Following the trend set by Agusta and Sikorsky Bell Helicopters could not stay behind in developing a helicopter with a streamlined fuselage and a retractable gear. This became the Bell 222, that later evolved into the Bell 230 and Bell 430.

While there are significant differences between the family members, they all have in common a rear fuselage that gradually transitions into a narrow tail boom. A two blade tail rotor is mounted on the left end of the tail boom. There are low mounted horizontal stabilisers on both sides about halfway the tail boom. At their ends are swept vertical fins extending up and down. The Bell has two turboshaft engines on top of the fuselage, of which the exhaust shape depends on the exact model. Most versions have a single nose wheel that retracts forward in the fuselage. The nose gear doors are not visible when the gear is extended. The single wheel main gear retracts in thick stubs with an airfoil shape, attached to the fuselage. Note that there are many Bell 222s, 230s and 430s with skids though. The final characteristic are the skylight windows in the cockpit area.

To distinguish the different versions of the Bell 222 family you'll have to look at

• the location and shape of the exhausts
• the number of main rotor blades
• whether the heli has a fixed or retractable gear, or skids
  
• the number of cabin windows
• the shape of the horizontal stabiliser end plates
• the shape of the vertical fins

This Bell model start with a '2' in the designa­tion, so it has a two blade main rotor. The round, diagonally cut-off exhausts are located at the end of the gear box/engine hub, near the start of the tail boom. The Bell 222 has two cabin windows on each side. Sometimes this version is called Bell 222A, to differentiate it from the Bell 222B.

The original Bell 222 has a two blade main rotor on a rather short rotor mast. (photo: Pedro Aragão/WikiMedia)

The updated version of the original 222 is designated Bell 222B. It has uprated engines, with still the same exhaust shape, and extended main rotor blades. More importantly, the rotor mast is slightly longer, although you will probably only see it when you see the 222 and 222B side-by-side. Finally, the vertical stabilisers are longer and narrower.

At the first Bell 222B seems not that different from the Bell 222, but look at the vertical fins: they are taller and narrower. Less obvious is the taller rotor mast. (photo: Elisabeth Klimesch/WikiMedia)

Basically, the utility version of the Bell 222 is a Bell 222 with skids. For the rest it has the characteristics of the B model: uprated engines with the same exhaust shape, extended main rotor blades, longer rotor mast and longer and narrower vertical stabilisers.

The Bell 222UT can best be distinguished from Bell 230s with skids by the location and shape of the exhausts. (photo: Pete Markham/WikiMediaphoto: Pete Markham/WikiMedia)

This is an engine upgrade of the original Bell 222s. It has two exhausts pointing up and aft, and are located on top of the gear box/engine housing, behind the rotor mast. 

When the Bell 222B was updated again, it got a new designation, Bell 230. It has different engines, with long round exhausts at the top of the gear box/engine housing. It comes in wheels and skids versions.

As the only family member with a four blade main rotor, hence the designation Bell 430, this version is easily recognisable. In addition, the fuselage is longer, allowing for a third but narrow cabin window next to the cockpit side window. Finally, the trailing edge of the horizontal stabiliser end plates has a dent and the vertical stabiliser are even taller and narrower than on the Bell 230.