Westland Dragonfly

The Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter was built by Westland Aircraft and was a license-built version of the American Sikorsky S-51. Apart from military use, it was sold into civilian use.

Design and development
In December 1946 an agreement was signed between Westland Aircraft and Sikorsky to allow a British version of the S-51 to be manufactured under license in the United Kingdom. These would be powered by the 500 hp Alvis Leonides radial engine. A modified version was also developed by Westland as the Westland Widgeon, but it was commercially unsuccessful.

Operational history
The Dragonfly entered service with the Royal Navy in 1950 in the air-sea rescue role. A number were also used by the Royal Air Force for casualty evacuation. It was replaced in British service by the Westland Whirlwind, another derivative of a Sikorsky design, in the late 1950s. Fifty-one civilian WS-51s were produced.

Variants

 * Westland/Sikorsky WS-51
 * Prototype.


 * Dragonfly HR.1
 * Air-sea search and rescue helicopter for the Royal Navy powered by a 540 hp Alvis 50 radial piston engine. Thirteen built, some modified later as HR.5s.


 * Dragonfly HC.2
 * Casualty evacuation helicopter for the Royal Air Force similar to the commercial Mark 1A, three built.


 * Dragonfly HR.3
 * Air-sea search and rescue helicopter for the Royal Navy. Similar to the Dragonfly HR.1, but fitted with all-metal rotor blades, 58 built some later modified as HR.5s.


 * Dragonfly HC.4
 * Casualty evacuation helicopter for the RAF similar to the Dragonfly HR.3 with all-metal rotor blades, 12 built.


 * Dragonfly HR.5
 * Air-sea search and rescue helicopter for the Royal Navy similar to the Dragonfly HR.3. Modified from HR.1 and HR.3.


 * Westland-Sikorsky WS-51 Mk.1A
 * Civil transport helicopter powered by a 520 hp (388 kW) Alvis Leonides 521/1 radial piston engine. Built by Westland in the United Kingdom.


 * Westland-Sikorsky WS-51 Mk.1B
 * Civil transport helicopter powered by a 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior B4 radial piston engine.

Operators

 * Sabena - Three helicopters
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * Royal Egyptian Air Force - Two helicopters as VIP transports.
 * French Air Force - Nine helicopters initially for use in Indo-China.
 * 🇮🇶 Iraq
 * Royal Iraqi Air Force - Two helicopters
 * Italian Air Force - Three helicopters
 * 🇱🇰 Ceylon
 * Royal Ceylon Air Force - Two helicopters
 * Japan Air Self Defense Force - Three helicopters
 * 153rd Rescue Squadron
 * Tohuku Electrics - Two helicopters for power line inspection.
 * Royal Thai Air Force - Four helicopters
 * Empire Test Pilot's School
 * Royal Air Force
 * Central Flying School
 * No. 194 Squadron RAF
 * Fleet Air Arm
 * 700 Naval Air Squadron
 * 701 Naval Air Squadron
 * 705 Naval Air Squadron
 * 727 Naval Air Squadron
 * 728 Naval Air Squadron
 * 771 Naval Air Squadron
 * Britannia Flight
 * SFR Yugoslav Air Force - Ten helicopters
 * 119th Support Aviation Regiment (1954-1966)
 * 27th Helicopter Squadron/783rd Helicopter Squadron (1954-1965)
 * 122nd Hydroplane Liaison Squadron (1954-1966)
 * 771 Naval Air Squadron
 * Britannia Flight
 * SFR Yugoslav Air Force - Ten helicopters
 * 119th Support Aviation Regiment (1954-1966)
 * 27th Helicopter Squadron/783rd Helicopter Squadron (1954-1965)
 * 122nd Hydroplane Liaison Squadron (1954-1966)
 * 122nd Hydroplane Liaison Squadron (1954-1966)

Survivors

 * Dragonfly HR.3 WG751 on display at the Chatham Historic Dockyard, Chatham, United Kingdom.
 * Dragonfly HR.5 WN403 on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, United Kingdom
 * Dragonfly HR.3 G-AJOV on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, Shropshire, United Kingdom
 * WS-51 Mk.1B 11503 on display at the Yugoslav Aeronautical Museum at Nikola Tesla Airport, Belgrade, Serbia.
 * Dragonfly Mk.1A WS-51 H1-4/96, (cn WA/H/120) at Royal Thai Air Force Museum, Don Muang AFB.
 * Dragonfly HR.5 WG724 on display at the North East Aircraft Museum, Sunderland, United Kingdom
 * Dragonfly HR.5 on display at the Sri Lanka Air Force Museum, SLAF Ratmalana, Sri Lanka
 * Dragonfly HR.5.Mk.5 On display at (The Helicopter Museum) Weston-super-Mare (North Somerset), (United Kingdom)