Whirlybirds

N975B and N238B. Mere meaningless numbers to most people, but forever burned in to my brain as the "N" FAA registration numbers painted on the sides of the two helicopters that starred in the Whirleybirds TV series of the late 50's. The Bell 47G with the bubble canopy and the Bell Ranger with the front-sitting pilot and three pax behind him became the quintissential vertical flying machines of the day. This show is such a classic black and white icon of its time, it's hard to understand why he haven't seen it since. Where are Sky King, Sea Hunt and My Favorite Martian (where Mrs. Brown baked brownies)? Yet we have been inundated with re-runs of I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners and the Dick Van Dyke Show. I grew up with Whirleybirds, salivated over every episode while eating mac-n-cheese and orange pop, and wanted to cry when it was over. I took one helicopter flying lesson and then learned how expensive these machines are to operate. If somebody would bring back a high-quality DVD series of this show, here is my credit card number...

I watched every episode every Friday night when it aired back in the mid 50's and loved every episode. I wonder why this series has never been released on video. I for one would buy every episode, that is how much I loved the 'Whirlybirds'. I've been hoping they would show them on Nick at Night. No such luck though. There has never been a TV series as great as the 'Whirlybirds'.

As a savvy producer, I am grateful to Lucile Ball (Desilu) for two television production's she risked on, notably the original 'Star Trek', and 'Whirlybirds' among others.

'Whirlybirds' as a concept resulted originally from an 'I Love Lucy' (episode-140 "Bon Voyage") aired on CBS January 16, 1956, in which Lucy misses the sailing of her transatlantic ocean liner and commandeers a friendly Bell 47 helicopter to fly her out to the ship. Desilu Studios, duly intrigued by the Model 47 and its makers, began discussions with Bell Helicopters about how the entertainment potential of the Bell Model 47 might be further developed for a television audience.

'Whirlybirds' propelled the Bell 47's look and sound to popular attention in the late 1950s. Kenneth Tobey and Craig Hill starred as 47 pilots Chuck Martin and P.T. Moore, who flew off into diverse adventures from their base at Whirlybirds Inc., in mythical Longwood Field, California.

Tight scripting, pioneering location camera work at the old San Bernardino Airport and Republic Studio's Iverson Ranch supported the flying skills of National Helicopter pilots Bob Gilbreath, Harry Hauss, and Ed Fuderich. Together these airmen showcased the ability and utility of the 47G & 47 J models over 111 half-hour episodes. Some 39 episodes of the series were re-syndicated by CBS during 1958 under the name Copter Patrol. The Museum of Television and Radio in New York City houses a selection of Whirlybirds reference material, and a comprehensive set of episodes is on hand at the Library of Congress in Washington (16mm film). Excellent location and action visuals from the Whirlybirds set are now available for viewing at the National Helicopter WEB Site. I purchased from National Helicopter several of the actual television shows on VHS video tape. They brought back fond memories and are very exciting still to watch today. Entertaining Kenneth Tobey as no nonsense character Chuck Martin in those cool aviator shades!

I selected episodes that highlighted the flying skills of the National Helicopter pilots. The helicopter flying skills shown are simply the very best stunt flying by helicopter ever done before or since! In 'Cycle of Terror' - Episode 29) flying in tight ravines more remembered for the countless western chases on horseback filmed there (Iverson Ranch) - the rotors between rock outcrops and trees while chasing the villain on motorcycle is still outstanding & truly incredible. The landing skids of the copter used to knock the cyclist off his bike! Stunts likely prohibited by any studio insurance today.

Overlooked perhaps then by both dazzled kids and adults when seen today are the little charming slight of hands in production - as in 'Infrared' Episode 53, a Bell 47 J lands in a field before the camera, the National helicopter pilot climbs out of his front seat and slips down to the cockpit floor behind, and then it is actor Craig Hill seen exiting. A hint of the charming production values of those times.

Among many of the best episodes were some directed by an up & coming Robert Altman, who would later use the Bell 47's again in his film he is most remembered for among many others - M.A.S.H.. Not surprising perhaps, in 1984, a Bell 47 was put on display (as an art form) at none other than New York's Museum of Modern Art.

God I love this show. Sleeping Viacom could make a lot of money re-releasing these entertaining programs. I would purchase video disks of the entire series in a heartbeat! A baby boomer's fondest memories of his childhood in front of the television screen.

Release 'Whirlybirds' on DVD damnit!

Corfman

A great show that was syndicated. Two guys run a Helicopter company (and of course have a good looking secretary) and help out the police, firefighters, Army etc, whenever they can. Which of course was every episode. They were either tracking escaped criminals or rescuing some bonehead who had gotten themselves stranded out in the middle of nowhere. Each episode managed to let the viewer know that the Helicopter was really the shows star. When this show was being run every helicopter pilot around must have thought "How come I never have any adventures like those Whirlybird guys" Blue Thunder and Airwolf came years later and featured helos but never seemed to match the magic of this late 50's gem.

Of course, my high score may be distorted through the lens of childhood nostalgia since I haven't seen this series since I used to watch it after school back in the 60's, but it seems like it could have been at least part of the inspiration for "Emergency!" which ran in the 1970's. Of course, Emergency! was a TV series about two paramedics, friends as well as colleagues, that respond to all sorts of emergencies back when the paramedic program was in its infancy. Whirlybirds was about two helicopter pilots, friends as well as colleagues, who respond to all kinds of emergencies when the helicopter was first being used for difficult rescues and the tracking and pursuit of criminals.

If this ever came out on DVD I'd buy the entire series in a moment. From what I remember it was not repetitive at all with all kinds of people in distress in all types of situations being rescued by these guys. Plus they were very effective at chasing the bad guys with their "birds' eye view". Highly recommended and fondly remembered.