Sioux HTL H-13 (Total: 95, Canadian: 12, Group 0)

Bell Sioux HTL H-13

Bell HTL-6 Helicopter, RCN (Serial No. 1387), (142386). Canada Air and Space Museum, Ottawa, Ontario.

The Sioux is a three-seat observation and basic training helicopter. In 1953 the Bell 47G design was introduced. It can be recognized by the full "soap bubble" canopy (as its designer Arthur M. Young termed it), exposed welded-tube tail boom, saddle fuel tanks and skid landing gear. In its UH-13J version, based on the Bell 47J, it had a metal-clad tail boom and fuselage and an enclosed cockpit and cabin.

The H-13 and its military variants were often equipped with medical evacuation panniers, one to each skid, with an acrylic glass shield to protect the patient from wind.

A single 260 hp Lycoming VO-435 piston engine was fitted to the 47G variant. Fuel was fed from two high-mounted external tanks. A single two-bladed rotor with short inertial stabilising minor blades was used on the Sioux.

An American single-rotor utility and training helicopter designed and built by Bell Aircraft Corporation/Bell Helicopter Company from 1945 to 1973

First helicopter certified for civil use and first commercial helicopter to go into service

More than 6,400 were produced by Bell and its licensees around the world

Employed in Canada as early as 1947 by Canada's Photographic Survey Corporation and Carl Agar's Okanagan Air Service

Became the first helicopter operated by the Royal Canadian Navy, in August 1951

This aircraft is called Sioux by RCAF; RCN referred to it as HTL

Canadian Aviation and Space Museum

YouTube Bell HTL

Wikipedia Wikipedia Bell HTL

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Sioux HTL H-13 50, H-13B

s/n 50

as/n NC196B

m/d 47D

c/n 50

50

Known Units:

Ex RCAF 9609 .
Manufactured in Buffalo, New York in June 1948. US civil registered as NC196B, probably for manufacturer's tests. Civil registration CF-DJR issued to de Havilland Canada on 25 June 1948, used for ferry flight to Canada. Built as a model 47D, later converted to Model 47G. With Helicopter Conversion Flight of the Light Aircraft School at CJATC, Rivers, Manitoba in summer and fall of 1954, marked "OU*609". Transported by C-119 serial 22114 to La Pas, Manitoba on 13 February 1955, to take part in search for missing USAF B-47. Still with Light Aircraft School in May and October 1955, and November 1956. Loaned to RCN by 1961, their serial number 50.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1948-December-04 Taken on Strength 2020-08-12
   1951-June-30 Ownership Transferred transferred from RCAF. 2019-08-20
   1962-February-22 Struck off Strength 2020-08-12
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 360

Sioux HTL H-13 300, HTL-6

s/n 300

m/d 47D-1

c/n 300

300

Known Units:

Crashed on 14 March 1951, repaired. With HU-21 Detachment (Det) 2 onboard HMCS Labrador for Arctic cruise, 28 May to 21 November 1955. Received pennant number "200" in June 1955, serial unchanged. Onboard HMCS Labrador with Detachment 2 of HU 21 for European cruise of 1957.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1951-August-13 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1965-October-27 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 495

Sioux HTL H-13 301, HTL-4

s/n 301

m/d 47D-1

c/n 301

301

Known Units:

Bell HTL-4>HTL-6>47G-2>47D
last update: 2024-December-25
   1951-August-13 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1967-April-22 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 495 | 1968 636

Sioux HTL H-13 302, HTL-4

s/n 302

m/d 47D-1

302

Known Units:

With HU-21 Detachment (Det) 2 onboard HMCS Labrador for Arctic cruise, 28 May to 21 November 1955. Received pennant number "202" in June 1955, serial unchanged. Onboard HMCS Labrador by 21 June 157 for next Arctic cruise.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1951-August-13 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1957-July-23 Accident Crash Crashed on Peter Point, near Frobisher Bay, while landing surveyors. 2019-08-20
   1958-November-03 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 495

Sioux HTL H-13 1329, H-13B

s/n 1329

as/n 9616

m/d 47D

c/n 1329

1329

Known Units:

