The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the

Bell 212 The Bell 212 (also known as the ''Twin Two-Twelve'') is a two-blade, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in ...

, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.

Design and development

Development began in the late 1970s with two Bell 212s being converted into 412 prototypes. An advanced four-blade main rotor with a smaller diameter replaced the 212's two-blade rotor. A Bell 412 prototype first flew in August 1979. The initial model was certified in January 1981 with deliveries commencing in the same month. The 412 model was followed by the 412SP (Special Performance) version featuring larger fuel capacity, higher takeoff weight and optional seating arrangements. In 1991, the 412HP (High Performance) variant with improved transmission replaced the SP version in production. The current production version, 412EP (Enhanced Performance), is equipped with a dual digital automatic flight control system. In 2013 Bell introduced the 412EPI which includes an electronic (digital) engine control for a PT6T-9 engine upgrade, and a

glass cockpit A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mech ...

display system similar to the Bell model 429. Also featured is a Garmin touchscreen navigation system, and the BLR Strake and Fast Fin upgrades for improved hover performance. Over 700 Model 412s (including 260 by AgustaWestland) have been built.Bell/Agusta Bell 412 – Medium Transport Helicopter, USA/Italy
, Aerospace-Technology.com

Variants

;Bell 412: Standard Model with P&WC PT6T-3B ;: Special Performance version with P&WC PT6T-3BF engines ;Bell 412HP: High performance version with P&WC PT6T-3BG or -3D engines ;Bell 412CF (

CH-146 Griffon The Bell CH-146 Griffon is a multi-role utility helicopter designed by Bell Helicopter Textron as a variant of the Bell 412EP for the Canadian Armed Forces. The CH-146 is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissa ...

): 100 custom-built utility transport helicopters for the Canadian Forces, based on 412EP and designated by Bell as 412CF ;: Enhanced performance version with P&WC PT6T-3DF engines ;Bell 412EPI:Glass cockpit version with P&WC PT6T-9 electronic controlled engines ;Bell Griffin HT1: Advanced training helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) since 1997 as an advanced flying trainer. Operated by the

Defence Helicopter Flying School The Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) was a military flying school based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, England. The school, established in 1997, was a tri-service organisation and trained helicopter aircrews for all three British armed f ...

at RAF Shawbury and the Search and Rescue Training Unit at RAF Valley. ;Bell Griffin HAR2: Search and Rescue helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by No. 84 Squadron RAF since 2003 at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. ;Agusta-Bell AB 412:Civil utility transport version, built under license in Italy by

Agusta Agusta was an Italian helicopter manufacturer. It was based in Samarate, Northern Italy. The company was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who flew his first airplane in 1907. The MV Agusta motorcycle manufacturer began as an offshoot o ...

.Model 212 Twin Huey: USN-USMC UH-1N / Model 412
. Vectorsite.net, 1 December 2007. ;Agusta-Bell AB 412EP: Italian-built version of the Bell 412EP. ;Agusta-Bell AB 412 Grifone: Military utility transport version, built under licence in Italy by Agusta. Prototype of the UH-X ahead of her first flight

Prototype of the UH-X ahead of her first flight

;Agusta-Bell AB 412 CRESO: Italian-built version, fitted with a ground surveillance radar. ;NBell 412: Indonesian

IPTN Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) ( id, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Persero)), is an Indonesian aerospace company involved in aircraft design and the development and manufacture of civilian and military regional commuter aircraft. The company was formerly k ...

's licensed product of Bell 412 ;Subaru-Bell UH-2 (formerly UH-X):Modified version of the Bell 412 EPI; 150 on order to meet the

JGSDF The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...

's requirement for a UH-1J replacement. ;Subaru-Bell 412EPX:Commercial version of UH-X.

Operators

The Bell 412 is used by private and commercial operators. It is particularly popular in the oil industries, military, and for law enforcement use. Bell 412 operators - 2021

Military operators

; * Algerian Air Force ; * Argentine Air Force ; * Azerbaijani Air Force ; * Bahraini Air Force ; * Botswana Defence Force ; * Cameroon Air Force ; ; * Chilean Air Force ; * Colombian Navy ; * Cypriot National Guard ; *

Dominican Air Force The Air Force of the Dominican Republic ( es, Fuerza Aérea de República Dominicana), is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Navy. History At the end of the United States ...

(2 on order) ; * Air Force of El Salvador ; * Eritrean Air Force ; * Ghana Air Force ; * Guatemalan Air Force ; * Guyana Defence Force ; * Honduran Air Force Bell 412 Indonesian Navy

; *

Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...

* Indonesian Navy ; * Iraqi Air Force (12 on order) Agusta-Bell AB-412 Griffon, Italy - Army (canted)

; * Italian Army * Carabinieri ; * Jamaica Defence Force ; *

Japan Ground Self Defence Force The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...

; * Lesotho Defence Force ; * Mexican Air Force ; * Montenegrin Air Force ; * Moroccan Navy ; * Nigerian Air Force ; * Royal Norwegian Air Force Bell 412SP ‘148’ (49518597807)

; * Pakistan Air Force *

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...

; * National Aeronaval Service of Panama ; * Peruvian Air Force B412_FAP

Peruvian Navy The Peruvian Navy ( es, link=no, Marina de Guerra del Perú, abbreviated MGP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to from the Peruvian littoral. Addit ...

