Westland Wessex
Encyclopedia
The Westland Wessex is a British turbine-powered version of the Sikorsky S-58 "Choctaw", developed under license
by Westland Aircraft
(later Westland Helicopters
), initially for the Royal Navy
, and later for the Royal Air Force
(RAF). The Wessex was built at Westland's factory at Yeovil
in Somerset
.
turboshaft
engine, and first flew in that configuration on 17 May 1957. The first Westland-built Wessex XL727
, designated
a Wessex HAS.1, first flew on 20 June 1958, and they entered anti-submarine duties in 1961
with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
. The Royal Navy's anti-submarine examples (HAS.1, HAS.3) also used the Gazelle engine.
The design was adapted in the early 1960s for the RAF, and later Royal Marines
, to become a general-purpose helicopter capable of troop-carrying, air ambulance and ground support roles. In contrast with the HAS.1, it used twin Rolls-Royce Gnome
engines. These marks (HC.2, HCC.4, HU.5) had a single large exhaust on each side of the nose, the Gazelle-powered examples having a pair of smaller exhausts on either side.
, 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 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
destroyer
s. The HAS.3 could be identified by a dorsal radome
and strake extending behind the "hump".
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.
Wessex were also used in Oman to support British operations in Dhofar. Three of them transported SAS reinforcements in the Battle of Mirbat
.
in the South Atlantic in 1982, though a few of these, sent as replacements, did not arrive until after the end of hostilities. Their prime role was the landing, and moving forward, of Rapier missile systems, fuel, artillery and ammunition.
On 21 May 1982, 845 Squadron's Wessex HU.5s supported British landings on East Falkland. Some days later short-term SAS observation posts were inserted, with help from Wessex HU.5s, on the mountains behind Stanley.
Six of 848 Squadron's Wessex HU.5s were lost when the container ship Atlantic Conveyor
was sunk. A total of nine Wessexes (eight HU.5s and one HAS.3) was lost during the Falklands campaign.
taking delivery of 11 helicopters in three batches from 2000 until 2003. Today, the Uruguayan Naval Aviation has a single Westland Wessex HC2 still in service. It is the last of the type flying with any air arm in the world.
Wessex HAS.1
Wessex HC.2
Wessex HAR.2
Wessex HAS.3
Wessex HCC.4
Wessex HU.5
Wessex HAS31
Wessex HAS31B
Wessex 52
Wessex 53
Wessex 54
Wessex 60
Iraq
Licence-built
The term licence-built refers to an object manufactured by one organisation with the authorisation of the organisation that owns the intellectual property of the design...
by Westland Aircraft
Westland Aircraft
Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915...
(later Westland Helicopters
Westland Helicopters
Westland Helicopters was a British aerospace company. Originally Westland Aircraft, the company focused on helicopters after the Second World War. It merged with several other British firms in 1961...
), initially for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and later for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF). The Wessex was built at Westland's factory at Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
.
Design and development
An American-built Sikorsky HSS-1 was shipped to Westland in 1956 to act as a pattern aircraft. It was re-engined with a Napier GazelleNapier Gazelle
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:*...
turboshaft
Turboshaft
A turboshaft engine is a form of gas turbine which is optimized to produce free turbine shaft power, rather than jet thrust...
engine, and first flew in that configuration on 17 May 1957. The first Westland-built Wessex XL727
United Kingdom military aircraft serials
In the United Kingdom to identify individual aircraft, all military aircraft are allocated and display a unique serial number. A unified serial number system, maintained by the Air Ministry , and its successor the Ministry of Defence , is used for aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force , Fleet...
, designated
British military aircraft designation systems
British military aircraft designations are used to refer to aircraft types and variants operated by the armed forces of the United Kingdom.Since the end of the First World War, aircraft types in British military service have generally been known by a name British military aircraft designations are...
a Wessex HAS.1, first flew on 20 June 1958, and they entered anti-submarine duties in 1961
1961 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1961:-January:* January 3 – Aero Flight 311, a Douglas DC-3C, crashes near Kvevlax, Finland, killing all 25 people on board. An investigation finds that the captain and first officer both were exhausted for lack of sleep and drunk at the time of...
with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
. The Royal Navy's anti-submarine examples (HAS.1, HAS.3) also used the Gazelle engine.
