Agusta-Bell AB412 Grifone
Agusta (Bell licence) · Italy · first flew 1979 · helicopter
The AB412 Grifone is an Italian licence-built version of the Bell 412, a twin-engine medium utility and transport helicopter with a four-blade main rotor.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Four-blade main rotor on a Huey-family fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four-blade main rotor on a Huey-family fuselage
- Twin turboshaft Twin-Pac powerplant
- Boxy cabin with sliding side doors on skids
Look for a classic Huey-family fuselage but with a four-blade main rotor rather than the two blades of the 212. Twin engine exhausts sit atop the cabin, which has large sliding side doors. Skid landing gear supports the airframe.
Specifications
- The Agusta-Bell AB412 Grifone has a length of 12.7 m (42 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.02 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 259 km/h (161 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2 (plus mission crew).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Agusta produced the Bell 212 and 412 under licence, developing the militarised Grifone for Italian service in the early 1980s. The underlying Bell 412 introduced a four-blade rotor to the long Huey lineage. Italian assembly tailored the type to local requirements.
Variants
The line includes the baseline AB412, the enhanced-performance AB412EP, the military Grifone transport and the radar-equipped CRESO surveillance version. Configurations span troop lift, casualty evacuation and battlefield support. Equipment fits vary with the customer.
Where you'll see it
The type had no RAF or UK operator, the closest relative in British eyes being the Canadian CH-146 Griffon. In Italy it serves army aviation for utility and transport tasks. Export and paramilitary users fly it in similar roles.
Related aircraft
- Aérospatiale AS355 Écureuil 2
- Bell 412
- Eurocopter AS 355 Ecureuil 2 / AS 555 Fennec
- Eurocopter/Kawasaki BK 117
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