; *

Philippine Air Force The Philippine Air Force (PAF) ( tgl, Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas, , Army of the Air of the Philippines) ( es, Ejército Aérea del Filipinas, , Ejército de la Aérea de la Filipinas) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Forc ...

; * Royal Saudi Air Force ; *

Slovenian Air Force Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence is a part of the Slovenian Armed Forces. It is an integral part of the command structure, not an independent branch. Duties Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence aim is securing the sovereignty of the airspac ...

; *

South Korean Air Force The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF; ko, 대한민국 공군; RR: ''Daehanminguk Gong-gun''), also known as the ROK Air Force or South Korean Air Force, is the aerial warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the Ministry of N ...

;: *

Sri Lanka Air Force The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) ( si, ශ්‍රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව, Śrī Laṃkā guwan hamudāva; ta, இலங்கை விமானப்படை, Ilaṅkai vimāṉappaṭai) is the air arm and the yo ...

;: *

Tanzania People's Defense Force The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) ( sw, Jeshi la Ulinzi la Wananchi wa Tanzania) is the Military, military force of the United Republic of Tanzania. It was established in September 1964, following a mutiny by the former colonial milit ...

; * Royal Thai Air Force * Royal Thai Police ; * Tunisian Air Force ; * Turkish Coast Guard Bell412 TurkishCoastGuard Teknofest2019 (3)

; * United Arab Emirates Air Force Bell 412EP Griffin HT1 of the RAF at RIAT 2010 arp

84 Squadron medevac exercise on HMS Enterprise MOD 45167266

; * Royal Air Force ; * National Navy of Uruguay (2 on order) ; *

Venezuelan Army The Venezuelan Army, officially the National Army of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, Ejército Nacional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is one of the six professional branches of the Armed Forces of Venezuela. Also known ...

* Venezuelan Navy ; * Air Force of Zimbabwe

Government operators

; * Ambulance Victoria (replaced with the AgustaWestland AW139 in 2016) *

Babcock Mission Critical Services Bond Aviation Group was a British helicopter operator based at Gloucestershire Airport, Staverton. It was purchased by Babcock International in 2014. It incorporated Bond Air Services, now renamed Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore, and ...

* Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Western Australia * Emergency Management Queensland * New South Wales Police Force * New South Wales Rural Fire Service * MedSTAR ; *Canton of Sarajevo Police ; * Federal Police ; * Canadian Coast Guard 7 Bell 412EPI * National Research Council * Surete du Quebec ; * National Police of Colombia ; : Republic of Croatia Ministry of Interior - 2 Suburu Bell 412EPXs for delivery in October 2023 ; * Police of the Czech Republic Bell412 OH HVD

; * Finnish Border Guard ; *

Indonesian National Police '' , mottotranslated = (Serving the Nation) , formed = , preceding1 = , dissolved = , superseding = , employees = 440,000 (2020) , volunteers = , budget = , nongovernment ...

- 1 NBell 412 and 2 NBell 412EP ; *

Iranian Red Crescent Society The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), officially the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran ( fa, جمعیت هلال احمر جمهوری اسلامی ایران, Jamʿiyyat-e Helâl-e Ahmar-e Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Irân) is a n ...

; * Guardia di Finanza *

State Forestry Corps The State Forestry Corps (Italian language, Italian: ''Corpo forestale dello Stato'' or ''CFS'') was a national Law enforcement in Italy, police agency in Italy. It was established on 15 October 1822 by Charles Felix of Sardinia as Amministrazion ...

; * Japan Coast Guard * Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department ; * Coast Guard ; * Slovenian National Police LACoFD Air 18

; *

Chicago Fire Department The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) provides fire suppression, rescue services, Hazardous Materials Response services and emergency medical response services to the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chi ...

* Delaware State Police *

Los Angeles City Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD or LA City Fire) provides emergency medical services, fire cause determination, fire prevention, fire suppression, hazardous materials mitigation, and technical rescue services to the city of Los Angeles ...

* Los Angeles County Fire Department * Miami-Dade County Fire Department * New York City Police Department Aviation Unit * Orange County Fire Authority *

San Diego Fire Department The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of San Diego, California, United States. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is the second-largest municipal fire department in the st ...

* United States Park Police * Virginia State Police

Former operators

; * Uganda Air Force

Incidents and accidents

On April 4, 1991, a Bell 412 and Piper Aerostar collided in mid-air over a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All five people on both aircraft, including United States senator John Heinz, along with two children on the ground, were killed. On April 22, 1994, a Bell 412 medical Helicopter AirCareAirCare
/ref> from North Carolina Baptist Hospital crashed into mountainous terrain near Bluefield, West Virginia, killing all four crew members on board. On 9 July 2002, a Bell 412 from the El Salvador Air Force crashed after a lightning strike, killing all four crew members and three passengers on board. On December 10, 2006, a Bell 412 medical helicopter Mercy Air 2 crashed in mountainous terrain near Hesperia, California. All three crew members on board died.

Specifications (412EP)

References

Citations

Sources

* * Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". '' Flight International'', Vol. 180, No. 5321, 13–19 December 2011. pp. 26–52.

External links

Bell Helicopter 412EP official page
{{JSDF aircraft designations 1980s United States helicopters 1980s United States civil utility aircraft 1980s Canadian helicopters Twin-turbine helicopters Aircraft first flown in 1979

412 __NOTOC__ Year 412 ( CDXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in Europe as the Year of the Consulship of Honorius and Theodosius (or, less frequently, yea ...