Westland Wessex

Les Westalnd Wessex, versions britanniques du Sykorsky S 58, sur Wikipedia.en

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The Westland Wessex is a British turbine-powered version of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], developed [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] by [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (later [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]), initially for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], and later for the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (RAF). The Wessex was built at Westland's factory at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].


Design and development


An American-built [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] was shipped to Westland in 1956 to act as a pattern aircraft. It was re-engined with a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] engine, and first flew in that configuration on 17 May 1957.^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]} The first Westland-built Wessex [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] a Wessex HAS.1, first flew on 20 June 1958,^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]} and they entered anti-submarine duties in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] with the Royal Navy [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]. 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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], 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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], and did not finally retire until January [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], being the main transport helicopter until the introduction of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The HAS.3 could be identified by a dorsal [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and strake extending behind the "hump".

Wessex helicopters were also used by the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] of the RAF to transport [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] including members of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], 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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

Falklands War

Around fifty-five Westland Wessex HU.5s went to the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], 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 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] was sunk.^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]} A total of nine Wessexes (eight HU.5s and one HAS.3) was lost during the Falklands campaign.^{[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]}

Uruguay

16 former RAF Wessex HC.2 were supplied to Uruguay.

The [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] received 5 helicopters in 1998, with the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 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


Wessex HAS.1

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

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] transport for the Queens Flight, two built

Wessex HU.5

RN service troop transporter, carried 16 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], 101 built