- Yes
- No
Introduction: The Westland Wessex served as the backbone of the various helicopter fleets operated by each arm of the UK’s armed forces, with the most heavily armed variant being used by the Royal Marines.
Description: The Westland Wessex HU.5 replaced the earlier Wessex Commando Mk.1 which had been used to support the Royal Marines, and had saw action in Borneo. It was these helicopters that gave the Commando Helicopter Force the name, the Junglies. The HU.5 differed mainly in the use of two Rolls-Royce Gnome instead of a single Napier Gazelle engine, which gave more power, which allowed for heavier loads and greater performance. This is one way to distinguish between the two types, with the two smaller exhaust pipes signifying the Commando Mk.1, and a single, larger exhaust pipe on either side denoting an HU.5. HU.5s were also later fitted with a protective screen to prevent debris from coming into the intake, which was found to be an issue. The HU.5 was the most heavily armed variant out of the Wessex family, being able to use multiple different loadout options, including the AS.11, AS.12 and various types of guns and rockets.
Service: The HU.5s were used in the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation in the late 1960’s, in addition to use in Northern Ireland from the 1970’s, where they were fitted with added protection against small arms fire and MANPADs. These operations were vital, as they gave the ability to rapidly deploy and retrieve forces to and from combat zones without having to rely on road infrastructure, which was either of poor quality, mined or were too dangerous to navigate due to the threat of ambush. The HU.5 saw great use during the Falklands War in 1982, where they were used to deploy Royal Marines, SAS and SBS throughout the conflict, such as on the Falklands themselves and in Operation Paraquet, the recapture of South Georgia. The helicopters played a vital role throughout the conflict, deploying troops into combat, and ferrying supplies and the wounded between ships and shore bases. One odd engagement occurred when an HU.5 fired two AS.12s at the Port Stanley town hall in order to disrupt a meeting being held there by Argentine personnel. Both missed, with one hitting some telegraph poles, the other hitting the roof of a police station. A total of eight HU.5s were lost during the conflict, with two being lost on the Fortuna Glacier on South Georgia, and six when the Atlantic Conveyor was lost. The type also saw service in the search and rescue role, where the reliability of the Wessex was much appreciated, in addition to the extra power given by the two Gnomes as compared to a singular Gazelle. The HU.5 was retired from service in 1988.
Performance:
Spoiler
Název:
Name: Westland Wessex HU Mk.5 Westland Wessex HU Mk.5
Originální název:
Original Name: Westland Wessex HU Mk.5
Kategorie:
Category: transportní vrtulník cargo helicopter
Výrobce:
Producer: DD.MM.1963-01.10.1966 Westland Aircraft Ltd., Yeovil
01.10.1966-DD.MM.1968 Westland Helicopters Ltd., Yeovil
Období výroby:
Production Period: DD.MM.1963-DD.MM.1968
Vyrobeno kusů:
Number of Produced: 100
První vzlet:
Maiden Flight: 31.05.1963
Osádka:
Crew: 1-3
Základní charakteristika:
Basic Characteristics:
Uspořádání rotorů:
Rotor Configuration: hlavní a vyrovnávací rotor main and antitorque rotor
Podvozek:
Undercarriage: pevný fixed
Přistávací zařízení:
Landing Gear: kola wheels
Technické údaje:
Technical Data:
Hmotnost prázdného vrtulníku:
Empty Weight: 3927 kg 8657 lb
Vzletová hmotnost:
Take-off Weight: ? kg ? lb
Maximální vzletová hmotnost:
Maximum Take-off Weight: 6123 kg 13500 lb
Délka s otáčejícími se rotory:
Length with Rotors Turning: 20.07 m 65ft 10in
Délka trupu:
Fuselage Length: 14.74 m 48ft 4.5in
Šířka trupu:
Fuselage Width: ? m ?
Celková výška:
Overall Height: 4.93 m 16ft 2in
Průměr hlavního rotoru:
Main Rotor Diameter: 17.07 m 56ft
Průměr vyrovnávacího rotoru:
Tail Rotor Diameter: 2.9 m 9ft 6in
Plocha disku hlavního rotoru:
Main Rotor Disc Area: 228.82 m2 2463 ft2
Plocha disku vyrovnávacího rotoru:
Tail Rotor Disc Area: 6.58 m2 70.88 ft2
Pohon:
Propulsion:
Kategorie:
Category: turbohřídelový turboshaft
Počet motorů:
Number of engines: 2
Typ:
Type: Bristol Siddeley Gnome Mk.110/Mk.111 o výkonu 1081 kW Bristol Siddeley Gnome Mk.110/Mk.111, power 1350 shp
Objem palivových nádrží:
Fuel Tank Capacity: 1409 l
2x 455 l přídavná nádrž 310 Imp gal
2x 100 Imp gal drop tank
Výkony:
Performance:
Maximální rychlost:
Maximum Speed: 212.4 km/h v 0 m 132 mph in 0 ft
Cestovní rychlost:
Cruise Speed: 194.7 km/h v ? m 121 mph in ? ft
Rychlost stoupání:
Climb Rate: 8.4 m/s 1650 ft/min
Statický dostup:
Static Ceiling: 1676 m 5500 ft
Dynamický dostup:
Dynamic Ceiling: 4298 m 14100 ft
Dolet:
Range: 498.9 km 310 mi
Maximální dolet:
Maximum Range: 769.3 km 478 mi
Přepravní kapacita:
Transport Capacity: 16 vojáků nebo
8 nosítek
2087 kg nákladu 16 troops or
7 stretchers
4600 lb of cargo
Výzbroj a vybavení:
Armament and Equipment:
Výzbroj:
Armament: Možnost nést:
4x AS.11
2x AS.12
2x raketnice
1x kulomet ráže 7,62 mm na podvozku
1x pohyblivý kulomet ráže 7,62 mm nebo 12,7 mm ve dveřích Provision for:
4x AS.11
2x AS.12
2x 2.75 in rocket pod
1x undercarriage-mounted 7.62 mm machine-gun
1x door-mounted flexible 7.62 mm or .50 in machine-gun
Vybavení:
Equipment: - -
Uživatelské státy:
User States:
Poznámka:
Note: - -
Zdroje:
Sources: James, Derek N. Westland Aircraft since 1915. Putnam, London 1991. ISBN 0-85177-847-X.
Taylor, John W. R. Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft 1965-1966. Sampson Low, Marston & Co, London 1965.
Thetford, Owen. Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918. Putnam Aeronautical Books, London 1976. ISBN 0-37010-056-5.
Thetford, Owen. British Naval Aircraft since 1912. Naval Institute Press, Annopolis 1991, ISBN 1-55750-076-2.
Hancock, Terry. Directory of Britain’s Military Aircraft Volume 2. The History Press, Stroud 2010. ISBN 978-0-7524-7532-8.
Conclusion: I believe that the Wessex would make for a great helicopter in the UK tech tree, helping bolster the tech tree and give more options in the tree.
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