Bell HSL
Bell Aircraft Corporation · United States · first flew 1953 · helicopter
The Bell HSL was a large tandem-rotor anti-submarine warfare helicopter developed for the US Navy in the early 1950s. It represented an unusual departure from Bell's typical single-rotor designs.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Bulky boxy fuselage designed for sonobuoy and torpedo carriage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large tandem-rotor anti-submarine helicopter with twin contra-rotating rotors
- Bulky boxy fuselage designed for sonobuoy and torpedo carriage
- Only tandem-rotor design built by Bell — an unusual configuration for the company
Distinguished by its large tandem twin-rotor arrangement, boxy fuselage with extensive glazing, and twin tail fins — a configuration rare among Bell products.
Specifications
- The Bell HSL has a length of 19.4 m (64 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.2 m (53 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 169 km/h (105 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Bell won a 1950 Navy contract to develop a dedicated ASW helicopter capable of carrying sonobuoys, dunking sonar, and homing torpedoes. The HSL first flew in 1953 but suffered development problems and never entered full service, being declared operationally unsuitable. Only 50 production examples were built before the programme was cancelled in 1958.
Variants
Only the HSL-1 production variant was built; proposed upgraded versions did not progress beyond planning.
Where you'll see it
The HSL saw very limited US Navy service and was quickly phased out; it was never exported or used operationally in the anti-submarine role it was designed for.
Related aircraft
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