Bell 47-D  NC147B                                              (c/n  5)

                               

                                     The lawn in front of Bell's old Buffalo offices was always immaculate.  Here's a very early 47-D
                                     posed on it in 1947.  Being c/n 5 it was either one of the prototypes or one of the first production
                                     machines, and very unusual in that it had the rear fuselage covered.     Larry Bell did not like open
                                     tail booms (and neither do I), or bubble canopies for that matter.    He always felt that a helicopter
                                     should resemble a saloon automobile.     Anyway, the 47-D was the forerunner of the Army H-13,
                                     of M*A*S*H fame.