The design was adapted in the early 1960s for the RAF, and later Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
, to become a general-purpose helicopter capable of troop-carrying, air ambulance and ground support roles. In contrast with the HAS.1, it used twin Rolls-Royce Gnome
Rolls-Royce Gnome
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:*...
engines. These marks (HC.2, HCC.4, HU.5) had a single large exhaust on each side of the nose, the Gazelle-powered examples having a pair of smaller exhausts on either side.
Operational history
The Wessex was first used by the RN, the RAF first used the helicopter in 19621962 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1962:- Events :* Early 1962 – In Operation High Jump, the United States Navy McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom II fighter sets a number of world climb-to altitude records: 34.523 seconds to 3,000 meters , 48.787 seconds to 6,000 meters , 61.629 seconds to...
, and did not finally retire until January 2003
2003 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 2003:-January:* January 8 – The Turkish Airlines Avro RJ100 Konya, operating as Flight 634, crashes in thick fog while on final approach to land at Diyarbakır Airport in Diyarbakır, Turkey...
, being the main transport helicopter until the introduction of the Aérospatiale Puma
Aérospatiale Puma
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...
. The bright yellow RAF machines used for air-sea or mountain rescue duties became especially famous and saved many lives.
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
County class destroyer
The County class was a class of guided missile destroyers, the first such vessels built by the Royal Navy. Designed specifically around the Sea Slug anti-aircraft missile system, the primary role of these ships was area air-defence around the aircraft carrier task force in the nuclear-war...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s. The HAS.3 could be identified by a dorsal radome
Radome
A radome is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a microwave or radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material that minimally attenuates the electromagnetic signal transmitted or received by the antenna. In other words, the radome is transparent to radar or radio waves...
and strake extending behind the "hump".
Wessex helicopters were also used by the Queen's Flight of the RAF to transport VIPs including members of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
, 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.
Counter-insurgency operations
A crisis arose in 1962 as Brunei was not included in the newly formed Federation of Malaya and Indonesia threatened confrontation, including a continuation of the effort started by the North Kalimantan Liberation Army. By February 1964, RAF and Royal Navy Helicopters including some Westland Wessex operating from bases in Sarawak and Sabah to assist Army and Marine detachments fighting guerilla forces infiltrated by Indonesia over its one thousand mile frontier with Malaysia. In Borneo, the helicopter played a major role in fortifying the frontier and maintaining the frontier strong points by airlifting supplies in. The last Wessex HU MK5 in Borneo were operated by 845 Naval Air Commando Squadron (NACS) "B Flight" in Bario and Sepulot and were withdrawn in early October 1966 to Labuan and were embarked on HMS Bulwark en route to Australia.Wessex were also used in Oman to support British operations in Dhofar. Three of them transported SAS reinforcements in the Battle of Mirbat
Battle of Mirbat
The Battle of Mirbat took place on 19 July 1972 during the Dhofar Rebellion in Oman, which was supported by Communist guerrillas from South Yemen...
.
Falklands War
Around fifty-five Westland Wessex HU.5s went to the Falklands WarFalklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in the South Atlantic in 1982, though a few of these, sent as replacements, did not arrive until after the end of hostilities. Their prime role was the landing, and moving forward, of Rapier missile systems, fuel, artillery and ammunition.
On 21 May 1982, 845 Squadron's Wessex HU.5s supported British landings on East Falkland. Some days later short-term SAS observation posts were inserted, with help from Wessex HU.5s, on the mountains behind Stanley.
Six of 848 Squadron's Wessex HU.5s were lost when the container ship Atlantic Conveyor
Atlantic Conveyor
The Atlantic Conveyor was a British merchant navy ship, registered in Liverpool, that was requisitioned during the Falklands War and sunk on 25 May 1982 after being hit by two Argentine Exocet missiles, killing 12 sailors...
was sunk. A total of nine Wessexes (eight HU.5s and one HAS.3) was lost during the Falklands campaign.
Uruguay
16 former RAF Wessex HC.2 were supplied to Uruguay. The Uruguayan Navy received 5 helicopters in 1998, with the Uruguayan Air ForceUruguayan Air Force
The Uruguayan Air Force is one of the three main branches of the Armed Forces of Uruguay under the Uruguayan Ministry of Defense. The current head of the force is General of the Air Enrique A...
taking delivery of 11 helicopters in three batches from 2000 until 2003. Today, the Uruguayan Naval Aviation has a single Westland Wessex HC2 still in service. It is the last of the type flying with any air arm in the world.
