Anti-submarine helicopter, British, 1962-2000
The
Westland Wasp
is a small 1960s British turbine-powered, shipboard anti-submarine helicopter. Produced by
Westland Helicopters
, it came from the same Saunders-Roe
P.531
programme as the
British Army
Westland Scout
, and is based on the earlier piston-engined
Saunders-Roe Skeeter
. It fulfilled the requirement of the
Royal Navy
for a helicopter small enough to land on the deck of a
frigate
and carry a useful load of two homing torpedoes.
Design and development
[
edit
]
The increasing speed and attack range of the
submarine
threat, and the increased range at which this threat could be detected, led to a Royal Navy requirement for a "Manned Torpedo-Carrying Helicopter" (MATCH). Contemporary shipboard weapons did not have the necessary range, therefore MATCH was in essence a
stand-off weapon
with the helicopter carrying the torpedo or other weapon to the target and being instructed when and where to drop it.
[1]
Unlike the larger
Westland Wessex
, the Wasp carried no sonar of its own, and was limited strictly to working in partnership with its parent ship, other ships or other anti-submarine warfare (ASW) units.
[2]
First Wasp at the SBAC show 1962, a month before the first flight
The first prototype Saro P.531 flew on 20 July 1958,
[3]
with the prototypes being subject to detailed testing by the Royal Navy, including the evaluation of several undercarriage layouts, before settling on the definitive arrangement. An order for a pre-production batch of two "Sea Scouts" was placed in September 1961. The first flight of the two pre-production Wasp took place on 28 October 1962.
[4]
Full production soon commenced, 98 in total being procured for the RN. The Wasp was successfully exported to Brazil, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Africa. 133 aircraft were built in total.
[5]
Wasp was essentially a
navalised
Scout, indeed it was originally to be called the
Sea Scout
, and differed mainly in design details. It had a unique 4-wheeled
castering
undercarriage that allowed the aircraft to be manoeuvred on small, pitching flightdecks. The Wasp could use "negative pitch" from the rotor-blades to enable the aircraft to "adhere" to the deck until the lashings were attached. Additional fuel tankage was installed in the cabin floor, and both the tail boom and main rotor blades were foldable to allow stowage in the small hangars fitted to the first generation helicopter-carrying escorts. It was fitted with a winch above the starboard rear door, and also had the capacity to carry underslung loads from the semi-automatic cargo release unit mounted under the fuselage. With a crew of two (Pilot and Missile Aimer/Aircrewman) and the capacity to seat three passengers, Wasp was useful for short-range transport missions, and for casualty evacuation with room for one stretcher fitted across the rear cabin area.
Later modifications included the ability to carry the Nord
SS.11
wire-guided missile, with the fitting of the Aimer's sight in the left cockpit roof, and the installation of large inflatable emergency floats in sponsons on either side of the cabin to prevent capsizing of the top-heavy aircraft in the event of
ditching
. The SS.11 had limited range, targeting small surface targets such as patrol boats or shore positions, and was later replaced by the
AS.12
, which effectively had double the range.
Operational history
[
edit
]
Royal Navy
[
edit
]
Wasp from
HMS
Galatea
landing personnel on
Aldabra
atoll, Indian Ocean (1970)
The Wasp HAS.1 was introduced to service in the small ships role in 1964, after an intensive period of trials by
700(W) Intensive Flying Trials Unit
between June 1963 and March 1964. It served in this primary role with
829 Naval Air Squadron
, but also in training units to supply crews for the front line with
706 NAS
between 1965 and 1967 and in
703 NAS
between 1972 and 1981. Single airframes also served for light liaison duties in the Commando Assault squadrons,
845 NAS
and
848 NAS
, until 1973. Although effective as a submarine killer, it was best deployed paired with a Wessex HAS.3 submarine hunter. In the late 1970s, the
Westland Lynx
started to replace the Wasp.
