Here’s the link to the section on the old forums, if anyone wishes to access any information from there:
My Wessex HU.5 suggestion is up:
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1963 footage of Wessex HAS.1 (Commando) firing SS.11
Also shows a Whirlwind HAS.7 equipped with 2" rockets from a Matra No.6 launcher. And regarding the Whirlwind, there’s a snippet in this RAF periodical that states that in 1964, some Whirlwinds of No.225 Squadron were capable of firing SS.11
225 Sqn. operated the Whirlwind HAR.10 at this time
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This is quite interesting.
So far I have only personally see Whirlwinds with MG / Rocket installations. More info would be great:
Spoiler
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Might prove difficult to find images if only 3-4 Whirlwinds of a single squadron (225) were capable but there’s an IWM recording of an oral account of Whirlwind being equipped with SS.11
It’s in the 15th reel of 24, from 10:45 onwards:
We got to Singapore, and they demanded that I fly off all four Whirlwinds. Now, I knew that they just wanted one Whirlwind with the maximum amount of flying hours, fitted with Nord because we only had a few that were fitted and that it was to be used for training purposes.
…
It was required with the maximum flying hours so they could do the training for firing the Nord.
18:45 clarifies that the references are to the Nord SS.11 missile and goes on to describe its operation. Person being interviewed is unsure but says Whirlwind could carry 4 of them
Borneo Boys: RAF Helicopter Pilots in Action Indonesia Confrontation, 1962–66 by Roger Annett, might have a photo of Whirlwind HAR.10 XP358 with (a pair of?) empty SS.11 launchers on the port side above the front landing gear. But hard to tell for sure.
Searching within the book there are numerous references to Nord/SS.11 but I don’t have a copy of the book myself to read what the full context is
Big news! I never knew that the Whirlwinds got much in the way of armaments such as these, would definitely make an interesting vehicle to compliment the Wessex variants
I can ask for more info from the Secret Projects Forum. Hopefully that may help.
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The Post on SPF is up:
Can a throw in a request for ATAS to get a looking at. Been using the G-Lynx a lot in the past week. And my god they cant anything. Especially sub 2km.
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Ah awesome, but i think its also got some guidance issues. Just doesnt seem very… accurate, but maybe G limit increases will fix that
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I got a reply with the following link:
Quite interesting to say the least
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Which source is it?
Thanks!
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Anyone want a Wessex with a nuke?
XD
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Gaijin plz
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Coming to the conclusion that that the blue gunpod pictured with XW839 is probably a twin-7.62mm gunpod. There are a couple of images of the same kind of pod on the wings of a BN-2 Islander/Defender showing that it has two muzzle apertures. The pod on the wing of G-BCEM at the 1974 Farnborough air show are the same blue colour as the one with XW839 and the brown SUU-11 minigun pod is displayed on the other wing.
Some material on Islander/Defender refers to twin-7.62mm gunpods being one of the armament options.
Ed:- confirmed it’s a twin 7.62mm gun pod while reading up on the BAC Strikemaster
https://img-forum-wt-com.cdn.gaijin.net/original/3X/e/6/e606b3d72c633066ebacfc5a9a86161bd02f42a8.jpeg
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