Photograph:
Continental Copters El Tomcat Mk 6C N161SH at Stanley, TAS in 2004 (F Schaefer)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat agricultural helicopter
Power Plant:
[Tomcat V-A]
One 194 kw (260 hp) Lycoming TVO-435 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Main rotor diameter: 11.32 m (37 ft 1½ in)
- Length: 9.63 m (31 ft 7 in)
- Height: 2.87 m (9 ft 5 in)
- Cruising speed: 104 km/h (65 mph)
- Empty weight: 623 kg (1,375 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,111 kg (2,450 lb)
History:
In 1959 Continental Copters Inc of Fort Worth, Texas obtained a number of Bell 47G-2 helicopters and proceeded to convert them to operate as single-seat agricultural aircraft. The conversion became known as the El Tomcat, produced over a number of years in some numbers for agricultural work. An FAA supplementary Type Certificate was issued for the series and they were fitted with a number of engines from Lycoming and Franklin to meet the requirements of operators.
The prototype, a conversion of a Bell 47G-2, was first flown in April 1959 and was known as the El Tomcat Mk II. It was followed by the Mk III following some improvements in April 1965. The Mk IIIA had an engine change to the Franklin series, units installed being the 6V4-200, 6V-335 and the 6V-350, flying for the first time in January 1966. This was followed by the Mk IIIB which had a fibreglass cowling around the nose, a repositioned windscreen and a lower cabin roof, being fitted with the 175 kw (235 hp) Franklin 6V-350-A engine.Production commenced in 1967.
The Mk IIIC had the 149 kw (200 hp) Franklin 6V4-200-C32, 157 kw (210 hp) 6V-335-A or 175 kw (235 hp) 6V-350-A engine and was first flown in May 1968. Further models followed including the El Tomcat Mk V first flown in June 1968 with a 164 kw (220 hp) Lycoming VO-435-A1A, the Mk V-A with a 194 kw (260 hp) Lycoming VO-435-A1F with a second seat for carrying a crew member to agricultural site, and the Mk V-B with a 198 kw (265 hp) Lycoming VO-435-B1A. Further conversions were developed including the Mk 6 series.
Each machine was basically an extensive conversion of the Bell 47G-2 helicopter, the conversion giving the machine an increase in payload by the removal of unnecessary structure and equipment. A few examples are known to have been operated in Australia, two from Calvan Grove near Adelaide, SA. VH-NZS² (c/n 2280 ex N67083, 58-1516), was a conversion of an OH-13H from the US Army first registered on 22 November 2005 and withdrawn from service on 22 May 2008.
VH-ADX³ (c/n 7818 – ex N1309X), a conversion of a Bell 47G-5, was first registered on 16 May 2000 and operated by Airwork Helicopters of Caboolture, QLD. The registration was changed to VH-NZS³ on 26 May 2008. VH-NZS³ and was current in 2016.
VH-NZD² (c/n 2764, ex N73232, N818HJ), was a conversion of a Bell 47G-2A.
A further example has been operated in Tasmania by Osborne Aviation Services, this being a Mk 6C Tomcat operated in 2004 and being American registered as N161SH (c/n 1921).