Ex RCAF 9616 . Had been converted to 47G prior to transfer to RCN. To civil register as CF-VTR in 1967, registered to Midwest Aviation Ltd., Winnipeg. Sold to Dr. W.T. Boyd of Timmins, Ontario by April 1968. To Shaw Air of Saskatoon by April 1976. Sold, exported to USA by 23 September 1977. Later registered as N22226, F-GHBZ, 5R-M?.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1951-June-30 Ownership Transferred transferred from RCAF. 2019-08-20
   1955-February-25 Taken on Strength 2020-08-12
   1962-April-30 Struck off Strength 2020-08-12
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 636

Sioux HTL H-13 1387, HTL-6

s/n 1387

as/n 142386

m/d HTL 6

c/n 1387;387

1387

Known Units:

ex USN 142386
last update: 2024-December-25
   1955-June-28 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 495

Sioux HTL H-13 1388, HTL-6

s/n 1388

as/n 142387

m/d 47G2

c/n 1388;388

1388

Known Units:

ex USN 142387
last update: 2024-December-25
   1955-June-28 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1967-April-22 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 495 | 1968 637

Sioux HTL H-13 1452, HTL-6

s/n 1452

m/d HTL-6

c/n 1452

1452

Known Units:


last update: 2025-May-21
   1955-November-18 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1958-November-03 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 495

Sioux HTL H-13 9608, H-13B

s/n 9608

m/d 47D

c/n 22

9608

Known Units:

Manufactured in Buffalo, New York in January 1948. US civil registered as NC196B, probably for manufacturer's tests. Civil registration CF-DJQ issued to de Havilland Canada on 2 April 1948, for ferry flight to Canada. Recorded sale price to DHC was $21,264.50. Demonstrated at Ottawa by DHC pilot in May 1948. With the Helicopter Conversion Flight, Light Aircraft School, at CJATC, Rivers, Manitoba in 1950, registration marked on tail boom as "VC*BVV". Took part in demonstration air assault at Camp Shilo in October 1950, in support of officer training course underway there. Airlifted from Rivers to Norman Wells, NWT in a C-119 in June 1952, to aid in recovery of 9605 . Ferried back to Rivers via Edmonton and Saskatoon. Back on survey support work when it crashed 24 miles north of Nahanni, NWT on 21 July 1953. Change in wind on lift off caused aircraft to drift sideways, snagged a skid on uneven terrain and tipped over. No injuries.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1948-December-04 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1954-March-22 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 360 | 1968 623

Sioux HTL H-13 9609, H-13B

s/n 9609

m/d 47D

c/n 50

9609

Known Units:

Civil registration CF-DJR issued to de Havilland Canada on 25 June 1948, used for ferry flight to Canada. Built as a model 47D, later converted to Model 47G. With Helicopter Conversion Flight of the Light Aircraft School at CJATC, Rivers, Manitoba in summer and fall of 1954, marked "OU*609". Transported by C-119 serial 22114 to La Pas, Manitoba on 13 February 1955, to take part in search for missing USAF B-47. Still with Light Aircraft School in May and October 1955, and November 1956. Loaned to RCN by 1961, their serial number 50. Reported by some sources as going to civil register as CF-VTP, but this was actually ex RCN 1329, ex RCAF 9616 .
last update: 2024-December-25
   1948-December-04 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1962-February-22 Struck off Strength Struck off, transferred to RCN 2019-08-20

Sioux HTL H-13 9616, H-13B

s/n 9616

m/d 47D

c/n 1329

9616

Known Units:

Served at CJATC, Rivers, Manitoba, coded "OU*616". With Helicopter Flight of Light Aircraft School at Rivers in October 1955, still there in November 1956. To RCN in 1962, their serial 1329. To civil register as CF-VTR in 1967, registered to Midwest Aviation Ltd. Of Winnipeg. Sold to Dr. W.T. Boyd of Timmins, Ontario by April 1968. To Shaw air of Saskatoon by April 1976. Sold, exported to USA by 23 September 1977. Later registered as N22226, F-GHBZ, 5R-M?.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1955-February-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1962-April-30 Struck off Strength Struck off, transferred to RCN 2019-08-20

Sioux HTL H-13 129966, HTL-5

s/n 129966

129966

Known Units:

Loaned by USN to RCN summer of 1957, following crash of both HTL-4s onboard HMCS Labrador in the high Arctic. Received from USS Eastwind on 5 August 1957. Flew very few hours, because of engine problems. Returned to USS Edisto at Cape Hooper on 30 September 1957.
last update: 2024-December-25