1948


Westland dragonfly

Derived from Sikorsky S-51 / R-5 / H-5






dragonfly
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.



  Derivatives & Versions of dragonfly


ModelYearHistory
Dragonfly 1A

1950
1950 Civil transport helicopter powered by a 520 hp (388 kW) Alvis Leonides 521/1 radial piston engine.
Dragonfly HC.2

1950
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
1950
Dragonfly HR.3

1950
1950
Dragonfly 1B

1951
1951 Civil transport helicopter powered by a 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior B4 radial piston engine with metal rotor blades.
Dragonfly HC.4

1952
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
1953
Widgeon

1955
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 ...

  List of Operators of dragonfly


Years Model Org
1950/54 Dragonfly 1A thailand Royal Thai Air Force
1950/67 united kingdom Fleet Air Arm
1950/54 Dragonfly HC.2 united kingdom Royal Air Force
1952/59 france Armée de l'Air
1952/58 Dragonfly HC.4 united kingdom Royal Air Force
1953/?? Dragonfly 1A italy Aeronautica Militare Italiana
1953/58 united kingdom Royal Air Force
1954/92 yugoslavia Ratno Vazdhuhoplovstvo i Protiv Vazdusna



  Global Distribution of dragonfly



23dragonfly
16Dragonfly 1A
1Dragonfly 1B
2hc.2
10hc.4
9hr.1
38hr.3





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