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| History of this Model in this Organisation: | | |
Produced at Yeovil from late 1959, the Wessex HAS.1 was the major RN ASW platform between 1961 and 1967. It was last used in the ASW role May 1969. It remained in the training role at RNAS Culdrose until 9 Aug 1979. Excluding prototypes, 136 HAS.1s ordered, with a few completed on the line as HAS.3. 94 HAS.1s were either not converted or not available to be (eg wfu or w/o).  The Wessex HU.5 was a development of the HAS.1, replacing its single Gazelle engine with a pair of coupled Gnome turbines The HU.5 introduced the AS.12 wire guided, anti-ship missle and GPMG door guns. In 1964, the more powerful Wessex HU.5 replaced the HAS.1 as a Commando Support Helicopter. The HU.5 was itself replaced by the Sea King HC.4 between Dec 1979 - Oct 1986 as a Commando Support Helicopter. The HU.5 was re-tasked for Search and Rescue operations and was eventually withdrawn from RN service on 31 Mar 1988. The Wessex HAS.3 was a much improved ASW aircraft over the HAS.1. It featured a 1600shp Gazelle Mk 165 engine with a much safer, compressed air starting system, the Type 195 sonar, a better Flight Control System and an external radome (the Camel's Hump) behind the rotor head. Some were on the line as HAS.1s and completed as HAS.3s. In total 42 HAS.1 conversions at Yeovil between 1966 and 1969 (?), excluding the 3 prototypes. The Wessex HAS.3 was in front-line service between Aug 1967 and Dec 1972, when it was replaced by the Sea King HAS.1 in the ASW role. Two were still in use on County Class Destroyers (HMS Antrim & HMS Glamorgan) in the Falklands in 1982. |
| Units with this Model in this Organisation: | | |
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| Roles of this Model in this Organisation: | | |
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| Construction Numbers of this Model in this Organisation: | | |
| C/N | Built | In this Organisation | In other Org | | wa172 | 1964 | XS498: Wessex HU5C. d/d to RN 1964, 848 Sq/T-A by 1965, 845 Sq, 847 Sq/C-S by 1969, 707 Sq/WQ-VL by Mar 1976, Wroughton store by Mar 1982, to NASU Yeovilton by May 1982, to 772 Sq (/623-PO, not carried) in low-vis c/s by 28 May 192. To 848 Sq D Flt as attrition replacement June 1982 and sent to Falklands on mv Astronomer, arriving early July 1982. Returned via Devonport late July 1982 and transferred back to 707 Sq. At RNAY Fleetlands marked as 707 Sq/ZK by Jun 1984. To RAF 84 Sq/Jokerby 1991. HMS Sultan (AESS Gosport) as G.I A2641, to Predannack 19 Jul 1999 still there Jan 2000, to Ground Aviation, Hixon, Stafford. Some parts used in XT601.
| | | | wa267 | 1966 | XS887: dd 6 Apr 1966. 829 Sq Fife Flt/403-FI, Yeovilton Station Flight/18-VL by Sep 1973. 772 Sq/514-PO by Jul 1975, to RNAY Wroughton. To A2690, at SAH Culdrose by May 1984 ?, pres. Flambards Theme Park, Helston, by Jul 1983 still there Feb 2000, still there Apr 2006 marked as /403-FI.
| No Org. defined XS887: Aquired by the Yorkshire Helicopter Preservation Group and moved to Aeroventure, Doncaster, UK on the 8th December 2007, (see helicopter-preservation-yhpg.org.uk). the aircraft is now on display and restoration is underway.
| | | wa274 | 1965 | XT452: HU.5 built at Yeovil. d/d 4 May 1965. 707Sqdn/S-CU by Jul 1971. Sold to Bangladesh 1973.
|  WA274: ex UK RN XT452. In service late 1973. wfu 1994.