On 25 April 1982 the Argentinian submarine
ARA
Santa Fe
was spotted by a Wessex helicopter from
HMS
Antrim
. The Wessex and a Lynx HAS.2 from
HMS
Brilliant
then attacked it with
depth charges
, a
Mk 46 torpedo
, and also
strafed
it with
General Purpose Machine Gun
. A Wasp launched from
HMS
Plymouth
and two Wasps launched from
HMS
Endurance
fired
AS.12
anti-ship missiles at the submarine, scoring hits.
Santa Fe
was damaged badly enough to prevent her from submerging. The crew abandoned the submarine at the jetty on
South Georgia
and surrendered to the British forces, thus becoming the first casualty of the sea war, as well as the first direct engagement by the Royal Navy Task Force.
The last Wasp was withdrawn from service in 1988 when the last of the Type 12
Rothesay
-class
frigates was decommissioned.
Royal Malaysian Navy
[
edit
]
The Wasp came into service with the
Royal Malaysian Navy
quite late, compared to the other nations who procured the aircraft when it joined the RMN on 8 April 1988. The Wasp had a relatively short career and was phased out ten years later, replaced by the
Eurocopter Fennec
.
Royal New Zealand Navy
[
edit
]
The first four of an eventual nineteen Wasps were purchased by the
Royal New Zealand Navy
(RNZN) in 1966, being immediately assigned to the new
Leander
-class
frigate,
HMNZS
Waikato
. They fulfilled numerous tasks, as well as taking part in the
Armilla Patrol
in the
Persian Gulf
during the 1980s. The Wasps were flown by RNZN pilots but maintained by ground crews of
No. 3 Squadron RNZAF
.
In 1997, four Wasps performed a
flypast
marking the arrival of the new
Anzac
-class
frigate
,
HMNZS
Te Kaha
.
The Wasp served 32 years with the RNZN, retiring in 1998, the same year HMNZS
Waikato
, which first operationally deployed the Wasp in New Zealand, was herself decommissioned. They were replaced by the
Kaman SH-2 Seasprite
as a stopgap until the arrival of their SH-2G(NZ).
Royal Netherlands Navy
[
edit
]
Wasp HAS.1 (AH-12A) of the Dutch
Koninklijke Marine
, 1967
With the
Royal Netherlands Navy
beginning in the late 1960s, after the fire onboard
HNLMS
Karel Doorman
, NATO anti-submarine commitments were taken over by a squadron of Westland Wasp helicopters, operated from six
Van Speijk
-class
anti-submarine frigates. The shore base was at
De Kooy Airfield
. The Royal Netherlands Navy 860 Naval Air Squadron received 12 Wasp helicopters between November 1966 and June 1967, operated from
Van Speijk
-class frigates as AH-12As and flown in the ASW role. The last of the Dutch Wasps were withdrawn from service in 1981 when they were replaced by the
Westland Lynx
.
Other operators
[
edit
]
The Wasp was also in service with the
Brazilian
,
Indonesian
, and
South African
navies. The Indonesian aircraft were all former Dutch aircraft and the last of the type in active service.
The last of the ten surplus Dutch Navy helicopters refurbished by Westland for the Indonesian Navy was grounded in 1998. Flown by 400th Air Squadron (RON 400) from
NAS Juanda
, when at sea they were embarked upon the Indonesian Navy's ex-Royal Navy
Tribal-class
and ex-Dutch Navy
Van Speijk
class frigates.
The Brazilian Navy operated the Wasp as the UH-2 & UH-2A, taking delivery of three new build helicopters in April 1966 and a further seven ex-Royal Navy helicopters in 1977. 1º
Esquadrao de Helicopteros de Emprego Geral
(HU-1) flew the helicopters from Navy's
Gearing
and
Allen M. Sumner
-class destroyers and the
Niteroi
-class
frigates.
The South African Navy received their first batch of ten new-build airframes in 1963, followed by the delivery of a second batch of eight from 1973. Only six of this batch were delivered due to the international arms embargo placed on South Africa during the apartheid regime. The Wasps were flown by 22 Flight from
Ysterplaat
; the unit became 22 Squadron, Maritime Command in 1976. The helicopters were operated from the navy's
President-class
frigates. The South African Navy also acquired one ex-Bahrain Public Security Force airframe as an instructional airframe to support its Wasp programme. The South African Navy withdrew their last Wasp in 1990.
