Westland dragonfly
in
Fleet Air Arm

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:

• on HMS Eagle (R05) between 1952 and 1959
• on HMS Albion (R07) & HMS Centaur (R06) from 1954 to 1960
• on HMS Bulwark (R08) 1955-1958
• on HMS Ark Royal (R09) from 1955 to 1960 and
• on HMS Hermes (R12) from 1960 to early 1962.

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.

Plans for 18 further Dragonfly HR.3s (WP505-WP510 and WV933-WV944) were cancelled by the RN.