| | wa281  | 1965 | XT459: Wessex HU.5 d/d 6 Jul 1965, 847 Sq/B-S by 1969, 846 Sq/VB-A by 1972, 848 Sq/VJ by Aug 1976. 845 Sq/(Y)B by Mar 1982, Delivered to Ascension Island by Heavylift Belfast as an attrition replacement. To 845 Sq D Flt/(Y)B May 1982, to 845 Sq C Flt/(Y)B Jun 1982, tail sliced off on 24 Jun 1982 following landing accident. Airlifted to mv Atlantic Causeway by Chinook 12 Jul 1982 and arrived Devonport 27 Jul 1982. To NASU-VL 29 Jul 1982. 845Sq/D by May 1984, crashed and w/o 7 Nov 1983 at Setermoen, Norway.
| | | | wa283 | 1965 | XT461: Wessex HU.5 dd 5 Aug 1965, to 845 Sq/F-B by May 1966, 846 Sq/D-CU by May 1970, 846 Sq/XD by Jul 1971. 846 Sq/XD-VL by Sep 1973. 848 Sq/VA by Aug 1976. 846 Sq/VR-B by 1979. 845Sq/W by Apr 1984, 771 Sq/825-CU by Aug 1987, w/o 16/10/1987 with 771 Sqdn when ditched in Mounts Bay near Porthleven (Cornwall, UK) following engine failure.
| | | | wa290 | 1965 | XT468: Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 31 Oct 1965, 847 Sq/H-S by 1969, 737 Sq Tidespring Flt/332-TS by 1975, 771 Sq/530-CU by 1979, 845 Sq/(Y)D by Mar 1982, airlifted to Ascension Apr 1982. Was airborne when mv Atlantic Conveyor was sunk by Exocet and transferred to 848 Sq D Flt 25 May 1982. Returned to Yeovilton Aug 1982 for 845 Sq. 845Sq D Flt/YD by May 1984, to RNAY Fleetlands by Jun 1984, 772Sq/628-PO by 1987, RNAY Wroughton, to AES Lee-on-Solent as A2757 25 Jun 1991 still Jan 1993, to A2667 1993, to AESS HMS Sultan Gosport by Feb 1997 and had rear fuselage of XT460 fitted, to SFDO-CU, to G.I. Predannack on 17 Jan 1998, still Jul 1999, Aug 2005, Apr 2007.
| | | | wa291 | 1965 | XT469: Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN Nov 1965, 848 Sq/E-A, 847 Sq/E-S by 1969, 848 Sq/VE-B by Sep 1973. 772 Sq/514-PO by Jul 1976, 772 Sq/624-PO by Mar 1982, 847 Sq B Flt/XN 6 May 1982, returned to UK on 27 Jul 1982, to 771 Sq 1 Aug 1982, to 16MU Stafford as G.I. 8920M 10 Dec 1986 still Jan 1994, pres. Stafford.
| | | | wa292 | 1965 | XT470: Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 6 Dec 1965, 847 Sq/G-S by 1970, 845 Sq/L-H by Sep 1973, still 1976. 845 Sq/(Y)A, RNAY Wroughton, to AAC 7REGT Netheravon 10 Jul 1984. Dumped Netheravon by Oct 1988 and perished Netheravon May 1995. Some parts to International Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare by Dec 1990.
| | | | wa293 | 1965 | XT471: Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 19 Jan 1966, 847 Sq/F-S by 1969, Fleetlands 1976, 771 Sq/524-CU 1979 to Mar 1982, 847 Sq B Flt/XW by 7 May 1982, to 848 Sq D Flt/XW as attrition replacement Jun 1982. Returned to UK aboard HMS Hermes on 21 Jul 1982. To 707 Sq 22 Jul 1982. 707 Sq/ZF by Sep 1984, RNAY Wroughton to AAC 9REGT Dishforth 21 Jul 1992. Dishforth dump by Jun 1994 still Nov 1995. Perished Dishforth Jul 1998.
| | | | wa300 | 1966 | XT478: HU.5 built at Yeovil. d/d 24 Mar 1966. Sold to Bangladesh 1973.
| WA300: ex UK RN XT478. In service late 1973. wfu 1994.
