Whirlybirds

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.

Okay, it wasn't the exact same 'chopper' that appeared in M*A*S*H but that's what started me watching the latter classic. Good theme which I would like to hear again, almost as good as 'Cannonball'. Two likeable actors but I can't really remember much else. Ah, those were the days; take me back to 1959. TV evenings in Sydney would bring you some classic Westerns plus 'Whirlybirds' and of course 'Sea Hunt'.

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...

"The Whirlybirds" TV show got more guys interested in flying helicopters than any other show! The Bell 47 was used in the first episodes, to be followed by the Bell 47J later. Kenneth Tobey and Craig Hill were excellent in the roles of Chuck Martin and P.T. Moore. They would always use a copter to save lives, solve crimes, or take care of business. This is one series I would LOVE to see on DVD! An awful lot of pilots would buy them as fast as they could make them, if they were of good quality! It was so much fun to watch the boys get in and out of one scrape after another. You knew they weren't the real pilots, but it was fun and games anyway!

Having just read all the previous comments on this show, there is not a whole lot I can add, except to say that I remember vividly the day that WPIX TV in New York (Channel 11) debuted this show, complete with a contest (hosted by "Officer Joe Bolton" -- I never quite got how a police officer figure into the equation, but then, I was just a kid) where the winner would receive a remote-controlled model helicopter. During the commercial breaks, "Officer Joe" would conduct demonstrations of the prize. Some kid would come on stage and operate a tethered remote control helicopter, and you would hear the sound of the real Bell helicopter in the background. I remember thinking how cool that was, and I remember my mom telling me how fake the sound was. Fifties TV at its very best (smile).