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Alcan Bell 47 Helicopter Cf-inx?


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Here is one for you B.C helicopter history buffs!!!

 

In my Dads' stuff I came across a bunch of photos taken when he worked up the Alaska Highway. In them were 3 Bell 47 helicopter pictures taken from quite a distance with his old 120 film camera. This gave me a negative about 21/4 x 21/4 inches to scan - there was no print to be found but that is not unusual as he often developed his own film - and if he didn't think the shot was good enough he wouldn't print it.

 

It looks like it is from a trip we made to Whitehorse in 1957 or possible 1958 as it was with the negatives from that trip so this dates it pretty well - but with old negatives one never knows for sure.

 

The best I could do with my scanner gives me a registration that looks like CF-INX or possibly CF-IVX.I have tried to sharpen up the image to get the helicopter operators name off the tanks but can't get enough definition. The other shots don't show the registration or other markings.

 

Anyone out there have an identity on the machine?

 

Regards,

 

MX Trainer

 

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Yup, looks like Associated to me too......... From the (fuel tank) saddles and the pedistle looks like a 47-G2 but where and when, who knows!

 

R...

 

I think I see Associated Helicopters.....

 

but I might just be tired.

 

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I think I see Associated Helicopters.....

 

but I might just be tired.

I see that, too, Murdie and HJim. :) Associated Helicopters was one of Canada's oldest heli operators and was acquired by Okanagan in 1977 (Aviation in Canada, Larry Milberry; 1979) That reg (CF-INX) shows Vardax Consultants (a Canadian corporation) owned it in the 80s (deleted a/c 1987).

 

Weirdly enough, Vardax Consultants is referenced at that same time (1987) in a U.S./I.R.S. criminal tax/fraud investigation aimed at The Church of Scientology of California (L. Ron Hubbard and wife, Mary Sue Hubbard) whereby summoned documents weren't turned for concern that they'd be shared with other government agencies and an issue of attorney-client privilege. Vardax is referenced as such:

 

"/16/ The serious harm that could befall an IRS investigation under the court of appeals' holding is also illustrated by a subsequent unpublished district court decision, Vardax Consultants (Canada), Inc. v. United States, No. C86-1206 (W.D. Wash. 1987), appeal pending, No. 87-3814 (9th Cir.). In that case, the IRS issued summonses in furtherance of an investigation being conducted under the auspices of the United States-Canada Simultaneous Criminal Investigation Program (SCIP) -- under which each country conducts an investigation of the target to determine if its own revenue laws have been violated and the agents meet periodically to coordinate their investigations and to exchange information. The district court held that the summons should be enforced because it was in furtherance of a legitimate investigation of the target's United States tax liability. The court, however, conditioned that enforcement by prohibiting the IRS from sharing any of the summoned information with Canadian authorities -- because of its concern that such a disclosure of information would violate the Ninth Circuit's holding regarding the enforcement of treaty summonses in Stuart v. United States, 813 F.2d 243 (1987), cert. granted, No. 87-1064 (May 2, 1988). The result is that the IRS's ability to conduct its investigation in cooperation with the Canadian authorities has been derailed for an indefinite and lengthy period (the appeal in Vardax is being held pending this Court's decision in Stuart), while the courts determine the legality of a possible future disclosure of material to which the IRS is concededly entitled."

 

No clue if that specific, former Associated heli (by then, Okanagan's?) was an asset listed in Vardax' tax case nor the outcome of either tax investigation cases, but it's kind of an interesting connection, or not? :lol: You have fun with those puzzle pieces, MXt. Ain't they fun? :rolleyes:

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TQN

 

Picture puzzles can be a lot of fun as they open up some pretty interesting dialog!!

 

In the end this is probably just an old photo of a machine doing some work up the Alcan - could be for any variety of companies that would have a need for it.

 

The history of many helicopter companies is at best obscure - try a google of Associated Helicopters and you get almost nothing - yet they were a larger operator in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. It seems once the companies have been absorbed into the Hummingbird that they seem to become almost invisible.

 

I worked for a Twin Otter operator that had one machine with a bullet hole in it - found out later that it was the one involved in the Jonestown Massacre. You just never know what will turn up when you start looking!!

 

MX

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Looks like the photo is from the Muncho Lake area - at least according to an old truck driver friend that spent a lot of time on the highway!!

 

Here is a shot of the mountain in the background that is from a bit different angle but looks like it could be the same area.

 

This would make sense as the negatives are with the trip north that would have taken us past Muncho Lake - I don't remember - was only 5 or 6 at the time!!! - so my memory is of no use!! :blink:

 

 

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So it looks like a Bell47 G2 - from Associated Helicopters at Muncho Lake in 1957 or 1958. Can't ask for much more than that with the limited info!! :rolleyes:

 

Thanks to all!! :up:

 

MX

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Not sure if this is of any interest...at the aviation museum at YYC, there is an S-58 out front, red and white with 'Associated Helicopters' on the side. Didn't have my camera with me. MX, I would be happy to grab a shot next time I'm driving by if you like.

 

Mark

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