Bell designed the Model 206 to compete in the 1961 US Army
LOH-program (light observation helicopter). First (N73933) of five
prototypes flew December 8, 1962 and bearing the military designation
OH-4A, it was tested against the Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 OH-5A and
the Hughes 369 OH-6A, the latter winning the contest.
Bell developed the OH-4A into a five-seat commercial model and named
206A JetRanger, it (N8590F) flew on January 10, 1966 and deliveries
started January 1967. In 1968 it was entered the re-opened LOH
contest as the OH-58A and was so successful that a contract for 2200
under the name Kiowa was issued. Refined and improved models followed
and licence production was undertaken by Agusta in Italy.
The next significant model came in 1974 with the seven-seat 206L
LongRanger, having the fuselage lengthened by 2 ft 1 in (0.64 m), 1
ft 10 in (0.56 m) longer rotor blades, an uprated engine, and other
improvements. First flown on September 11, 1974, deliveries began in
October 1975, and an armed and armored military variant was
introduced under the name TexasRanger. Again refined and improved
models followed and the LongRanger was also built by Agusta in licence.
During March 1978 the US Army started the upgrading of many of their
OH-58A's to the OH-58C version with stronger engines, new
night-vision equipment, IR-protection and improved instruments and
electronics. Further progress was made when Bell won the Army
Helicopter Improvement Program (AHIP) in 1981, incorporating: even
stronger engines, a stronger power-train, four-bladed rotor of new
and composite construction, a Mast Mounted Sight (MMS) and many other
observation-, protection- and attack equipment additions and
improvements. The MMS containing a TV-camera, IR-sensors and a laser
target designation system, gives the helicopter crew a possibility to
look over the tree-tops, track and designate targets while staying
out of sight. The first of five OH-58D prototypes flew October 6, 1983.
The for export intended 406CS Combat Scout flew in June 1985 and was
a simplified 406 AHIP derivative without the MMS and with a
quick-change weapons system.
The US Army ordered the 206B-3 as a pilot trainer under the
designation TH-67A Creek, the prototype as YTH-67, all flying with
civil registrations.
In 1984 a highly redesigned twin-engined version of the LongRanger
was introduced, the 400 TwinRanger. First prototype (N3185K) flew on
July 4, 1984 in the US, the production was to take place in a new
Bell facility at Maribel, Quebec. The 400 did not proceed,
but a development of the LongRanger became the 407, a concept
demonstrator (modified 206L-4) flew April 21, 1994, followed by the
first of two prototypes on June 1, 1995, deliveries from the Canadian
facility commenced late 1995. By late 2002 over 6600 of all types had
been delivered.