
By Dave Taskis |
One of the six Sikorsky S-51s imported by Westland was chartered by the RN for trials on board HMS Vengeance in Jan 1949, while the Westland development programme continued. This was handed back in May 1949 and resulted in an order for 13 Dragonfly HR.1 (with wooden main rotors). First HR.1s came off the line in mid 1949 but were very sensitive to centre of gravity position. Between 13 Jan 1950 and Jun 1950, 705 Naval Air Squadron received 12 Dragonfly HR.1 with the UK Alvis Leonides 50 engine, replacing the Hoverfly. Much work was done in developing Search and Rescue (SAR), plane guard and Small Ships technique. The Dragonfly replaced the Sea Otter in the SAR role and it also served as a plane guard, during fixed wing carrier operations (replacing a Destroyer and around 250 souls in the role) recovering the crew in case of deck accidents. 1st SAR Dragonfly unit embarked on HMS Indomitable on 12 Jan 1951. 2nd SAR unit on HMS Glory from Apr 1951 and rescued downed pilots during the Korean War. These were followed into service by another 58 Dragonfly HR.3 (with metal main rotors). They served at numerous Station SAR Flights and aboard the UK carrier fleet. RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar) was the 1st shore station to equip its SAR Flight with Dragonfly in Mar 1953. 15 RN shore stations and 9 RN carriers operated SAR Flights during the 1950s. The Dragonfly HR.5 was an improved Royal Naval variant with a more powerful Alvis Leonides 5/231 engine, better communication equipment and instrumentation, introduced from 1953 (after lessons learned from the Dutch floods) by conversion of 25 existing HR.1 and HR.3 airframes, some converted at RNAY Donibristle. In some ways, the Dragonfly had a second wind in Fleet Air Arm service, as several were re-issued to Carrier SAR Flights (eg WP495) during the period that the Whirlwind HAS.7 was being re-worked to solve its initial engine problems. There was a single Dragonfly planeguard:
705 NAS operated Dragonfly types until its last HR.5 was retired in Mar 1962. The last Dragonfly HR.1 were retired from BRNC Flight at Plymouth in Jun 1967. Total of 71 HR.1, HR.3 and HR.5 were built, the last being delivered in Sep 1953. Overall, the Dragonfly served the RN with reliability and distinction for 17 years. ![]() |
Units | |
Years | Units | bold : Current base of the Unit |
1961/63 | 771 NAS ![]() | Portland Heliport |
1959 | 700 NAS | RNAS Yeovilton |
1958/60 | 727 NAS | Brawdy |
1957/62 | 705 NAS | RNAS Culdrose Lee-on-Solent |
1957/58 | 701 NAS | Lee-on-Solent |
1952/60 | 705 NAS | RNAS Culdrose Lee-on-Solent ![]() HMS Siskin ![]() |
1952/59 | 728 NAS | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
1952/54 | 744 NAS | Eglinton / Londonderry |
1950/53 | 705 NAS | ![]() Portland Heliport HMS Siskin ![]() |
Platform | |
Classes |
CV Nairana class |
CV Illustrious class |
CV Audacious class |
CV Centaur class |
C Fiji class |
AO Vidal class |
List of Aircraft | Help Us | |
C/N | Mod | Built | ID In this Org | In other Org | |||
wa/h/008 | hr.1 | 1949 | VX595: Spent time in storage variously at Fleetlands, Gosport and P+![]() | ![]() ![]() Assignments at AFEE Beaulieu Jul and Nov 1949, and Jan + ![]() conv HR.3 at Yeovil by 1953 ![]() conv HR.5 at RNAY Donibristle from Nov 1956 to Jun 195+ ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||
