Westland Widgeon (helicopter)

Infobox Aircraft
name= Westland Widgeon


caption=
type=Helicopter
manufacturer=Westland
designer=
first flight= 23 August, 1955
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=
more users=
produced=
number built=about 15 [http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/west_dragon.php]
unit cost=
developed from = Westland Dragonfly
variants with their own articles =:"For the 1924 aeroplane, see Westland Widgeon (fixed wing)"

The Westland Widgeon was a Westland company private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter.

Design and development

The Westland company decided to make a private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter by increasing the cabin capacity and replacing the Dragonfly's rotor head, blades and gearbox by the units used in the Westland Whirlwind. Three Dragonfly Series 1As were converted to WS-51 Series 2 Widgeons and the first one flew on 23 August 1955.

There was a plan to take up to 24 existing Fleet Air Arm Dragonflies to Dragonfly HC.7 standard (as the Naval Widgeon was to become) but this was abandoned and it contributed to the decision to stop progress.

Operational history

The Widgeon was a technical triumph and Widgeons flew in many parts of the world but it never achieved commercial success.

Operators

Military operators

;flag|Biafra
*Biafran Air Force operated three helicopters.;BRA
*Brazilian Navy operated three helicopters.;flag|Ceylon
*Royal Ceylon Air Force operated two helicopters.;flag|Hong Kong|colonial
*Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force;JPN;JOR
*Royal Jordanian Air Force operated two helicopters.;NGR
*Nigerian Air Force captured one Biafran helicopted at Udi and impressed into service as "NAF510".

Civilian operators

;flag|Hong Kong|colonial
*Hong Kong Police operated two helicopters.;UK
*Bristow Helicopters

pecifications (Widgeon)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=copter
jet or prop?=prop

ref=British Aircraft Directory [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=590 British Aircraft Directory]

crew=1
capacity=4 passengers
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 41 ft 10 in
length alt=
span main=49 ft 2 in
span alt=
height main=13 ft 4 in
height alt=
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 4,322 lb
empty weight alt= 1,960 kg
loaded weight main= 5,900 lb
loaded weight alt= 2,676 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=

engine (prop)=Alvis Leonides 521/2
type of prop=nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine
number of props=
power main= 520 hp
power alt=
power original=
power more=

propeller or rotor?=rotor
propellers=Three-blade metal
number of propellers per engine= 1
propeller diameter main=
propeller diameter alt=

max speed main= 109 mph
max speed alt= 177 km/h
max speed more=at sea level
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
cruise speed more
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ferry range main=
ferry range alt=
ferry range more=
ceiling main= 11,800 ft
ceiling alt= 3,597 m
climb rate main= 700 ft/min
climb rate alt=
climb rate more=at sea level
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

armament=
guns=
bombs=
rockets=
missiles=
hardpoints=
hardpoint capacity=

avionics=

References

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Westland Dragonfly
* Westland Whirlwind (helicopter)
similar aircraft=
sequence=
lists=
see also=