GP062 BEA WESTLAND DRAGONFLY

Westland WS-51 Dragonfly was a multipurpose metal helicopter of British production with a fixed, three-support landing gear in a classic arrangement with a main rotor and a tail rotor on the beam. The flight of the first prototype took place in 1948, and serial production continued in 1949-1953. A total of about 135 copies of this helicopter were created. The machine, in the Mk. IA, was 17.54 meters long, and the main rotor diameter was approx. 15 meters. The drive was provided by a single Alvis Leonidas 521/1 engine with 520 HP. The decision to manufacture Dragonfly machines was made at Westland Aircraft shortly after the end of World War II and was to introduce the plant to the emerging helicopter market. However, in order to minimize the time spent on research and development and to minimize the risk of failure, Westland Aircraft purchased a license from Sikorsky for the Sikorsky H-5 machine. And it was this helicopter, after many modifications, was called Westland WS-51 Dragonfly in Great Britain. The two helicopters mentioned differed primarily in the power unit used, but also in many mechanical elements. The Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter was operated by the Royal Navy as a rescue machine (e.g. HR1. And HR.3 versions) and by the RAF in the same role (HC.2 and HC.4 versions). The machine also hit the civilian market under the designation Westland-Sikorsky WS-51 Dragonfly Mk.IA and B. Units on the civilian market differed from each other in the power unit used.