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 In December 1946, Westland Aircraft signed an agreement to build under licence the world's first successful operational helicopter, the US Sikorsky S-51 general utility model. This became the first production helicopter in Britain and the first helicopter in the UK to achieve an airworthiness certificate. Named the Dragonfly, the first British-built WS51 flew on 5 October 1948. Westland produced two piston engined original versions, the Series 1A with a British 500hp Alvis Leonides 521/1 and the Series 1B with a US 450hp Pratt & Whitney R-985-B4 Wasp Junior. Westland produced about 150 Dragonflys. Of these, 71 went to the Royal Navy, a further 16 went to the Royal Air Force to form the first frontline helicopter squadron in the service. Westland also produced the Dragonfly for civilian customers and in small numbers for the militaries of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Egypt, France, Iraq, Italy, Japan and Yugoslavia. A further private development programme produced the Westland Widgeon, based heavily on the Dragonfly. 
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| Derivatives and Versions of this model: | | |
| Model | Year | History | | | Dragonfly HC.2 | 1950 | 3 Dragonfly HC.2 were initially ordered by the RAF and all were delivered in Mar 1950. These were based on the Navy Dragonfly HR.1 with composite ...
| | | Dragonfly HR.1 | 1950 | | | | Dragonfly HR.3 | 1950 | | | | Dragonfly HC.4 | 1952 | The prototype Dragonfly HC.4 (WT845) for the RAF was based on the Navy Dragonfly HR.3 (with all metal main rotors) and included lessons learned f ...
| | | Dragonfly HR.5 | 1953 | | |  widgeon  | 1955 | Developed from the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly HR.5 as a private venture. A 3 seat general utility helicopter, powered by an Alvis Leonides 521 ...
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| Organisations / Units with this Model: | | |
| Construction Numbers on database of dragonfly or its versions |
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| Construction Numbers of this Model: | Help Us | |
| C/N | Built as | Year | History | | wa/h/010  | hr.1 | 1949 |  VX597 : Built as HR.1 ff Oct 1949. 705 Sq by Jan 1950, Indomita+
 hr.3 HR.3 conv by Mar 1953. Culdrose Stn Flt/901 by Jun 1953+
hr.5 HR.5 conv by May 1958. Centaur SAR Flt Jan 1959, 700 Sq+
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| wa/h/033  | hr.3 | 1952 | WG663 : dd May 1952 as HR.3 to RNAS Gosport. To HMS Campania Ju+
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| wa/h/034 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG664 : dd May 1952 as HR.3 to RNAS Gosport. To HMS Campania Ju+
hr.5 conv to HR.5 at RNAY Donibristle from Jun 1954
 705 Sq /533 by Aug 1957. Britannia Flt (Plymouth) by su+
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| wa/h/035 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG665 : dd May 1952 as HR.3 to RNAS Gosport. To HMS Campania Ju+
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| wa/h/059 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG749 : ff Nov 1952 as HR, dd Dec 1952 to RNAS Gosport. Lossiem+
hr.5 Conv to HR.5 from Jul 1958; Sold to civil market by Oct+
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| wa/h/067 | hr.3 | 1952 | WH991 : ff 4 Feb 1953 as HR.3, dd 24 Feb 1953 to RN at Gosport.+
hr.5 Converted to HR.5 by May 1958.
In Mar 1959 upper surfaces painted light colour for the+
Preserved at Yorkshire Air Museum, England
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| wa/h/078 | hr.3 | 1953 | WP493 : ff May 1953 as HR.3 and dd May 1953 to RNAS Gosport. Lo+
hr.5 Repaired and conv to HR.5 at RNAY Donibristle by Nov 19+
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| wa/h/080 | | | WP495 : RAF Dragonfly HR.3; preserved Cosford RAF Museum
G-AJOV : Royal Air Force Air Museum, Cosford
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| wa/h/083 | hr.3 | 1953 | WP498 : dd Jul 1953 to RNAS Gosport as HR.3. 4 month loan to RA+
hr.5 conv to HR.5 1958.
Ditched in sea off Northern Ireland Dec 1958.
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| wa/h/111 | | 1952 |  111 : Dragonfly 1A, f/f 24 Mar 1952, d/d 4 Apr 1952. ex G-17-+
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| wa/h/112 | | 1952 | 112 : Dragonfly 1A, f/f 4 Apr 1952, d/d 17 Apr 1952. ex G-17-+
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| wa/h/113 | | 1952 | 113 : Dragonfly 1A f/f 9 Apr 1952, d/d 18 Apr 1952. ex G-17-6+
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| wa/h/114 | | 1952 | 114 : Dragonfly 1A f/f 19 Apr 1952, d/d 23 Jun 1952. ex G-17-+
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| wa/h/115 | | 1952 | 115 : Dragonfly 1A f/f 19 Apr 1952, d/d 23 Jun 1952. ex G-17-+
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| wa/h/116 | | 1952 | 116 : Dragonfly 1A f/f 27 May 1952, d/d 23 Jun 1952. ex G-17-+
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| wa/h/117 | | 1952 | 117 : Dragonfly 1A f/f 22 Sep 1952, d/d 29 Sep 1952. ex G-17-+
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| wa/h/118 | | 1952 | 118 : Dragonfly 1A f/f 22 Sep 1952, d/d 29 Sep 1952. ex G-17-+
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| wa/h/119 | | 1952 | 119 : Dragonfly 1A f/f 25 Sep 1952, d/d 30 Sep 1952. ex G-17-+
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| wa/h/145 | | | G-APBK :
VR-HFL :
 9M-AOP : Malaysia Air Charter
9M-AOP : On display at Chi Hwa Primary School,Sandakan,Sabah, Ma+
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19 C/N found.
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