| | | wa304 | 1966 | XT482: d/d 5 May1966 to RN. To Culdrose 8 Jun 1966, 707 Sq/Q by Jun 1967, and still by Jul 1971. 707 Sq/WQ-VL by Sep 1973. At RNAY Fleetlands Jun 1976, 771Sq/527-CU by Feb 1980, NASU-CU by Dec 1980, 771Sq/527-CU by 1981, NASU-CU by Mar 1982, NASU-VL by Apr 1982, 707Sq/WL by May 1982, 847Sq A Flt/XL by May 1982 on RFA Engadine to South Atlantic, 845Sq Det/D-A by Sep 1982, 707Sq/ZM-VL by May 1984, 771Sq by Jul 1985, NASU-VL by Aug 1985, RNAY Wroughton by Sep 1986, to AES Lee-o-S by Nov 1985 to A2745, to A2656, left Lee-on-Solent on 23 Feb 1994 for FAA Museum Yeovilton, still there Sep 2005.
| | | | wa307 | 1966 | XT485: Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 2 Jun 1966, 847 Sq/K-S by 1969, 848 Sq/VT-B by Sep 1974. 771 Sq/522-CU 1979 to 1982, 772 Sq/621-PO by May 1984 still 1987, to AES Lee-on-Solent 23 Mar 1988 as A2769 still Jan 1993, A2680 by 1993 still Oct 1995, to AESS HMS Sultan Gosport /-PO by Jun 1996 still Jan 2000, still Apr 2007.
| | | | wa477 | 1966 | XT755: Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 5 Jul 1966, 847 Sq/D-S by 1969, stored, 771 Sq/523-CU by 1979 to Mar 1982, NASU VL, 847 Sq B Flt/XX by 13 May 1982, arrived on mv Atlantic Causeway in Falklands 1 Jun 1982 and returned to UK via HMS Engadine on 30 Jul 1982. To NASU VL by Aug 1982. 845 Sq/(Y)V, RNAY Wroughton, to 1 SoTT Halton as G.I. 9053M 22 Jan 1991 still Jul 1992. To Phoenix Aviation by Oct 1993, scr. Bruntingthorpe Jan 1996.
| | | | wa482 | 1966 | XT760: Wessex HU.5 d/d 10 Oct 1966, 847 Sq/A-S by 1969, 846 Sq/VS-B by Jul 1979. Fleetlands by Mar 1982, 707 Sq May 1982, 848 Sq C Flt/WV on RFA Olwen Jun 1982, 848 Sq C Flt/WV by Sep 1982, 845 Sq/WV by Oct 1982 and returned to UK Dec 1982, 845 Sq/J by Apr 1984, to RNAY Fleetlands by Jun 1984, 772 Sq A Flt/418-PO by 1987, to AES Lee-on-Solent 28 Feb 1991 as A2669, RNAY Wroughton, to RNEC Manadon (HMS Thunderer) /418 on 25 Jun 1991. To ETS-CU 6 May 1992, to AES Lee-on-Solent 16 Dec 1992 still Sep 1995. To AESS HMS Sultan Gosport by Feb 1997 and fitted with rear fuselage from (HC.2) XT604. Used in Horsea Lake by HMS Excellent (RN Portsmouth Diving School) by 1997.
| | | | wa483 | 1966 | XT761: Wessex HU.5 d/d to RN 20 Oct 1966, 845 Sq/J-A by 1969, 847 Sq/J-S by 1970, 848 Sq/VU by 1976, 771 Sq/521-CU by Mar 1982, 847 Sq May 1982, 845 SQ D Flt May 1982 and airlfted to Ascension by Heavylift Belfast. Coded 845 Sq /YP by Dec 1982 and returned to UK by Heavylift Belfast 19 Dec 1983. 845Sq D Flt/YP still May 1984, RNAY Wroughton, to A2767 AES Lee-on-Solent 12 Apr 1988 still Jan 1993, to A2678 1993 still by Oct 1995, to HMS Sultan Gosport by Jun 1996 still summer 2005. To Fleet Air Arn Museum Historic Flight (ground use).
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