British armed helicopters

[PMN1]

The forward missile could get a bit hot.....

 

[Arjen]

Found a tooled-up HU.5 on reddit:

 

[Scott Kenny]

Found a tooled-up HU.5 on reddit:
View attachment 711036

SS-11, probably the Matra 68mm rockets, and a lightweight torpedo?

Can't tell what size gun that is, I'm guessing 20mm?

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Not sure if it's a HC.2, It isn't - exhaust is wrong - but here goes (image from JAWA '64):
View attachment 711034

I've discussed this image with people who are much more familiar than I am in these affairs, and they said it is likely to be either a Commando Mk.1 or HAS.1 XM330, which was used throughout its life for trials, and was used to test the AS.11 and AS.12 missiles, amongst other weapons.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Can't tell what size gun that is, I'm guessing 20mm?

Probably a 7.7mm Browning or a 7.62mm GPMG, depending on when the photo was taken

 

[Scott Kenny]

Probably a 7.7mm Browning or a 7.62mm GPMG, depending on when the photo was taken

No gas tube under the barrel, so probably the 7.7mm Browning then.

 

[alertken]

It is harder to delve into Br Army GW Unit/opnl periods than into RN/RAF. Here is where I am on Scout/SS.11: correction requested, but net, please, of contradictions in publications.

Scout/SS11 (opnl: 655 Sq, mid-'70 - 658 Sq - '88). 24 mounting kits ordered '69, more later.
124 compatible a/c in AAC inventory after mid-'70. Unit AT Establishment varied, 2-12 a/c.
Operations Banner,NI (throughout) and Corporate, FI, 4-7/82, affected Unit ATGW Readiness.

AAC Sq Parent Base Opnl. Period
651 1R, 1AD Verden 11/71 - 3/78
Hildesheim 3/78 - '82

652 2R/2AD Bunde '71 - 12/82

653 3R/3AD Soest 4/78 - mid-'81

654 4R/4AD Minden mid-'70 - 3/78
Detmold 3/78 - 21/2/81

655 7 Arty Bde Detmold mid-'70 -31/12/76
5FF Topcliffe 1/1/77 -31/12/81
24 Inf Bde Topcliffe 1/1/82- 10/82

656* 7R/1 Inf Bde Farnborough 23/3/78- 3/82
Netheravon 13/3/82- 10/82

657 19 Inf Bde Colchester 1/1/82- 3/84

658 7R/5 Inf Bde Netheravon '82- '88

659 9R/Arty D Detmold 1/4/78-31/12/82

RM 3 CBAS Plymouth 19/7/71- 10/82

(* amended 29/11/23: possibly 664 Para Sq/Farnborough supported (UK Jt Airborne Task Force; 1/4/77: 6FF, 16 Para Bde) '76-22/3/78, when it was renamed 656 Sq).

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

A Whirlwind 2 (XK970/'E') with two forward-firing box launchers for 'small air-to-ground milssiles' ( I assume Vigilant) suspended from the hoist mounting.

Here are some photos of XK970 in HAR.2 configuration supposedly from its time with the JEHU


Taken from:

https://flic.kr/p/9Erpkg

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dwhitworth/5685837281

https://flic.kr/p/9Erp6B

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dwhitworth/5685836489/


I have not been able to find any photos with the missiles however

 

[CJGibson]

Interesting 'ARMY' titles.

Chris

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Yes indeed, I found those rather odd considering the constant inter-service bickering between the Army and the RAF in regards to helicopter size, weight, role, etc.

 

[TsrJoe]

JEHU. trials

 

[GregoryUSSR]

This is not a combat helicopter. It's something like Mi-4.

 

[Hood]

Well the JEHU was a joint RAF-Army unit so its not out of place - even if unusual for what were RAF-owned helicopters.

 

[Kiltonge]

Footage of Scouts armed with M134 and 2in rockets after 5min point of this video

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THnhnVzlx_Q&t=320

 

[pzluchs]

Gentlemen, I have same theme's papers from National archives at Kew, incl. this one - Installation of two .303 Browning gun/ two 7 tube 2 inch rocket launcher system on a Whirlwind helicopter Mk 7

 

[pzluchs]

And some time ago i wrote articles on the same subject. While i found some suitable pictures)

 

[Kiltonge]

Re: GPMG in Sioux. When this was proposed as an NI fit in 1973 the Northern Ireland Office objected that it was too militaristic and preferred a gimbal-mounted rifle. Not clear if this was tested but was ruled infeasible due to airframe vibration.

 

[CJGibson]

And some time ago i wrote articles on the same subject. While i found some suitable pictures)

Where did your articles appear?

Chris

 

[pzluchs]

Sorry Chris, it was a Russian-language magazine, now closed

 

[pzluchs]

Nord SS11 instalation

 

[scorchi0]

Some examples of Whirlwind Mk.10s with the above Conversion 1491 modifications for installing SS11. But no missile launchers mounted.
XP358 in Borneo

https://www.pprune.org/g/album/17006900

Another photo viewed from the opposite side showing the larger WA9-84-867 wiring cover for the left side of the fuselage. Unknown serial (possibly XP393), however it appears to have a recognition letter O or Q painted in white on the aft fuselage. Again in Borneo


Photo credit for this one is Tom Hooper

225 Squadron RAF 1961-1964 – A collection of articles from a 36 year career in aviation.

XP332 was another Whirlwind Mk.10 with Conversion 1491


Pathé News footage of XP332

XP301 also had Conversion 1491.
From the particular "blobs" of the camouflage pattern, I believe this is the same aircraft in the photo @iverson posted previously with the missile launchers installed (link to post), before it deployed to Borneo per the images below



The first image of XP301 (Alamy stock image) also shows what looks like either XP303 or XP393 in the background with Conversion 1491 and an O recognition letter. So may be the aircraft seen in the starboard view above (camo pattern is again very similar)

XP393 can definitely be confirmed to have received Conversion 1491, so that's perhaps more likely the serial shown alongside XP301. However, it seems to have worn a different recognition letter U instead of O, for at least part of its career

 

[pzluchs]

GPMG mounts for Westland helicopters

 

[pzluchs]

Bren gun gatemount from IWM

 

[pzluchs]

Westland Wessex armament kit. Extract from AP's

 

[scorchi0]

Westland Wessex armament kit. Extract from AP's

Does the AP happen to have any information on the fittings for the APX-Bézu 260 stabilized sight in the Wessex cockpit?
I believe it was in service on Wessex as well as Wasp by 1974, when the AP seems to be dated.