Museum exhibit Westland Wessex

The Westland Wessex is a turbine-powered version of the Sikorsky S-58 "Choctaw", developed under license by Westland Aircraft, initially for the Royal Navy, but later for the RAF. The Wessex was built at Westland's factory at Yeovil in Somerset. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 158 KB)Westland Wessex helicopter at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, UK File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 158 KB)Westland Wessex helicopter at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, UK File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Sikorsky Model S-58 is a helicopter originally designed for the US Navy for service in the ASW role. ... Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset, formed just before the start of World War II. During the war the company produced a number of generally unsuccessful designs, but their Lysander would serve as an important liaison aircraft with the RAF. After the war the... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Wessex was one of the seven major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (the Heptarchy) that preceded the Kingdom of England. ... Map sources for Yeovil at grid reference ST5516 Yeovil is a town in south Somerset, England, on the A30 and A37. ... Somerset is a county in the south-west of England. ...

History

The first Wessex, a HAS.1 flew in 1958, and they entered anti-submarine duties in 1961 with the Royal Navy. It was the first helicopter to have a free power turbine. 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Fleet Air Arm is the operational group of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ...

The design was adapted in the early 1960s for the RAF to become a general-purpose helicopter capable of troop-carrying, air ambulance and ground attack roles. In contrast with the turbine HAS.1, it used turbo-shafts. It was first used by the RAF in 1962, and did not finally retire until January 2003, being the main transport helicopter until the introduction of the Aérospatiale Puma. The bright yellow RAF machines used for air-sea or mountain rescue duties became especially famous and saved many lives. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1962: Events January US Army CH-21 Shawnees are dispatched to Vietnam, the first US military aircraft to be deployed there January 10-11 - a B-52 Stratofortress is flown from Okinawa to Madrid, establishing a new distance record of 12... This is a list of aviation-related events from 2003: Events February 1The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates, killing all seven occupants. ... The Aerospatiale Puma is a medium-sized twin-engined transport/utility helicopter originally manufactured by Aerospatiale of France. ...

The Navy pressed the development of the HAS.1 into the improved HAS.3, coming into service in 1967. It saw embarked service on the County Class destroyers. 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... HMS Devonshire The County class destroyers were large vessels built by the Royal Navy around the Sea Slug anti-aircraft missile system. ...

Wessex helicopters were also used by the Queen's Flight of the RAF to transport VIPs including members of the British Royal Family, from 1969 to 1998. Those Royal helicopters were designated HCC.4 and were essentially similar to the HC.2 but with an upgraded interior, additional navigation equipment and enhanced maintenance programmes. A later version used by the Royal Marine Commandos was the HU.5. The Queens (or Kings) Flight has provided air transport for monarchs and senior politicians of the United Kingdom since its formation in 1936. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony The British Royal Family is a group of people closely related to the British monarch. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

Some ex-RAF Wessex helicopters continue flying in the Uruguayan Air Force and Naval Air Arm. The Uruguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya) was founded on 17 March 1913 as a military aviation school near Montevideo using French Farman aircraft. ...

Variants

(production numbers after names)

Military

• Wessex HAS.1: 140

RN utility, anti-submarine warfare, later air-sea rescue only

• Wessex HC.2: 68

RAF Troop carrier

• Wessex HAR.2: 6
• Wessex HAS.3: 46 (43 converted from HAS.1)

RN anti-submarine

Improved avionics with a radome on the rear fuselage.

• Wessex HCC.4: 2

helicopters of the Royal Flight equipped for VVIP transport

• Wessex HU.5: 101

RN service troop transporter, carried 16 Royal Marines

• Wessex HAS.31: 27

Royal Australian Navy anti-submarine warfare model.

• Wessex HAS.31B:

Updated anti-submarine warfare model for the Royal Australian Navy.

• Wessex 52: 12

Iraqi Air Force.

• Wessex 53: 2

Ghana Air Force.

• Wessex 54: 1

Brunei.

• Wessex 60:

Uruguay.

In RN service the armament carried was: VVIP stands for Very Very Important Person, a title usually reserved for heads of state, such as presidents, monarchs, prime-ministers and the Pope. ... The Corps of Royal Marines, usually just known as the Royal Marines (RM) or sometimes colloquially as the Green Berets[1], is the United Kingdoms amphibious force and a core component of the countrys Rapid Deployment Force. ... The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. ... Symbol of the IQAF // History Founded on April 22, 1931, the Iraqi Air Force or IQAF was originally composed of five pilots (Aeronautics students who had studied at Cranwell College in Britain), and 32 Aircraft Mechanics. ... The Ghana Air Force is an air force located in the African nation of Ghana. ...

• Pylon mounting (selection from)
  • 4 Aerospatiale SS-11
  • 2 Aerospatiale AS-12 Anti-shipping missile
  • 2 x 7.62 mm L7 GMPG machine guns.
• Fixed mounts
  • Depth charges or lightweight torpedoes.

SS.11 at the US Army Redstone testing ground SS.11 is the designation of the Nord Aviation MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile. ... NORD AS-12 Type air-to-ground missile Nationality France Era cold war Launch platform Helicopter, aircraft Target History Builder Aerospatiale Date of design Production period -1982 Service duration Operators Variants Number built 8000 + Specifications Type Diameter Wing span 650 mm Length 1. ... The L7 machine gun is a general-purpose machine gun used by the British Army. ...

Civilian Models

• Wessex 52: 12
• Wessex 53: 2
• Wessex 54: 2
• Wessex 60: 20

Service

• No. 18 Squadron RAF
• No. 22 Squadron RAF
• No. 28 Squadron RAF
• No. 60 Squadron RAF
• No. 72 Squadron RAF
• No. 78 Squadron RAF
• No. 84 Squadron RAF
• No. 103 Squadron RAF
• No. 202 Squadron RAF

• No. 700 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 706 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 707 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 737 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 771 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 772 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 781 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 814 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 815 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 819 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 820 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 826 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 829 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 845 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 846 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 848 Naval Air Squadron

No. ... No. ... No. ... No. ... No. ... No. ...

Specifications (Wessex HC.2)

General Characteristics

• Crew: two pilots
• Capacity: 16 troops or 8 stretchers
• Length: 65 ft 8 in (20.03 m)
• Main rotor diameter: 56 ft 0 in (17.07 m)
• Height: 16 ft 2 in (4.93 m)
• Main rotor area: 2,463 ft² (229 m²)
• Empty: 8,304 lb (3,767 kg)
• Loaded: lb ( kg)
• Maximum takeoff: 13,500 lb (6,123 kg)
• Powerplant: 2x Rolls-Royce Gnome turboshafts, hp ( kW)

The Rolls-Royce Gnome is a single spool turboshaft originally developed by De Havilland Engine Company from a General Electric design. ... Turboshaft engines are a type of jet engine, differing from the similar turboprop largely in name and use -- turboshaft engines are used in helicopters, the name referring to the way the torque of the engine drives the power shaft at 90 degrees to the engine mounting. ...

Performance

• Maximum speed: 133 mph (212 km/h)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
• Main rotor loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: hp/lb ( kW/kg)

External links

• RAF Museum
• RAF site
• helis.com Wessex section

Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft: Sikorsky S-58 "Choctaw" The Sikorsky Model S-58 is a helicopter originally designed for the US Navy for service in the ASW role. ...

Designation sequence:

References

• Michal Ovcacik & Karel Susa, Westland Wessex: Rotary Wiings Line, 1st edition 1998, 4+ Publications, Prague Czech Republic, (in English) ISBN 8090255906.