It was LACoFD that made the first water-dropping tank for the Bell 47. They were, in fact, slightly ahead of the LAFD helicopter development. They hired a noted helicopter pilot, Roland Barton, to get their operation going. Clarence Ritchie was named Chief Pilot due to his military helicopter experience.Ĭoncurrent with these developments but separately, the Los Angeles County Fire Department was developing its own helicopter operation. Believing that they could be adapted to a metropolitan fire service much better than a fixed-wing aircraft, Bud was able to convince the staff that it would be a wise purchase.Ī Bell 47 G3B helicopter with a 260 horsepower Lycoming piston engine was delivered in early 1962 and three pilots were chosen from the ranks to fly it: Beverly Beckley, Clarence Ritchie and, of course, Bud Nelson. During his flying with the Forest Service, Bud had watched the construction of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway with the use of the then newly developed turbo-supercharged Bell 47 G3 helicopters. Moonlighting was frowned upon in those days, so the administration had no clue of Bud’s activities.īud was detailed to make a presentation to the LAFD staff but much to their amazement, he recommended they purchase a helicopter.
Bud was a WWII and Korean War combat pilot who worked as a firefighter for the LAFD and moonlighted as an air attack airplane pilot flying war surplus borate bombers. The Forest Service answered with a question: Why are you contacting us when one of our best pilots works for you? That person was Theodore “Bud” Nelson. This was before any fire service was using helicopters in a direct attack mode.
After a rash of large brush fires fought by the LAFD in the late 1950’s, the administration approached the United States Forest Service and asked if one of their pilots could come and brief them on airborne firefighting.
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