M*A*S*H helicopters

There are not many who hear the whoop-whoop of the Bell H–13 Sioux (Bell Model 47) and don’t think of the show. Especially for a generation, this program captured the hearts and minds of so many whose fathers and brothers fought in the Korean War, and the men and women who provided medical care. Were the helicopters accurate? Yes. The single-engine, single-rotor transport carried the pilot, one passenger, and two stretchers. Called the “Angel of Mercy” the Bell H–13 had a range of 200 miles at 70 mph. It was also nicknamed the “Flying Fishbowl” and was flown in the opening scene by Capt. E. Ray Poss Jr. Other helicopters flown during the period and in the show included the Sikorsky H–5 Dragonfly and the Hiller H–23 Raven. Most of the show was accurate to the time period except the model helicopter shown above Col. Henry Blake’s desk; it was a model by the screenwriter’s son and eventually taken down as the UH–1 Iroquois, or “Huey,” was not flown until 1956. There are not many who hear the whoop-whoop of the Bell–13 Sioux and don’t think of the show.

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