The Westland Whirlwind helicopter was a British-built version of the U.S. Sikorsky S-55/H-19 Chickasaw. It primarily served with the Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) in anti-submarine and search-and rescue roles. 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... A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more large horizontal rotors (propellers). ... Sikorsky is an English version of Slavic name Sikorski. ... The H-19 Chickasaw (later UH-19, also widely known outside the US by its manufacturers designation of S-55) was a multi-purpose helicopter used by the United States Army. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... The Fleet Air Arm is the operational group of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ...

History

The first prototype British Whirlwind HAR.1 flew in August 1953, with the 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340-40 Wasp, and it entered service shortly afterwards. They served in non-combat roles, including search and rescue and communications functions. The HAR.3 had a larger 700 hp Wright Cyclone R-1300-3 engine. It was not until 1955 that the HAR.5 flew for the first time with a British power plant, the Alvis Leonides Major. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1953: Events The first year in which the worlds airlines carried more than 50 million people (ICAO statement, 29 December) January January 26 - The first meeting of the Experimental Aircraft Association takes place at Milwaukee, Wisconsins Curtis-Wright Field. ... The Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp was an engine widely used in American aircraft starting in the 1920s. ... Wright Cyclone was the name given to a family of air-cooled radial piston engines designed by Curtiss-Wright, and used in numerous American aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1955: Events February February 26 - George F. Smith becomes the first person to survive a supersonic ejection, from a North American F-100 Super Sabre travelling (Mach 1. ...

The HAS.7 become the first British helicopter designed for anti-submarine work in the front-line when it enetered service in 1956. It was equipped with radar and dipping ASDIC for submarine detection and designed to be equipped with a torpedo, but could not carry both simultaneously. In this version the engine was a 750 hp (560 kW) Alvis Leonides Major 755/1. This helicopter had a hovering ceiling at 9,400 ft and a range of 334 miles at 86 mph. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1956: Events March March 10 - Lt Cdr Peter Twiss sets a new airspeed record in the Fairey Delta FD.2, also becoming the first person to exceed 1,000 mph. ... This long range radar antenna (approximately 40m (130ft) in diameter) rotates on a track to observe activities near the horizon. ... The F70 type frigates (here, Motte-Picquet) are fitted with VDS (Variable Depth Sonar) type DUBV43 or DUBV43C tugged sonars Sonar (sound navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation under water to navigate or to detect other watercraft. ...

Later in their lives, some HAR.9s were converted to use the Rolls-Royce Gnome turbine engine.

From its start with the Navy, the Whirlwind came to be used by the British Army and RAF. More than 400 Whirlwinds were built, of which nearly 100 were exported to the following countries: Austria, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Ghana, Jordan, Iran, Kuwait, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Yugoslavia. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the UK Armed Forces. ...

Variants

(With production numbers)

• WS-55 Series 1: 44

American engines, transport helicopters for military and civilian use

• WS-55 Series 2: 19

Alvis engines, civilian use

• WS-55 Series 3: 5

Gnome turboshaft, civilian use

• Whirlwind HAR.Mk 1  :10

RN service

• Whirlwind HAR.Mk 2  : 33

RAF service from 1955

• Whirlwind HAR.Mk 3  : 25

Wright Cyclone engine

RN service

• Whirlwind HAR.Mk 4  : 24

Improved HAR.2 for hot and high conditions

• Whirlwind HAR.Mk 5  : 3

Alvis engines

RN service

• Whirlwind HAS.Mk 7  : 129

RN anti-submarine duties - 1 torpedo

12 used for Royal Marine transport use

• Whirlwind HCC.Mk 8  : 2

Royal Flight transport, VVIP

• Whirlwind HAR.Mk 9  :

RN service

• Whirlwind HC.Mk 10

RAF service

• Whirlwind HAR.Mk 10: 68

RAF, transport and air-sea rescue

• Whirlwind HCC.Mk 12: 2

Royal Flight,

The model numbers for the US-built evaluation models were The Corps of Royal Marines, usually just known as the Royal Marines (RM), are the United Kingdoms amphibious forces and a core component of the countrys Rapid Reaction Force. ... VVIP stands for Very Very Important Person, a title usually reserved for heads of state, such as presidents, monarchs, prime-ministers and the Pope. ...

• Whirlwind HAR.Mk 21 10 rescue
• Whirlwind HAS.Mk 22 12 anti-submarine

Specifications (Whirlwind HAS7)

General Characteristics

• Crew: two pilots
• Length: 41 ft 9 in (12.71 m)
• Main rotor diameter: 53 ft 0 in (16.15 m)
• Height: ft in ( m)
• Main rotor area: 2,205 ft² (205 m²)
• Empty: lb ( kg)
• Loaded: lb ( kg)
• Maximum takeoff: 7,800 lb (3,538 kg)
• Powerplant: 1x Alvis Leonidas Major 9-cylinder radial, 750 hp (559 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 104 mph (167 km/h)
• Range: 334 miles (534 km)
• Service ceiling: ft ( m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
• Main rotor loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: hp/lb ( kW/kg)

Armament

• 1x torpedo (carried in place of dipping sonar)

External links:

• Navy News
• Helicopter museum
• RAF museum

Related content

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence: