A 1945 Bell-47D1 helicopter, nicknamed the "bug-eyed helicopter." This is on display at the Museum of Modern Art, where I work. It hangs in the atrium, and you can get close up views of it from several different vantage points.
Three thousand Bell-47D1 helicopters were manufactured between 1946 and 1973 under the world's first commercial helicopter license. They were used for crop dusting and spraying, rural mail delivery, traffic surveillance, and as aerial ambulances during the Korean War. Every time I see it, I hear the theme music to M*A*S*H.
This helicopter was designed by Arthur M. Young. Young didn't invent the helicopter, but did invent the stabilizer bar and other features that made it a more successful and practical vehicle. Young studied mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy at Princeton University. After graduating, he decided to find something to invent and settled on the helicopter. He spent 12 years experimenting on his own, building working models before bringing it to Bell.
After developing the Bell-47D1, Young decided he was done inventing things and turned his attention to back to philosophy. He spent the rest of his life developing his Theory of Process, which sought to synthesize all geology, biology, anthropology, psychology, ESP, precognitive dreams, astrology, Jungian archetypes, yoga, mathematics, and quantum physics into a single metaparadigm.
One of his metaphors was the Psychopter. "What is the Psychopter? It is the winged self. It is that which the helicopter usurped - - and what the helicopter was finally revealed not to be." No, I don't what that means.
Process drawings: Pen and ink before applying color with my usual Derwent Inktense pencils. I forgot to take a picture of the third one.
More info on Arthur Young can be found
here.