wa/h/009 | hr.1 | 1949 | VX596: 705Sq Jun 1950, 705Sq/710-GJ by Jul 1951; Warrior Flt Nov 1+![]() | ||||
wa/h/010 ![]() | hr.1 | 1949 | VX597: Built as HR.1 ff Oct 1949. 705Sq by Jan 1950, Indomitable SA+![]() | - VX597: Open storage at Blackbushe by ; sold to Yateley Commerc+ ![]() | |||
wa/h/013 | hr.1 | 1949 | VX598: del RN as Dragonfly HR.1![]() | ||||
wa/h/021 | hr.1 | 1950 | VZ962: ff 18 May 1950 and del RNAS Gosport 13 Oct 1950. 705Sqn by N+![]() | ![]() ![]() - VZ962: to British Rotorcraft Museum W-s-M by , still Dec 1993.+ ![]() | |||
wa/h/022 ![]() | hr.1 | 1950 | VZ963: ff 14 Jun 1950, dd 3 Oct 1950 Gosport to 705 Sq;RFA Fort Duq+![]() | ||||
wa/h/023 ![]() | hr.1 | 1950 | VZ964: ff Aug 1950. 705 Sq by Jan 1951; shipped to Far East aboard +![]() | ||||
wa/h/024 | hr.1 | 1950 | VZ965: ![]() ![]() | ||||
wa/h/033 ![]() | hr.3 | 1952 | WG663: ![]() ![]() | ||||
wa/h/034 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG664: ![]() ![]() | ||||
wa/h/035 ![]() | hr.3 | 1952 | WG665: ![]() ![]() | ||||
wa/h/037 ![]() | hr.3 | 1952 | WG667: ![]() ![]() | ||||
wa/h/039 ![]() | hr.3 | 1952 | WG669: ![]() ![]() | ||||
wa/h/040 | 1951 | WG670: dd to RN, soc to Blackbushe open storage.![]() | - WG670: to Historic Aircraft Museum, Southend c . Damaged by fi+ ![]() | ||||
wa/h/041 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG671: ![]() ![]() | ||||
wa/h/047 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG709: 709-GJ 901 922-FD 977-C 982-FD to 705 NAS mid Oct 1952![]() | ||||
wa/h/049 | hr.3 | 1950 | WG718: HR.3 Del RN![]() | - WG718: Stored at Long Marston from early , until Jul 1995. ![]() Spares use by Yorkshire Helicopter Preservation Group J+ ![]() | |||
![]() | wa/h/050 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG719: ff 19 Sep 1952 as HR.3 Hal Far SAR Flt/901-HF by Jan 1953.![]() | - G-BRMA: To Weston-super-Mare Apr 1976, for British Rotorcraft + ![]() - WG719: pictured as WG719 in bare metal finish at Internationa+ ![]() | ||
wa/h/053 ![]() | hr.3 | 1952 | WG722: ff 16 Oct 1952, dd 9 Dec 1952 Gosport. To Malta in HMS Indom+![]() | ||||
wa/h/055 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG724: 932-LM HR.3 built at Yeovil. ff Oct 1952, del RN 17 Nov 1952.![]() | ||||
wa/h/058 ![]() | hr.3 | 1952 | WG748: ![]() ![]() | ||||
wa/h/059 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG749: ff Nov 1952 as HR, dd Dec 1952 to RNAS Gosport. Lossiemouth +![]() | ||||
![]() | wa/h/061 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG751: ff Nov 1952; 705Sq/710-GJ by Mar 1953; Yeovilton Stn Flt/948+![]() | - WG751: Feb 1968 to Wisbech until c Jul 1972; Aug 1972 to scrap+ ![]() Chatham Historic Dockyard; Moved between several scrap+ ![]() Jun09 pictured at the Chatham Historic Dockyard ( The w+ Sep16 still at Chatham Historic Dockyard ![]() Feb19 still at Chatham dockyard. Rotor has been removed+ ![]() Oct19 still at Chatham dock yard. Rotor fitted. ![]() | ||
