Westland Scout
Scout | |
---|---|
A Scout flying over RIAT in 2005
| |
Role | Helicopter |
National origin | United Kingdom |
Manufacturer | Westland Helicopters |
First flight | 29 August 1960 |
Status | Retired from active service 1994 |
Primary users | British Army Royal Australian Navy Royal Jordanian Air Force South African Air Force |
Produced | 1960–1968 |
Number built | About 150 |
Developed from | Saro P.531 |
Variants | Westland Wasp |
The Westland Scout is a light helicopter developed by Westland Helicopters. Developed from the Saro P.531, it served as a land-based general purpose military helicopter, sharing a common ancestor and numerous components with the naval-orientated Westland Wasp helicopter. The type's primary operator was the Army Air Corps of the British Army, which operated it in several conflict zones including Northern Ireland and the Falklands War.
Development
Both the Scout and the Wasp were developed from the
The first version that met both RN and Army requirement, the P.531-2, flew on 9 August 1959 with a
Design
Behind the two front seats was a three-seat bench, although this could be replaced with a four-seat bench when fitted with modified rear doors.[
Additional testing and trials were carried out with the Swingfire anti-tank guided missile.[9] Initial firings were carried out in early 1972, to test the "Hawkswing" system for the Westland Lynx, the associated AF.530 gyro-stabilized sight[10] was subsequently trialled in 1974. The Hawkswing system was cancelled[11] in 1975 due to its manual command to line of sight (MCLOS) compared to the semi-automatic (SACLOS) system used by the MILAN missile. In the casualty evacuation role (CASEVAC), the Scout could carry two stretchers internally or two on externally mounted pods, the co-pilot's seat could also be reversed to allow an attendant to face the casualties.[citation needed]
Although the general design of the aircraft was robust, with an airframe fatigue life of 7,200 hours, the cockpit ergonomics were less than perfect. An example of this was the cabin heater switch being mounted next to the fuel cock; this led to the loss of at least four aircraft when the pilot inadvertently closed the fuel cock instead of switching off the cabin heater, causing the engine to shut down. The autorotational qualities of the Scout have also been described by some pilots as 'startling'.
During the development of the WG.13
About 150 Scouts were built through 1968, primarily at the
Operational history
The Scout formed the backbone of the Army Air Corps throughout the 1960s and well into the 1970s; the first Scout flew on 29 August 1960 and an initial order for 66 aircraft followed a month after its first flight. Engine problems delayed the introduction of the Scout until 1963, and as an interim measure the Army Air Corps received a small number of
The Scout AH Mk 1 was operated by the Army Air Corps on general light work, including observation and liaison. Like the Wasp, the Scout could be fitted out with different role equipment including flotation gear and a Lucas air-driven hoist which had a lift capacity of 600 lb (270 kg). In the light attack role, it was capable of carrying two forward-firing 7.62mm L7 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) fixed to the undercarriage skid booms and one fixed or flexible machine gun on the port or starboard side of rear cabin (it is possible to carry two pintle-mounted GPMGs in the cabin, although this would, unsurprisingly, be somewhat cramped).[18] These GPMG combinations were sometimes used in unison to great effect.[citation needed]
The forward firing GPMGs were electrically operated, being fired by the pilot and aimed using a rudimentary system of drawing a small cross on the windscreen with a
In the anti-tank role, four SS.11 ATGWs were carried two each side; these could be carried in conjunction with the pintle-mounted GPMG. During the Falklands campaign, the SS.11 achieved some success, being used to attack Argentine positions on 14 June 1982. For nighttime reconnaissance, the Scout could carry four 4.5-inch (110 mm) parachute flares mounted on special carriers. In addition, two smaller parachute flares could be carried to allow emergency landings at night. These were fitted on the starboard rear fuselage on a special attachment point. About 150 Scout helicopters were acquired for the Army Air Corps, which operated them until 1994.[citation needed]
The way British military aviation has been established has meant that the Royal Marines have never actually "owned" their own aircraft. The larger Westland Whirlwind, Westland Wessex and Westland Sea Kings have been Fleet Air Arm helicopters and, like the Westland Lynx AH Mk 7, the Scout AH Mk 1s operated by 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron (3 CBAS) were British Army helicopters on loan. 3 CBAS flew the Scout from 1971 through to 1982, when it was replaced by the Westland Lynx, and the squadron was eventually renumbered as 847 Naval Air Squadron.[19]
The Scout saw operational service in Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation, the Aden Emergency, Oman (Jebel Akhdar War), Rhodesia, Northern Ireland and then in the South Atlantic.[citation needed]
The Territorial Army (AAC) formed 666 Squadron with a number of Scouts in the late 1980s.[citation needed]
Borneo
