Bell 207 Sioux Scout
The Bell 207 Sioux Scout is a modified Bell 47 helicopter, developed by Bell Helicopter under contract from the United States Army, as a proof-of-concept demonstrator for the Bell D-255 helicopter gunship design, featuring a tandem cockpit, stub wings, and a chin-mounted gun turret. The Bell 207 Sioux Scout is named after the Native American Sioux ethnic group.
Also recorded as Bell Sioux Scout · Bell Model 207 · Model 207 · Sioux Scout
Bell 207 Sioux Scout

US Army [1] · [2] · Public domain
- Name
- Bell 207 Sioux Scout
- Field
- armed helicopter.
- Region
- United States.
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Documentary summary
The Bell 207 Sioux Scout is a modified Bell 47 helicopter, developed by Bell Helicopter under contract from the United States Army, as a proof-of-concept demonstrator for the Bell D-255 helicopter gunship design, featuring a tandem cockpit, stub wings, and a chin-mounted gun turret. The Bell 207 Sioux Scout is named after the Native American Sioux ethnic group.
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wikidata · Q3637652 · wikipedia · Bell 207 Sioux Scout
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Bell 207 Sioux Scout • Type — Experimental attack helicopter • National Origin — United States • Manufacturer — Bell Helicopter • First Flight — 27 June 1963 • Number Built — 1 • Developed From — Bell 47
Design and development
Design and development
• Illustration — The 207 prototype (N73927) in flight After several years of development, Bell displayed the mockup of its D-255 "Iroquois Warrior" to Army officials in June 1962, hoping to solicit funding for further development. The D-255 was planned to be a purpose-built attack helicopter based on the UH-1B airframe and dynamic components with a new, slender airframe and a two-seat, tandem cockpit, featuring a grenade launcher in a ball turret on the nose, a 20 mm belly-mounted gun pod, and stub wings for mounting rockets or SS.10 anti-tank missiles. A proof-of-concept contract was awarded to Bell in December 1962 for the Model 207 Sioux Scout, which was, in essence, a new forward fuselage and Bell 47G-3 dynamic parts fitted to a Bell 47J center and rear fuselage. The Sioux Scout included all the key features of a modern helicopter gunship – a tandem cockpit, stub wings for weapons, and a chin-mounted gun turret. The tandem cockpit placed the gunner in the lower front seat with the pilot in the rear, with both crew positions featuring flight controls. The gunner's position featured a gunsight and turret controls located in the center, so the flying controls were moved to the side of the front cockpit. The gunner controlled a chin-mounted gun turret with twin 7.62 mm (.308 in) M60 machine guns. The stub wings held external fuel tanks. First flown on 27 June 1963, the Bell 207 demonstrated improved manoeuvrability over the Bell 47/OH-13, derived from the stub wings. A variety of different wings, cowlings and tail surfaces were tested on the 207 before it was turned over to the Army pilots at Fort Benning, Georgia, for further testing at the end of 1963. After evaluating the Sioux Scout in early 1964, the Army was impressed, but also felt the Sioux Scout was undersized, underpowered, and generally not suited for practical use. Later in 1964, the Army requested proposals for its Advanced Aerial Fire Support System (AAFSS). Bell proposed the D-262, a smaller version of the D-255, making better use of the T53 engine from the UH-1. However, the Bell D-262 was not selected as a finalist in the competition, which was won by the abortive Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne.
Specifications
Specifications
• Illustration — Bell 207 Sioux Scout in the United States Army Aviation Museum prime units?=kts
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Bell 207 Sioux Scout”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3637652: Bell 207 Sioux Scout
Unverified · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Bell 207 Sioux Scout helicopter – development history, photos, technical data. All the World's Rotorcraft. aviastar.org.
- 2.Greg Goebel. Cobra Origins. vectorsite.net. 1º dicembre 2008.
- 3.Mike. Bell AH-1 Cobra. Osprey Publishing. 1990. 0-85045-934-6.
- 4.David Donald; Daniel March. "AH-1 Cobra", Modern Battlefield Warplanes. AIRtime Publishing Inc. 2004. 1-880588-76-5.
- 5.Jay P. Spenser. "Bell Helicopter", Whirlybirds – A History of the U.S. Helicopter Pioneers. University of Washington Press. 1998. 0-295-97699-3.
- 6.G. Apostolo. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters. Bonanza Books. 1984. 0-517-43935-2.
- 7.No. 8122. Bell 207 Sioux Scout (N73927). 1000aircraftphotos.com.
- 8.A.J. Pelletier. Bell Aircraft since 1935. Naval Institute Press. 1992. no.
- 9.Aircraft: Bell 207. Aviation Enthusiast Corner.
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1- armed helicopterTerminology
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