wa/h/062 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG752: del RN Dec 1952; 728 Sq / 903 by May 1953; Ark Royal SAR Flt+![]() | - WG752: Sold to CCF at Alleyns School, Dulwich Jun 1970, still + ![]() To IWM Duxford Dec 1985, until c Aug 1991. ![]() To Aviodome Museum, Schipol by Sep 1991 ![]() | |||
![]() | wa/h/064 | hr.3 | 1952 | WG754: 912-CU RN Dragonfly HR.3 d/d 15dec52;
conv to HR.5;
15jul97 picture+ | |||
wa/h/066 | hr.3 | 1952 | WH990: ff 26 Jan1953, dd RN 13 Feb 1953![]() | ||||
![]() | wa/h/067 | hr.3 | 1952 | WH991: 917-GN ff 4 Feb 1953 as HR.3, dd 24 Feb 1953 to RN at Gosport. To H+![]() | |||
wa/h/068 ![]() | hr.3 | 1953 | WH992: 16 Feb 1953 first flew at Yeovil; Del Mar 1953 to Gosport![]() | ||||
wa/h/069 | hr.3 | 1953 | WN492: 934-LM Feb 1953 flew at Yeovil on 25 Feb; del Gosport 19 Mar 1953; +![]() | ||||
wa/h/070 | hr.3 | 1953 | WN493: del Mar 1953 to Gosport as HR.3; 705 Sq / 703-GJ by Sep 1954+![]() | ||||
wa/h/071 | hr.3 | 1953 | WN494: Mar 1953 ff at Yeovil; Apr 1953 del RN at Gosport; May 1953 +![]() | ||||
wa/h/072 ![]() | hr.3 | 1953 | WN495: 707-GJ 711-GJ to Donibristle until late Mar 1955.![]() | ||||
wa/h/073 | hr.3 | 1953 | WN496: Apr 1953 to Ford SAR Flt / 981-FD until c Mar 1954; c Apr 19+![]() | ||||
wa/h/074 | hr.3 | 1953 | WN497: Mar 1953 first flew Yeovil; Apr 1953 del Gosport; Jul 1953 t+![]() | ||||
wa/h/076 | hr.3 | 1953 | WN499: HR.3 ff 21 Apr 1953, Illustrious SAR Flt May 1953![]() | Torbay Aircraft Museum WN499: Torbay Aircraft Museum Jun 1971, /-Y still there 1974, + ![]() to Caernarfon Airworld by still Apr 1996, in poor cond+ ![]() Yorkshire Helicopter Preservation Group Jun 2006. Still+ ![]() | |||
wa/h/077 | hr.3 | 1953 | WN500: Indomitable SAR Flt by Jul 1953; 705 Sq/704-GJ by Sep 1953; +![]() | ||||
wa/h/078 | hr.3 | 1953 | WP493: ff May 1953 as HR.3 and dd May 1953 to RNAS Gosport. Lossiem+![]() | ||||
wa/h/079 ![]() | hr.3 | 1953 | WP494: 11 May 1953 first flight at Yeovil; del Jun 1953 to Gosport.![]() | ||||
wa/h/080 | hr.3 | 1953 | WP495: ff 20 May 1953 as HR.3 at Yeovil; Del to Gosport![]() | ![]() ![]() RAF Dragonfly HR.3 f/f 20may53; 14jul58 conv HR.5; feb+ to King's School CCF, Wimbledon ![]() displayed at Warnham War Museum by Mar 1976 ![]() - G-AJOV: preserved at Royal Air Force Air Museum, Cosford to Morayvia Sci-Tech museum, Kinloss 27 Jul 2017, re-pa+ ![]() still at Morayvia but painted as WP495 / 915-LM by date+ ![]() | |||
wa/h/082 | hr.3 | 1953 | WP497: To AHU Sembawang in HMS Perseus by Sep 1953; HMS Warrior SAR+![]() | ||||
wa/h/083 ![]() | hr.3 | 1953 | WP498: dd Jul 1953 to RNAS Gosport as HR.3. 4 month loan to RAN abo+![]() | ||||
wa/h/086 ![]() | hr.3 | 1953 | WP501: 903-HF RN d/d Aug 1953; 728Sq / 903-HF Hal Far Station Flt, still A+![]() | ||||
wa/h/087 ![]() | hr.3 | 1953 | WP502: 902-BY 904-LM 983-B to Lossiemouth Stn Flt as /904-LM, subsequently to /902-LM.![]() | ||||
wa/h/088 | 1953 | WP503: to CAA Fire School Stansted by ![]() | - WP503: to Humberside Aviation Museum in Jun 1976, wearing /901+ ![]() to Bomber County Aviation Museum , until 1996. ![]() Sunk in lake at Capernwray Diving Centre, Lancs by Apr + ![]() | ||||
wa/h/089 ![]() | hr.3 | 1953 | WP504: del Sep 1953; Illustrious SAR Flt by Oct 1953, rotors struck+![]() | - WP504: To Anglo Diesel co.. To Blackbushe by road Apr 1965 for+ ![]() | |||