Mystery still surrounds a Scout that went missing 20 September 1965.[20] XR599 set off for a 40-nautical-mile (74 km) night flight from Lundu to Kuching, the mission being to transport a local communist suspect to the Sarawak capital for interrogation. At 23:00 hrs, the aircraft was posted as missing and a search and rescue mission was mounted. Although the aircraft and the remains of the pilot, the escort rifleman and the suspect were never found, a fisherman later dredged up small parts of the aircraft wreckage. On 23 September, the Singapore newspaper The Straits Times, printed a story speculating that the Scout had been hijacked by the prisoner who had somehow managed to capture his escort's weapon and then ordered the pilot to either fly out to sea or over the jungle towards the Indonesian border until they ran out of fuel. Tragedy struck a second time on 25 September when an RAF Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 of 225 Sqn, searching over jungle for XR599, crashed killing the five crew.[21]
Aden and Radfan
In
Lt David John Ralls, Royal Corps of Transport, was awarded the DFC[24] for counter-attacking a large group of enemy which had previously attacked an army road repair party on the road to Habilayn. Lt Ralls attack, on 30 May 1967, utilised both the forward-firing and pintle-mounted weapons, forcing the enemy to retreat. Despite his aircraft being hit a number of times, he then directed three Hawker Hunter airstrikes onto the target.[citation needed]
Falklands War
At the start of
Scouts armed with SS.11 anti-tank missiles were used to great effect during the Falklands campaign. On 14 June 1982, an Argentine 105 mm
Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, the Scout pioneered the use of the Heli-Tele[25] aerial surveillance system, having a gyro-stabilised Marconi unit shoe-horned into the rear cabin. The Heli-Tele unit weighed some 700 lb (320 kg), although later developments reduced this significantly. The aircraft was also used for mounting Eagle patrols. In this role, the rear cabin doors and seats were removed and four troops sat in the rear cabin with their feet resting on the skids. Operating with two aircraft in unison, this allowed an eight-man patrol to be quickly inserted into an area and mount snap vehicle check points (VCPs) if necessary. Up until 1973, the standard tail rotor colour scheme for the Scout was bands of red and white. On 14 September 1973, a soldier died during training at Gosford Castle, Armagh, after coming into contact with the tail rotor blades whilst the aircraft was on the ground. Following this accident, the tail rotor blade colour scheme was changed to the distinctive black and white bands.[citation needed]
Because of the specialist nature of operations in Northern Ireland, a particularly important piece of role equipment was introduced in the form of the "Nightsun" 3.5 million candlepower searchlight. Operations at night were greatly enhanced with the introduction of night vision goggles, although these missions could still be hazardous. This was evident on the night of 2 December 1978, when the pilot of XW614, 659 Sqn, became disorientated during a sortie and crashed into Lough Ross, killing the two crew.[26] XW614 was the last of five Scouts written off during operations in the province.[citation needed]
Exports
Unlike its naval counterpart, the Scout did not achieve the same export success as the Wasp, with the Royal Jordanian Air Force acquiring three helicopters, two were operated in Uganda, and Bahrain had two helicopters, which were operated by the Bahrain Public Security Force in police service roles. The Scout never received civilian airworthiness certification, which prevented it from being sold to civilian operators, and meant that the design was used exclusively by the army from the outset. All current operators require an 'Experimental' certificate to fly them.[citation needed]
Two Scout helicopters were acquired by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in April 1963 and were operated by 723 Naval Air Squadron, with the aircraft being rotated aboard the hydrographic survey ship HMAS Moresby. The RAN Scouts proved the practicalities of operating helicopters from small ships for the RAN, and the RAN operated these helicopters up until 1973, when they were replaced by Bell 206B-1 Kiowas. The RAN experience with the Scouts aboard HMAS Moresby illustrated the need for a higher-level maintenance regime as a result of operating the helicopters in areas with high concentrations of abrasive coral sand encountered around the Australian coastline and the detrimental effect that it had on the rotor blades, airframe and engine components. Despite the additional effort to maintain the helicopters, the Scouts were considered to be superior to the seaplanes and flying boats that had previously been used in this role. One of the Scouts ditched in Wewak Harbour while taking off from HMAS Moresby in April 1967; it was subsequently recovered but the aircraft was deemed to be written off.[citation needed]
Survivors
Although none are operational in military roles, there are still Scouts in the air; mainly in the UK; as of 2014 there were 10 Scouts remaining on the UK civil register, including the Army Air Corp's Historic Flight's aircraft.[citation needed]
Outside the UK, the last of six Scouts that were exported to New Zealand have been withdrawn from use, leaving only ZS-HAS flying in South Africa operating.[citation needed]
Accidents and incidents
- XR638 3 January 1966: While serving with 21 Flt, UK, the aircraft[27] encountered engine problems caused by the inadvertent closure of the fuel cock in mistake for the heater control, during a delivery flight from Wroughton to Middle Wallop. The aircraft subsequently lost height and crashed tail first at Marlborough, Wiltshire. It then caught fire and burnt out killing the two crew.