Variants
[
edit
]
Westland Wasp HAS.1
- Sea Scout HAS.1
- The Sea Scout HAS.1 was the original Royal Navy designation for the Wasp.
- Wasp HAS.1
- Shipboard anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Royal Navy.
Operators
[
edit
]
Brazil
Indonesia
Malaysia
Netherlands
A Brazilian Wasp hovering over
USS
Mahan
, in 1977.
New Zealand
South Africa
United Kingdom
Aircraft on display
[
edit
]
- Brazil
- Wasp HAS.1
N-7039
, which was
XT433
in the Royal Navy from 1965 to 1978, is on display at Campo Dos Afonsos.
- Germany
- Wasp HAS.1 (XS569) is on display at the Flugaustellung L&P Junior, Hermeskeil.
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Wasp HAS.1
M499-01
, which was
XV636
in the Royal Navy, is on display at the Royal Pahang Museum, Pekan, Malaysia.
- Wasp HAS.1
M499-07
, which was
XT426
in the Royal Navy from 1965 to 1992, is on display at the Maritime Museum, Malacca, Malaysia.
- New Zealand
- Netherlands
- AH-12A Wasp
235
of the "Marineluchtvaartdienst" (MLD), former Royal Navy Wasp HAS.1
XT795
, is on display at the Traditiekamer Marineluchtvaartdienst at De Kooy.
- United Kingdom: airworthy
- G-BYCX a former South African Wasp Mk 1B is owned by Military Vehicle Solutions Ltd. in Dunchurch, Rugby.
[17]
- G-CBUI a former Royal Navy (
XT420
) Wasp HAS.1 is owned by the Fly Navy Heritage Trust at
RNAS Yeovilton
and flies in Royal Navy markings as
XT420
.
[17]
- G-CGGK a former
829 NAS
Wasp HAS.1 (was RN serial number
XT434
) is owned by Aeromedical Training Ltd. in Wiltshire.
[17]
- G-CMBE (previously registered as G-KANZ) a former Royal Navy (
XT782
) and former RNZN (
NZ3909
) Wasp HAS.1 is privately owned and flies in RNZN markings as
NZ3909
.
[17]
[18]
- G-KAXT a former Royal Navy (
XT787
) and Royal New Zealand Navy (
NZ3905
) Wasp HAS.1 is privately owned in Hampshire and, as a frequent visitor to airshows, is flown in Royal Navy south Atlantic camouflage scheme wearing the badge of HMS Endurance and its original tail number of
XT787
.
[17]
[19]
- G-RIMM a former Royal Navy (
XT435
) and RNZN (
NZ3907
) Wasp HAS.1 is privately owned and flies marked as
XT435
.
[17]
- United Kingdom: on display
- United Kingdom: stored or under restoration
A small number of helicopters are still used by the military and technical colleges for maintenance and engineering training.
Specifications (Wasp HAS.1)
[
edit
]
Data from
Westland Aircraft since 1915
[27]
General characteristics
- Crew:
1 pilot, 1 Aircrewman
- Capacity:
up to 4 passengers
- Length:
40 ft 4 in (12.29 m) overall, 30 ft 4 in (9.24 m) fuselage only
- Height:
8 ft 11 in (2.72 m)
- Empty weight:
3,452 lb (1,566 kg)
- Max takeoff weight:
5,500 lb (2,495 kg)
- Powerplant:
1 ×
Rolls-Royce Nimbus 103
turboshaft
engine, 710 shp (530 kW) de-rated from 1,050 shp (783 kW)
- Main rotor diameter:
32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
- Main rotor area:
816.9 sq ft (75.89 m
2
)
Performance
- Maximum speed:
104 kn (120 mph, 193 km/h)
- Cruise speed:
96 kn (110 mph, 178 km/h)
- Range:
263 nmi (303 mi, 487 km)
- Service ceiling:
12,200 ft (3,700 m)
- Rate of climb:
1,440 ft/min (7.3 m/s)
- Disk loading:
6.75 lb/sq ft (33.0 kg/m
2
)
- Power/mass
:
0.19 hp/lb (0.31 kW/kg)
Armament
See also
[
edit
]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
[
edit
]
Citations
[
edit
]
- ^
Friedman 2006, pp. 245?246.