Variants
- RN utility, anti-submarine warfare, later air-sea rescue only, 140 built, some later converted to HAS.3.
Wessex HC.2
- RAF Troop carrier for up to 16 troops, One prototype converted from HAS1 and 73 built.
Wessex HAR.2
- RAF search and rescue conversions.
Wessex HAS.3
- RN anti-submarine version with improved avionics with a radome on the rear fuselage, 3 new-build development aircraft and 43 converted from HAS.1
Wessex HCC.4
- VVIP transport for the Queens Flight, two built
Wessex HU.5
- RN service troop transporter, carried 16 Royal MarinesRoyal MarinesThe Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
, 101 built
Wessex HAS31
- Royal Australian NavyRoyal Australian NavyThe Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
anti-submarine warfare model, 27 built.
Wessex HAS31B
- Updated anti-submarine warfare model for the Royal Australian Navy.
Wessex 52
- military transport version of the HC.2 for the Iraqi Air ForceIraqi Air ForceThe Iraqi Air Force or IQAF is the military branch in Iraq responsible for the policing of international borders, surveillance of national assets and aerial operations...
, 12 built.
Wessex 53
- Military transport version of the HC.2 for the Ghana Air ForceGhana Air ForceThe Ghana Air Force is the air force of the African nation of Ghana. The GAF, along with the Ghanaian Army and Navy, make up the armed forces of Ghana which are controlled by that nation's Ministry of Defence....
, two built.
Wessex 54
- Military transport version of the HC.2 for the Brunei Air Wing, two built
Wessex 60
- Civilian version of the Wessex HC.2, 20 built.
Notable accidents
- G-ASWIG-ASWI North Sea ditchingG-ASWI was a Westland Wessex 60, operated by Bristow Helicopters operating between Bacton Gas Terminal, in Norfolk, and gas rigs in the North Sea. On 13 August 1981 the helicopter lost power to the main rotor gearbox, going out of control during the ensuing autorotation. The flight was carrying 11...
- Bristow Helicopters. Crashed (North Sea) August 1981; no survivors
Military Operators
- Royal Australian NavyRoyal Australian NavyThe Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
Fleet Air ArmFleet Air Arm (RAN)The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
- No. 723 Squadron RAN723 Squadron RAN723 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron.-History:723 Squadron was first commissioned into the RAN on 7 April 1952 and was equipped with one Dakota, one Wirraway, one Sea Otter and two Sea Fury aircraft...
- No. 725 Squadron RAN725 Squadron RAN725 Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm flying squadron. The squadron was formed for the first time in 1943 and was last disbanded in 1975.-History:...
- No. 816 Squadron RAN816 Squadron RAN816 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron that started out as a Royal Navy unit 816 Naval Air Squadron.-Current roles:816 is currently active as a helicopter squadron equipped with S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters...
- No. 817 Squadron RAN817 Squadron RAN817 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron.-Current Roles:817 is currently active as a helicopter squadron equipped with Westland Sea King Mk 50 helicopters. 817 Squadron is a land based squadron operating the Sea King helicopter in Fleet Utility Support roles, including Search...
- No. 723 Squadron RAN
- Brunei Air WingRoyal Brunei Air ForceThe Royal Brunei Air Force or Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei as it is known by its Malay name, is the air force of the sultanate of Brunei. It is mainly based at the Rimba Air Base within the Brunei International Airport...
- Egyptian Air ForceEgyptian Air ForceThe Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
- Ghana Air ForceGhana Air ForceThe Ghana Air Force is the air force of the African nation of Ghana. The GAF, along with the Ghanaian Army and Navy, make up the armed forces of Ghana which are controlled by that nation's Ministry of Defence....
Iraq
- Iraqi Air ForceIraqi Air ForceThe Iraqi Air Force or IQAF is the military branch in Iraq responsible for the policing of international borders, surveillance of national assets and aerial operations...
- Royal Air Force of OmanRoyal Air Force of OmanThe Royal Air Force of Oman is the air arm of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces-History:...
- Four ex-RAF HC.2s
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- No. 18 Squadron RAFNo. 18 Squadron RAFNo. 18 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the CH-47 Chinook HC.2 from RAF Odiham. No. 18 Squadron was the first and is currently the largest RAF operator of the Chinook.-First World War:...
