First heavy lift and tandem rotor helicopter for the British armed services. Delivered initially to the Belvedere Trials Unit at RAF Odiham in 1960, and after about a year it entered operational service in Sep 1961 as the Belvedere HC.1. The fleet was grounded between Aug and Sep 1962 following an accident in Germany (which was ultimately caused by a design failure in the cockpit ergonomics).
It had a reputation for unreliable engine starters, which gave trouble throughout most if its operational life and the laminated rotor blades were prone to distintegration during flight. A rectification programme saw it give service in the UK, the Middle East (where dust abrasion of the rotor blades was also problematic) and Far East.
Originally designed for a service life of 1000 flying hours, work during 1964 showed it could be extended to 1700 hours.
It was never hugely successful and was eventually withdrawn in Mar 1969. It did however serve a heavy lift requirement and it was to be 1980 and two false starts later, before the RAF took delivery of the Chinook HC.1 to replace the Belvedere.
It had a reputation for unreliable engine starters, which gave trouble throughout most if its operational life and the laminated rotor blades were prone to distintegration during flight. A rectification programme saw it give service in the UK, the Middle East (where dust abrasion of the rotor blades was also problematic) and Far East.
Originally designed for a service life of 1000 flying hours, work during 1964 showed it could be extended to 1700 hours.
It was never hugely successful and was eventually withdrawn in Mar 1969. It did however serve a heavy lift requirement and it was to be 1980 and two false starts later, before the RAF took delivery of the Chinook HC.1 to replace the Belvedere.
I remember using this aircraft on survey operations in Aden in the early 60s. I thought there were some mechanical issues there and ( possibly) an accident. I know they were grounded as my party were "marooned" on a fairly inhospitable and hostile area until "rescued" by the Army Air Corp via scouts.
Seven Belvederes served with 26 Squadron in Aden, Yemen. Two were destroyed in crashes in which 3 crew were killed and 3 were injured. A third aircraft was severely damaged when a starter motor blew up on start up and had to be returned to the Westland factory for a complete rebuild.
Units |
Years | Units | Base |
---|---|---|
1964/66 | Belvedere Conversion Unit | RAF Odiham |
1962/65 | 26 Squadron | Khormaksar / Aden International RAF Odiham |
1961/69 | 66 Squadron | Seletar RAF Odiham Kuching Butterworth |
1961/64 | 72 Squadron | RAF Odiham |
1960/61 | Belvedere Trials Unit | RAF Odiham |
List of Aircraft |
C/N | Mod | Built | ID In this Org | In other Org | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13342 scrapped 1966 | 1958 | XG447 dd 31 Mar 1959 to Royal Air Force. | XG447: FF at Oldmixon, prototype Type 192 and 1st development ... | ||||
13343 scrapped 1969 | 1959 | XG448 RAF | XG448: FF at Oldmixon, 2nd development airframe. | ||||
13344 scrapped 1969 | 1959 | XG449 RAF 72 Sqdn; went to 66 sqdn; broken up 1969 Seletar | XG449: built as a static trials rig and instrumented as such. ... | ||||
13345 scrapped 1970 | 1959 | XG450 RAF | XG450: FF as 3rd development airframe at Oldmixon. | ||||
13346 scrapped 1967 | 1959 | XG451 RAF | XG451: built as 4th development aircraft. FF 10 Jul 1959. Sub... noted at SBAC 1959 Farnborough Air Show, demonstrating ... | ||||
13347 | 1960 | XG452 noted at SBAC Show, Farnborough. | XG452: 5th development Belvedere. Used to rectify handling iss... - G-BRMB: xfer UK Civil register as G-BRMB, pres as XG452 | ||||
13348 w/o 1969 | 1960 | XG453 D RAF | |||||
13349 | 1960 | XG454 7th pre-production airframe; handed over to Belvedere Trials Unit ( BTU ) at Old... | |||||
13350 scrapped 1969 | 1963 | XG455 RAF Belvedere HC.1 d/d 15feb63; 16mar69 soc and scr at No.389 MU Seletar, Sin... | |||||
13351 scrapped 1968 | 1960 | XG456 RAF | XG456: FF 18 Sep 1960 at Oldmixon. | ||||
13352 scrapped 1968 | 1961 | XG457 RAF | |||||
13353 scrapped 1969 | 1961 | XG458 E RAF | |||||
13354 scrapped 1969 | 1961 | XG459 A RAF | XG459: FF 23 Apr 1961 | ||||
13355 scrapped 1969 | 1961 | XG460 L RAF | XG460: FF 5 May 1961 | ||||
13356 scrapped 1965 | 1960 | XG461 RAF; w/o 31dec64 | |||||
13357 scrapped 1964 | 1961 | XG462 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG462, 02Oct61; w/o 05Oct63; soc 21Jan64; nose pres at... | |||||
13358 w/o 1964 | 1961 | XG463 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1, XG463, 03Nov61; w/o 30Oct64. | |||||
13359 scrapped 1969 | 1961 | XG464 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG464, 06Dec61; soc and scr at No.389 MU Seletar, Sing... | |||||
13360 w/o 1962 | 1961 | XG465 J del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG465, 06Dec61; w/o 30Jul62. | |||||
13361 scrapped 1968 | 1962 | XG466 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG466, 10Jan62; soc and scr at No.389 MU Seletar, Sin... | |||||
13362 scrapped 1969 | 1962 | XG467 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG467, 08Mar62; soc and scr at No.389 MU Seletar, Sin... | |||||
13363 scrapped 1969 | 1962 | XG468 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG468, 20Feb62; w/o 25Jan68; soc and scr at No.389 MU ... | |||||
13364 w/o 1963 | 1962 | XG473 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG473, 29May62; w/o 04May63. | |||||
13365 | 1962 | XG474 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG474, 08Jun62; soc 20Mar69; pres in 66 Sqn marks, O, ... | |||||
13366 w/o 1963 | 1962 | XG475 del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG475, 10May62; w/o 05Dec63; soc and scr at No.71 MU B... | |||||
13367 scrapped 1968 | 1962 | XG476 P del RAF as Belvedere HC.1 XG476, 11Oct62; soc and scr at No.389 MU Seletar, Sing... | XG476: FF at Oldmixon; 16th and final production build. |
No longer with this org.