The Gazelle is a helicopter developed as part of an Anglo-French venture between the Westland and Aérospatiale companies in 1968.
One of the fastest helicopters ever built, it served with all four branches of the British armed forces - RAF, Royal Navy, Army and Royal Marines - filling a variety of roles. It served with other forces worldwide. Four versions of the Gazelle were used by the British Forces. The SA341D became the Gazelle HT3 in RAF service, and was equipped as a helicopter pilot trainer. The SA341E was used for communications duties and VIP transport and was designated Gazelle HCC4. The SA 341C was also purchased for the British Armed Forces as a pilot trainer for the Royal Navy. The SA 341B was equipped to a specification for the Army Air Corps. It has provided combat service for the British in the Falkland Islands, Kuwait, Iraq and Kosovo. In French ALAT service, variants are also equipped with the Mistrale Air to Air missile and the 20 mm cannon.
It was used for anti-tank helicopter operations and also for a wide variety of supporting roles - Air Observation Post (AOP) ?to direct Artillery fire, Airborne Forward Air Controller(ABFAC) ? to direct ground-attack aircraft, casualty evacuation, liaison, and command and control, and communications relay.
Gazelles were also manufactured in Egypt by ABHCO.
Specifications (SA 341)
General Characteristics
Crew: two
Length: 9.53 m (31 ft 3 in)
Main rotor diameter: 10.50 m (34 ft 5 in)
Height: 3.18 m (10 ft 5 in)
Main rotor area: 87 m² (932 ft²)
Empty: 998 kg (2,196 lb)
Loaded: kg ( lb)
Maximum takeoff: 1,800 kg (3,960 lb)
Powerplant: 1x Turbomeca Astazou IIIB turboshaft, 590 shp (440kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 310 km/h (193 mph)
Range: 670 km (419 miles)
Service ceiling: 4,100 m (13,448 ft)
Rate of climb: 732 m/min (2,400 ft/min)
Main rotor loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
Power/Mass: kW/kg ( hp/lb)
External links
British Army Gazelle page (http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/ac/ab_gzh.htm)
British Army Air Corps? Helicopter Display Team (http://www.deltaweb.co.uk/eagles/helo.htm)
Westland acquired Bristol Helicopters, Fairey Aviation and Saunders-Roe to transform itself into Westland Helicopters with plants at Yeovil, Weston-super-Mare, Eastleigh and Hayes.
Collaboration with Sikorsky (a major shareholder) continued with the Sea King and new arrangements were made with Aerospatiale for the Puma, Gazelle and Lynx and their derivatives.
By 1994, United Technologies (Sikorsky's parent company) sold its stock in Westland and this was snapped up by GKN as part of its take-over.
Gazelles were also manufactured in Egypt by ABHCO and in Yugoslavia by SOKO.
The Gazelle was used in combat in the Falkland Islands, Kuwait, Iraq and Kosovo and with 8 Flight Army Air Corps in support of 22 Special Air Service Regiment.
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