- No. 22 Squadron RAFNo. 22 Squadron RAFNo. 22 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sea King HAR.3 and HAR.3A at three stations in the southern United Kingdom. The squadron was originally formed in 1915 as an aerial reconnaissance unit of the Royal Flying Corps serving on the Western Front during First World War...
- No. 28 Squadron RAFNo. 28 Squadron RAFNo. 28 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Merlin HC3/HC3A from RAF Benson.-World War I:No. 28 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed on 7 November 1915. Initially a training squadron it became a fighter squadron equipped with the Sopwith Camel.After the end of World War I No. 28...
- No. 32 Squadron RAF
- No. 60 Squadron RAFNo. 60 Squadron RAFNo. 60 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1916 at Gosport. It is currently part of the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire....
- No. 72 Squadron RAFNo. 72 Squadron RAFNo. 72 Squadron Royal Air Force started its service life supporting the army during World War I on operations in Middle East and afterwards was quickly disbanded. In its second incarnation the squadron was a real fighter unit, transitioning from Gloster Gladiator biplanes to Gloster Javelin...
- No. 78 Squadron RAFNo. 78 Squadron RAFNo. 78 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Merlin HC3/3A transport helicopter from RAF Benson.Until December 2007 it was the operator of two Westland Sea King HAR3s from RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands.-History:No...
- No. 84 Squadron RAFNo. 84 Squadron RAFNo. 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is at present a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, it uses the Bell Griffin HAR.2 helicopter. It is currently part of the RAF's Search and Rescue Force-History:...
- No. 103 Squadron RAFNo. 103 Squadron RAFNo. 103 Squadron was a Royal Air Force bomber squadron during World War I, World War II and the Cold War, switching to helicopters in the late 1950s until it was disbanded for the last time in 1975.-Formation in World War I:...
- No. 2 Flying Training School RAF
- Queen's Flight
- SAR Training Squadron RAF
- Wessex Operational Conversion Flight RAF
- No. 18 Squadron RAF
- Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Fleet Air ArmFleet Air ArmThe Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
- 700 Naval Air Squadron
- 706 Naval Air Squadron
- 707 Naval Air Squadron
- 737 Naval Air Squadron
- 771 Naval Air Squadron
- 772 Naval Air Squadron
- 781 Naval Air Squadron
- 814 Naval Air Squadron814 Naval Air Squadron814 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It was formed in December 1938 and has been disbanded and reformed several times. Its nickname is "the Flying Tigers", not to be confused with the American Volunteer squadron of WWII....
- 815 Naval Air Squadron815 Naval Air Squadron815 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Fleet Air Arm, part of the Royal Navy. The squadron is currently based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, United Kingdom and it is the Navy's front line Lynx Naval Air Squadron. It currently comprises more than 30 Lynx helicopters of various types...
- 819 Naval Air Squadron819 Naval Air Squadron819 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy aircraft squadron before and during World War II. Along with No. 815 Squadron, it performed the successful night attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto on 11 November 1940...
- 820 Naval Air Squadron820 Naval Air Squadron820 Naval Air Squadron is a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier based squadron formed in April 1933 with the transferral of the Fairey III aircraft from 405 Flight Royal Air Force to the Fleet Air Arm...
- 824 Naval Air Squadron824 Naval Air Squadron824 Naval Air Squadron is a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron first formed on 3 April 1933, disbanding and reforming several times before assuming its current role at RNAS Culdrose as a training squadron....
- 826 Naval Air Squadron
- 829 Naval Air Squadron829 Naval Air Squadron829 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It operates the AgustaWestland EH101 Merlin HM1 helicopter.-1940–1942:829 Naval Air Squadron first formed on 15 June 1940 as a torpedo and reconnaissance squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Ford, Sussex and equipped with nine...
- 845 Naval Air Squadron
- 846 Naval Air Squadron
- 847 Naval Air Squadron
- 848 Naval Air Squadron
- RFA Regent Flight
- RFA Resource Flight
- Uruguayan Air ForceUruguayan Air ForceThe Uruguayan Air Force is one of the three main branches of the Armed Forces of Uruguay under the Uruguayan Ministry of Defense. The current head of the force is General of the Air Enrique A...
- Uruguayan Navy