- XV120 6 June 1967: While serving with 10 Flight, the aircraft[28] crashed into the ground at the corner of Long Cross housing estate at Felton near Bristol Airport, just before 9 am, killing the pilot and the two other occupants.
- XT625 30 January 1968: While serving with 11 Flt, Malaysia, the aircraft[29] suffered an engine failure and force landed into the jungle near Gerik, 10 miles (16 km) from Butterworth, Malaysia, killing one soldier and injuring the other two occupants.
- XR640 14 May 1969: While serving with 6 Flight, the aircraft was involved in a mid-air collision with a Sioux helicopter over Chattendon Barracks, Rochester, Kent. The Scout was taking off and the Sioux coming in to land. The pilot of the Scout, and the two occupants of the Sioux, XT802 of 3rd Royal Tank Regiment Air Troop, were killed.[30] L/Cpl Sindall and Sapper Pedley Royal Engineers were awarded the BEM for gallantry in attempting to rescue "with complete disregard for [their] personal safety", along with a civilian, the occupants.[31]
- XR636 12 April 1974: While serving with 664 Sqn, Northern Ireland, the aircraft flew into rising ground at Rich Hill near Portadown, County Armagh, killing the pilot.[32]
- XV133 9 January 1976: While serving with 662 Sqn, Northern Ireland, the aircraft crashed near Crossmaglen, Armagh, after the pilot became disorientated flying into low cloud at night. Both the pilot and the passenger were killed.
- XV132 10 April 1978: While serving with 658 Sqn, Northern Ireland, the aircraft crashed into Lough Neagh about four miles from take-off after flying into a snow storm.[33] Both the pilot and the passenger, a 17-year-old cadet, were killed.
Popular culture
- The Scout featured in the 1982 cinema film Who Dares Wins, displaying their use by the British Army's Special Air Service Regiment. The aircraft in the film-shoot were from No. 656 Squadron AAC.
- A 'wrecked' Scout featured on a beach scene in a 2008 Royal Marine recruitment film. The 45-second advert was filmed in Brunei and featured Malay actors posing as terrorists. The film, which cost £1million, was later withdrawn due to the inference that Malaysians could be involved with terrorism.[34]
Variants
- Saunders-Roe P.531
- Prototype.
- Saunders-Roe P.531-2 Mk.1
- Pre-production aircraft.
- Scout AH.1
- Five/six-seat light utility helicopter for the British Army
Operators
Military operators
Government operators
Specifications (Scout)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66[43]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 or 2
- Capacity: 4 or 5 passengers[44] / 1,500 lb (680 kg) slung load
- Length: 30 ft 4 in (9.25 m)
- Height: 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m)
- Airfoil: NACA 0012[45]
- Empty weight: 3,232 lb (1,466 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 5,300 lb (2,404 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Nimbus 101 or 102 turboshaft engine, 685 shp (511 kW) derated from 1,050 shp[46]
- Main rotor diameter: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
- Main rotor area: 816.9 sq ft (75.89 m2)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 131 mph (211 km/h, 114 kn)
- Cruise speed: 122 mph (196 km/h, 106 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 132 mph (212 km/h, 115 kn)
- Range: 315 mi (507 km, 274 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 17,700 ft (5,400 m)
- Hover ceiling IGE: 12,500 ft (3,810 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,670 ft/min (8.5 m/s)
- Disk loading: 6.48 lb/sq ft (31.6 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.13 hp/lb (0.21 kW/kg)
Armament
- Guns: 1 or 2 x L7 GPMGmachine guns
- Missiles: 4 x SS.11anti-tank guided missiles
See also
Related development
- Saunders-Roe Skeeter
- Saunders-Roe P.531
- Westland Wasp
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
- List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)
References
Citations
- ^ Flight International 1960, p. 349.
- ^ Flight International 1963, p. 232.
- ^ Stevens 1964, pp. 183–186, 189.
