Another mail helicopter experiment - a Swedish chopper landing of the roof of the Helsinki main post office. The Finnish parliament is visible on the left, the tower of the National Museum on the right. Photo from: Finnish Heritage Agency

This early Bell 47 was built as a B model in 1947. Seen in Netherlands New Guinea, apparently operating on behalf of the NNGPM company. The operator was World Wide Helicopters in 1958 when the helo had an accident, still in NNG. Later to ZK-HAJ, VH-UTU, N415DP and still airworthy in the 21st century. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

The mail helicopter on its way, presumably over eastern Belgium. The daily circuit was Brussels - Libramont - Liège - Tongeren - Hasselt - Beringen - Turnhout - Herentals - Antwerp - Brussels. Photo from: Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

[Nikon D750 + Tamron SP 24-70mm/2,8G VC]

When OO-UBA opened Sabena's helicopter airmail service on 21 August 1950, the airline's second Bell 47 went ahead, carrying a journalist.

'The mail helicopter in Libramont.' Sabena's involvement with helicopters began with an air mail contract and OO-UBA flew the first circuit around eastern Belgium on 21 August 1950. Note the 'mailboxes' fitted. This football pitch in Libramont, a small but central town in the Ardennes, was the first stop from Brussels - Porte de Ninove / Ninoofse Poort. The other stops were: Liège - Orban; Tongeren - De Motten park; Hasselt - St Hubertsplein; Beringen - Vigor football club; Turnhout - road to Kasterlee; Herentals - Oude Vaart; and Antwerp - Wilrijkse Plein.

At the Merwedecentrale power station. Dated 1953, this photograph probably shows a rescue mission after the 1 February 1953 North Sea flood. Photo from: Regionaal Archief Dordrecht

This exhibit has been assembled from a collection of parts from Edmonton, Alberta and marked to represent CF-FZX.

Following the 1 February 1953 North Sea flood, helicopter crews who participated in the rescue effort were invited at Queen Juliana's palace. Sabena's OO-UBB and the sole Dutch helicopter at the time, the navy's 8-1 (H-1) are seen. Nine American Bells also landed on the lawns and five British helicopters on a nearby football pitch. One 'very large American helicopter' landed at Soesterberg airbase. It is safe to assume the event was Prince Bernhard's idea. Photo by: Daan Noske / Nationaal Archief (Netherlands)

Ex-SE-HAK, OO-SHY, OO-UBB. Written off in Huittinen 29.4.1977

Early production Bell 47D-1. Photo obtained from Bell Aircraft.

VH-UTU had already been upgraded from a 47B to a 47D-1 when it arrived in Australia in 1966 from New Zealand. In 1990 it was sold in the US as N415DP.

Three newly built and float equipped Bell 47D-1's of the NYPD perform for Bell Aircraft's cameraman.

Operated by Sabena on experimental internal air mail services from Brussels. Later OO-SHX. From Sabena 60 years ago.