Westland Widgeon (helicopter)

The Westland Widgeon was a helicopter developed by Westland Aircraft as a private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly.

For the 1924 aeroplane, see Westland Widgeon (fixed wing).

Widgeon
Westland WS-51A Widgeon
Role Helicopter
Manufacturer Westland Aircraft
First flight 23 August 1955
Number built 12 new built plus 3 conversions[1]
Developed from Westland WS-51 Dragonfly

Design and development

Westland Aircraft decided to make a private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter, which was a licensed Sikorsky Aircraft design, by increasing the cabin capacity and replacing the Dragonfly's rotor head, blades and gearbox with the units used in the Westland Whirlwind. Three Dragonfly Series 1As were converted to WS-51 Series 2 Widgeon specifications and the first one flew on 23 August 1955. One of these conversions, registration G-ANLW, was the first helicopter to land at the London Heliport on 8 April 1959, and later appeared in the 1971 film, When Eight Bells Toll.[2]

In 1957, there was a plan to take up to 24 existing Fleet Air Arm Dragonflies to Dragonfly HC.7 standard (as the Naval Widgeon was to become) but this was abandoned and it contributed to the decision to stop progress.[3]

Operators
 Brazil
Sri Lanka Ceylon
 Hong Kong
 Jordan
 Niger
  • Biafran Air Force - operated a Two ex-Bristow Widgeon during the Biafran War.[8]
 United Kingdom

Specifications (Widgeon)

Data from Westland Aircraft since 1915,[1] Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1957-58[10]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 4 pax
  • Length: 40 ft 10 in (12.45 m)
  • Width: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) fuselage width
  • Height: 13 ft 2.75 in (4.0323 m) to top of rotor hub
  • Empty weight: 4,424 lb (2,007 kg)
  • Gross weight: 5,900 lb (2,676 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 83.2 imp gal (99.9 US gal; 378 L) in two 41.6 imp gal (50.0 US gal; 189 L) fuselage tanks ; Oil capacity 6.5 imp gal (7.8 US gal; 30 L)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Alvis Leonides 521/1 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine (6lb boost), 520 hp (390 kW) for 5 minutes at 3,000 rpm at 43 inHg (150 kPa)[11]
One-hour rating: 470 hp (350 kW) at 38 inHg (130 kPa) at 6,000 ft (1,800 m) at 2,900 rpm[11]
Maximum continuous power: 375 hp (280 kW) at 2,800 rpm
Maximum weak mixture power: 305 hp (227 kW) at 31 inHg (100 kPa) at 2,800 rpm[11]
  • Main rotor diameter: 49 ft 2 in (14.99 m)
  • Main rotor area: 1,898 sq ft (176.3 m2)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 104 mph (167 km/h, 90 kn) at sea level
  • Cruise speed: 81 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn)
  • Range: 310 mi (500 km, 270 nmi) maximum
  • Service ceiling: 10,500 ft (3,200 m)
  • Hover ceiling OGE: 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
  • Hover ceiling IGE: 7,500 ft (2,300 m)[11]
  • g limits: +2.84g[11]
  • Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)
  • Rate of sink: 720 ft/min (3.7 m/s)
  • Disk loading: 3.1 lb/sq ft (15 kg/m2) [11]
  • Power/mass: 11.35 lb/shp (6.90 kg/kW)[11]
  • Cruising fuel consumption: 22 imp gal/h (26 gal/h; 100 L/h)[11]

See also

References

Notes
  1. James 1991, p. 320.
  2. "G-ANLW Westland Dragonfly". www.helis.com. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  3. Beaver, Paul (1987). Encyclopaedia of the Fleet Air Arm Since 1945. Yeovil, Somerset: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 176. ISBN 978-0850597608.
  4. "WORLD HELICOPTER MARKET 1967 pg. 58". flightglobal. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  5. "WORLD HELICOPTER MARKET 1967 pg. 60". flightglobal. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  6. Iliffe-Moon, Peter (17 May 1973). "The unarmed air force". Flight International. Vol. 103, no. 3349. p. 759.
  7. "WORLD HELICOPTER MARKET 1967 pg. 62". flightglobal. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  8. Draper 1999, pp. 80–82
  9. Flight International 11 July 1968, p. 55.
  10. Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1957). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1957-58. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. pp. 81–82.
  11. "WIDGEON AND WHIRLWIND —with Power by Alvis: A Report on Two Current Westland Developments". Flight and Aircraft Engineer. 68 (2449): 976–977. 30 December 1955. Retrieved 9 April 2019.

Bibliography
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  • Westland Widgeon pages at helis.com database
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