Friends of The Helicopter Museum

The Brantly B.2B, G-ATFG

Brantly B.2B, G-ATFG, was built by the Brantly Helicopter Corporation in Frederick, Oklahoma, in 1965, with construction no.448, and owned by British Executive Air Services Ltd. from 1965 until 1977. It was withdrawn from use in 1985.

G-ATFG, with a vertically mounted 180hp fuel-injected, flat-four, Lycoming IVO-360-A1A engine, was reconstructed using some components from G-AXSR (N2237U) and G-ASLO (EI-AVK/ N2168U).
It was acquired by the Aviation Preservation Society of Scotland and kept at The Museum of Flight, East Fortune, near Edinburgh, until, in 2003, Elfan ap Rees agreed to purchase it.
More than 450 examples of the two-seater, light helicopter types B.2, B.2A and B.2B, have been built since the first B.2 flew in 1953, though the Brantly company has since undergone several ownership changes.

The machine features a unique type of rotor system with rigid, inboard, portions on flapping hinges and flexible outboard portions, separated by lead-lag hinges and duplicate flapping hinges. Small retractable wheels, attached to the skids, allow easy ground handling.

A Chinese-owned company, Brantly International Inc., now builds the B.2B model in Vernon, Texas.
The Helicopter Museum also houses a Brantly B.2B, registered as G-OAPR, c/n 446, (right), which is in airworthy condition and has been used for flight demonstrations and other special events, at The Museum and in the neighbouring locality, for many years. It often displays on fine days, at weekends, and is normally hangared close to the Museum's helipad.

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