- ^
James 1991, pp. 347, 372.
- ^
James 1991, p.365.
- ^
James 1991, pp.371?372.
- ^
Donald and Lake 1996, p.439.
- ^
"Forca aeronaval da marinha"
.
Archived
from the original on 14 October 2012
. Retrieved
11 February
2013
.
- ^
"tentara nasional indonesia angkatan laut - HAS Wasp"
.
Archived
from the original on 14 October 2012
. Retrieved
11 February
2013
.
- ^
"Indonesia--Navy Westland-Wasp"
. Demand media.
Archived
from the original on 4 March 2016
. Retrieved
10 February
2013
.
- ^
"Tentara Laut Diraja Malaysia"
.
Archived
from the original on 14 October 2012
. Retrieved
11 February
2013
.
- ^
a
b
"WORLD HELICOPTER MARKET 1968 Pg. 54"
. flightglobal.com.
Archived
from the original on 31 July 2013
. Retrieved
11 February
2013
.
- ^
"Westland-Wasp HAS Mk1"
. saspresidentkruger.com.
Archived
from the original on 4 March 2016
. Retrieved
10 February
2013
.
- ^
"Westland Wasp (XS527)"
. fleetairarm.com.
Archived
from the original on 22 February 2013
. Retrieved
11 February
2013
.
- ^
Airliners.net
- ^
Google Maps images
- ^
"RNZAF Museum - Wigram"
. /www.warbirdsite.com.
Archived
from the original on 7 January 2010
. Retrieved
14 September
2009
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
"GINFO Search Results Summary - Westland Wasp"
. United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority.
Archived
from the original on 6 June 2011
. Retrieved
14 September
2009
.
- ^
Ellis 2008
, p. 54
- ^
Owner, TMartin statement 2016
- ^
Ellis 2008
, p. 192
- ^
Ellis 2008
, p. 22
- ^
Ellis 2008
, p. 190
- ^
Ellis 2008
, p. 43
- ^
Ellis 2008
, p. 193
- ^
Ellis 2008
, p. 76
- ^
"BDAC Exhibit - Westland Wasp"
. Boscombe Down Aviation Collection.
Archived
from the original on 1 February 2015
. Retrieved
1 February
2015
.
- ^
James 1991, p.76.
- ^
"AVIA 65/1862 E70"
. The National Archives, London. 23 August 2011.
Archived
from the original on 23 August 2011.
- ^
Burnell, Brian.
"WE.177C"
.
Archived
from the original on 13 March 2010
. Retrieved
17 November
2009
.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Burden, Rodney A., Draper, Michael I., Rough, Douglas A., Smith, Colin R. and Wilton, David.
Falklands: The Air War
. Twickenham, UK: British Aviation Research Group, 1986.
ISBN
0-906339-05-7
.
- Donald, David and Lake, Jon. (eds.)
Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft
. London:Aerospace Publishing, Single volume edition, 1996.
ISBN
1-874023-95-6
.
- Ellis, Ken (2008).
Wrecks and Relics
. Manchester: Crecy Publishing.
ISBN
978-0-85979-134-2
.
- Friedman, Norman.
British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After
. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing, 2006.
ISBN
978-1-86176-137-8
.
- James, Derek N.
Westland Aircraft since 1915
. London:Putnam, 1991,
ISBN
0-85177-847-X
.
- Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994).
The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm
.
Tonbridge
,
Kent
, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.
ISBN
0-85130-223-8
.
- Scout and Wasp: An All British Success Dave Billinge Aviation News Vol 71 No 2 February2009
External links
[
edit
]
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