Westland Widgeon (helicopter)
- For the 1924 aeroplane, see Westland Widgeon (fixed wing)
| Widgeon | |
|---|---|
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| |
| 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 |
The Westland Widgeon helicopter was a private venture by Westland Aircraft as an improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly.
Design and development
Westland Aircraft decided to make a private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly, which was a licensed Sikorsky design, helicopter 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 Widgeons, and the first one flew on 23 August 1955.
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.[clarification needed]
Operators
Specifications (Widgeon)
Data from Westland Aircraft since 1915[1], Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1957-58[7]
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, 500 hp (370 kW) for 5 minutes at 3,000 rpm
- 375 hp (280 kW) at 2,800 rpm maximum continuous power
- 305 hp (227 kW) at 2,800 rpm maximum weak mixture power
- 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)
- Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
- ^ a b James 1991, p. 320.
- ^ "WORLD HELICOPTER MARKET 1967 pg. 58". flightglobal. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ "WORLD HELICOPTER MARKET 1967 pg. 60". flightglobal. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ Iliffe-Moon, Peter (17 May 1973). "The unarmed air force". Flight International. Vol. 103, no. 3349. p. 759.
- ^ "WORLD HELICOPTER MARKET 1967 pg. 62". flightglobal. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ Flight International 11 July 1968, p. 55.
- ^ Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1957). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1957-58. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. pp. 81–82.
Bibliography
- Apostolo, Giorgio. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters. New York: Bonanza Books, 1984. ISBN 0-517-439352.
- James, Derek N. Westland Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-847-X.
- "Widgeon and Whirlwind —with power by Alvis: A Report on two current Westland developments." Flight, 1955.
- "World Helicopter Market". Flight International, 13 July 1967. pp. 57–71.
- "World Helicopter Market". Flight International, 11 July 1968. pp. 48–60.
External links
- Westland Widgeon pages at helis.com database