanger" - Original five-seat civilian model; Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine.
Model 206B - Allison 250-C20 engine
Model 206L "LongRanger" - Stretched fuselage variant with seating for seven.
Model 206L-1 "LongRanger II" - Uprated Allison 250-C28 engine
Model 206L-3 "LongRanger III" - Fitted with Allison 250-C30P engine
Model 206L-4 "LongRanger IV" - Fitted with Allison 250-C30P engine and new transmission system.
Model 206AS - Chilean Navy export model
Model 206L "TexasRanger" - Proposed military export model; single prototype of 1981.
Model 206LT "TwinRanger" - Twin-engine conversion model of Model 206L
CH-139 "Jetranger" - Canadian military model
TH-57A "Sea Ranger" - U.S. Navy helicopter trainer
TH-57B - U.S. Navy trainer
TH-57C - U.S. Navy trainer
TH-57D - U.S. Navy trainer
TH-67 "Creek" - U.S. Army trainer
Model 407 - Evolved Model 206L with four-bladed main rotor
Model 417 - Proposed Model 407 with larger engine; cancelled
OH-58A - U.S. Army LOH based on Model 206A; entry in 1968
AB 206A - Italian license production by Agusta-Bell
AB 206B - Italian production with uprated Allison 250-C20 engine
AB 206L - Italian production of LongRanger; Allison 250-C20B engine
AB 206L-1 "LongRanger II"
HESA Shahed 278 - Local Iranian model based on Model 206
Zafar 300 - Local iranian development of Model 206 as tandem-seat attack platform.
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