- ^ Rodwell 1972, p. 33.
- ^ Rodwell 1972, pp. 34–35.
- ^ Rodwell 1972, pp. 33–35.
- ^ Ferguson 1982.
- ^ Bentley, John (4 February 1971). "Through a glass, steadily". Flight International. pp. 176–177. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015.
- ^ "photo caption". Flight International. 23 November 1972. p. 734. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012.
- ^ "Defence: Hawkswing sight delivered". Flight International. 21 March 1974. p. 363.
- ^ "Missile rounds lost". Flight International. Vol. 108, no. 3473. IPC Transport Press. 2 October 1975. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014.
- ^ "Alan Streeter", flyingmarines.com, archived from the original on 28 October 2010
- ^ "Army aviation gets teeth", Flight International, p. 171, 1 February 1968
- ^ Rodwell 1968, pp. 190–191.
- ^ a b c Rodwell 1968, p. 190.
- ^ "World News: WG.13 Test-bed Flies". Flight International. 10 September 1970. pp. 384–385. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012.
- ^ "Bolkow's Bo105". Flight International. 18 May 1967. p. 794. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015.
- ^ James 1991, pp. 367–368.
- ^ 847 NAS Affiliations
- ^ Geldard, Geoffrey (23 September 1965). "Was missing helicopter hijacked?". The Straits Times. p. 1. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012.
- ^ Geldard, Geoffrey (27 September 1965). "5 die in copter crash in Sarawak". The Straits Times. p. 1. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012.
- ^ "No. 43641". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 April 1965. p. 4347.
- ^ "No. 43641". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 April 1965. p. 4348.
- ^ "No. 44508". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 January 1968. p. 875.
- ^ "Eye In The Sky". Flight International. 13 November 1976. p. 1429. Archived from the original on 29 December 2018.
- ^ Capt Stirling & Cpl Adcock memorial
- ^ The Marlborough Times, 7 January 1966, p. 1.
- ^ "3 die in blazing helicopter". The Times. 7 June 1967. p. 3. Retrieved 16 December 2023 – via The Times Digital Archive.
- ^ The Straits Times, 2 February 1968, p.9
- ^ Our Correspondent (15 May 1969). "Three die as helicopters collide". The Times. p. 2. Retrieved 16 December 2023 – via The Times Digital Archive.
- ^ "No. 44949". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 October 1969. p. 10212.
- ^ WO2 Rowat memorial
- ^ "Helicopter crash raises safety issues". Flight International. 22 April 1978. p. 1094. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013.
- ^ Bell, Thomas Royal Marines advert 'portrayed Malaysians as terrorists' 30 May 2008 telegraph.co.uk:
- ^ "World Helicopter Market 1968". Flight International. 11 July 1968. p. 48. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ "Australian Navy Westland-Scout". Demand media. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ "South African Air Force Scout". Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ a b "BAOR Locations". baor-locations.org. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ "The Helicopter Museum". The Helicopter Museum. 2018.
- ^ "Bahrain Public Security Flying Wing". aeroflight.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ "World Helicopter Market 1967". Flight International. 13 July 1967. p. 65. Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ "Uganda Police Scout". flickr.com. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ^ Taylor 1965, pp. 170–171.
- ^ James 1991, p. 367.
- ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ James 1991, pp. 369–370.
Bibliography
- Bentley, John. "Through a glass, steadily", Flight International, 4 February 1971, p 176–177.
- Billinge, Dave. "Scout and Wasp: An All British Success" Aviation News Vol 71 No 2, February 2009.
- Elliott, Bryn (May–June 1999). "On the Beat: The First 60 Years of Britain's Air Police, Part Two". Air Enthusiast (81): 64–69. ISSN 0143-5450.
- Ferguson, James (6 February 1982). "Commando aviation". Flight International. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- "Saunders-Roe Division". Flight. 2 September 1960. p. 349. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- "Westland Helicopters". Flight International. 14 February 1963. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- James, Derek N. (1991). Westland Aircraft Since 1915. London: Brassey's. ISBN 0-85177-847-X.
- Rodwell, Robert R (8 February 1968). "The Army's airmen". Flight International. pp. 183–191. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- Rodwell, Robert R (6 January 1972). "Ireland – the border Guard". Flight International. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- Stevens, James Hay (30 July 1964). "Scout and Wasp: Westland's All-British Helicopters". Flight International. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66. London:Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.
- Wynn, Humphrey. "Army Aviation's New Role: Anti-tank Missile Arm", Flight International, 24 July 1969, p 143–147.