Westland Wessex (Helicopter) Aircraft

Wessex HC.2, Winthorpe

Production Details

Design Company:

Westland Aircraft Limited under licence from Sikorsky Helicopters

First Flight:

July 1958

Wessex HAS.1:

140 - Westland

Wessex HC.2:

68 - Westland

Wessex HAR.2:

6 - Westland

Wessex HAS.3:

46 - Westland (43 from HAS.1)

Wessex HCC.4:

2 - Westland

Wessex HU.5:

101 - Westland

Wessex 10:

1 - Westland

Wessex HAS.31:

27 - Westland

Wessex 52:

12 - Westland

Wessex 53:

2 - Westland

Wessex 54:

2 - Westland

Wessex 60:

20 - Westland

Type Specification

Applies to:

Westland Wessex HC.2

Type:

General duties helicopter for RAF

Rotor System:

Four blade main rotor. Four blade tail rotor

Fuselage:

All metal fuselage

Landing Gear:

Fixed gear. Two main units at front each with one wheel with single tail wheel

Power Plant:

Two coupled 1,350 hp Bristol Siddeley Gnome H.1200 turboshaft engines in nose

Accommodation:

Pilot and co-pilot on flight deck with seating in cabin for up to 16 passengers

Armament:

Two or four Nord SS.11 or AS.12 wire-guided missiles, two 2 in rocket pods, 7.62 mm machine guns

Rotor Diameter:

56 ft

Length:

65 ft 10 in

Height:

15 ft 10 in

Empty:

8,340 lb

Loaded:

13,500 lb

Max Speed:

132 mph at sea level

Rate of Climb:

1,650 ft/min at sea level

Service Ceiling:

12,000 ft

Range:

310 miles

Preserved in British Museums

Wessex HAS.1:

XM330 - The Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare Aerodrome - Display XS863 - Imperial War Museum, Duxford - Display XS876 - Aeropark, Nottingham East Midlands Airport - Display XS877 - The Flambards Experience, Helston - Display

Wessex HC.2:

XR517 - Ulster Aviation Society Heritage Centre, Langford Lodge - Display XR525 - RAF Museum, Cosford - Display XR526 - The Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare Aerodrome - Stored XT604 - Aeropark, Nottingham East Midlands Airport - Display XV728 - Newark Air Museum, Winthorpe Showground - Display

Wessex HAS.3:

XM328 - The Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare Aerodrome - Display XM833 - Second World War Aircraft Preservation Society, Lasham - Display XP142 - Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton - Display XS149 - The Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare Aerodrome - Stored XT257 - Bournemouth Aviation Museum, Bournemouth - Display

Wessex HCC.4:

XV732 - RAF Museum, Hendon - Display XV733 - The Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare Aerodrome - Display

Wessex HU.5:

XS481 - AeroVenture, Doncaster - Display XS482 - RAF Manston History Museum, Manston - Display XS508 - Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton - Stored XT472 - The Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare Aerodrome - Display XT480 - Aeropark, Nottingham East Midlands Airport - Display XT482 - Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton - Display XT769 - Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton - Display

Wessex 60:

G-ATBZ - The Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare Aerodrome - Stored G-AVNE - The Helicopter Museum, Weston-Super-Mare Aerodrome - Display

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