Whirlybirds is the show that made the Bell 47
helicopter into a television star and a national
icon of vertical flight. It was conceived and
produced by Desilu Studios, which was the home
studio of the TV sitcom I Love Lucy. Whirlybirds
introduced the Bell 47 helicopter to the public
mainstream arena during the mid-1950s, to the joy
of kids and adults alike. Whirlybirds was
televised from 1957 to 1959. A total of 111
half-hour episodes were produced but only 106
eventually aired. CBS re-syndicated 39 episodes
and televised them with the name Copter Patrol.
For post WWII and baby boomers, the Bell 47 is
still THE helicopter.The Whirlybirds was one of the top
rated shows of the 1950's. The star of the show,
the Bell 47 N975B, was "piloted" by
Chuck Martin, played by Kenneth Tobey, and P.T.
Moore, played by Craig Hill. Later on in the
series, a new "star" was added to the
lineup, the Bell 47 J Ranger, N2838B. Thus
"75Bravo" and "38Bravo", as
they were referred to when communicating by
radio, flew to adventures and rescues each week,
piloted by Chuck and P.T. Based at the imaginary
Longwood Field in southern California, Chuck and
P.T. would charter their services to all who
needed them as well as help out a friend in need
when the situation called for it, or assist
authorities in apprehending bad guys. The real
pilots of N975B and N2838B were Bob Gilbreath,
Harry Hauss and Ed Fuderich of National
Helicopter Inc, who also supplied the helicopters
for the series. The abilities of the Bell 47
helicopter were expertly demonstrated each week
by these great pilots, thrilling audiences both
young and old. Indeed, the Bell 47 helicopter has
established a permanent place in aviation,
television, and human history.
This section is
dedicated to the memory of Kenneth Tobey,
1917-2002, and of the Whirlybirds and the people
who were and are involved with the Bell 47
helicopter and the show that made it famous.
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