This is Westland Helicopters 1949 - 1958

The story of Westland Helicopters from prototypes of early types of other companies machines, through the development and evolution of the British helicopter industry, up to approximately 1958.
Aircraft Type: Autogyro, Dragonfly, Widgeon, Whirlwind, Westminster, Wessex
Period: 1949 - 1958

[@andrewlavey6992]

I worked on the Whirlwind in Cyprus and the Wessex and Sea King in the UK. Great to see the history behind them.

[@christopherdoidge7893]

So did I had hH Tiger lost a sealing in the bay off biscyuuuki

[@johncross2787]

My dad worked at Westland Normalair in Yeovil in the early 60's until we emigrated to SA in July '66. I used to attend a nursery school in Yeovil somewhere on the fringes of Yeovilton and i can still remember watching the Wessex helicopters flying overhead. I would stand on the climbing frame and wave my arms like i had seen them do on tv hoping that the pilot would be fooled into landing. Not sure what i would have done if they had mind!

[@Person84112]

Is your dad create any helicopter?

[@scopex2749]

I did my apprenticeship on the Whirlwind at RAF Halton then the Wessex later👍🏻 superb machines.🇬🇧

[@petcatznz]

How funny, I grew up in Aston Clinton. Now living in New Zealand. I watched when an Avro Vulcan flew very low over my home to land at RAF Halton, no mean trick to accomplish as there is only a grass airstrip there. Guess that's why it took two attempts. Happy days.....

[@michaeljohnson4975]

Did my training at Halton. Whirlwinds at Ternhill and Valley. Wessex 2 at Sharjah. Mick Johnson

[@MultiDrew83]

Incredible the craftsmanship and know-how even back then that was was all just given up while most nations in world still do not even have that level of engineering capability.

[@narayankulkarni5378]

Old is gold

[@jasons44]

This is one of the best video type documentary I've ever 🙈 seen

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Helifella882]

Westland Helicopters now Leonardo Helicopters still at the same Yeovil location now builds the AW101 and AW159 helicopters. Two of the most advanced multi role helicopters in the world.

[@felixcat9318]

I am delighted to have found this channel! I can't wait to view your excellent videos. Thank you for collating so many wonderful films.

[@felixcat9318]

@MichaelKingsfordGray Somewhere, the underside of a rock awaits its inhabitant...

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Thank you so much!

[@goudie5669]

What a massive documentary, it's reminds me to my dad who were worked at westland helicopter.

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching

[@mickd6942]

The nine down thumbs were from Michael hesaltine lol

[@57629589]

Be cool if there was a flyable dragonfly, always liked that helicopter.

[@paulchapman7169]

Flew in a Whirlwind as an air cadet in the early '60s. Joined WHL in Future Projects in '84....it was an interesting ride and I managed to get flying in a number of of different WHL aircraft.

[@anselmdanker9519]

Magnificent service in Malaya during the confrontation.

[@nomis777]

I thought the old Westland copters were a bit gooify but they were extremely advanced and manuverable And the rotor head engineering is amazing Can't see a Huey for exampledoing those manouvers Great video

[@triman500]

I dive at Stoney Cove in Leicestershire. There is an old Wessex in the water gradually rotting away. Interested to dive around.

[@sarbaazchabahar]

A true workhorse of its era👍

[@samj7927]

I like Westland helicopters

[@RichieRouge206]

Fascinating video!

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching.

[@simonpalling3215]

Great stuff.

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Thank you, Glad you enjoyed it

[@eduardof.8117]

Great video!!! Great industry!!! Wessex is a brave helicopter.

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Thank you Glad you enjoyed it.

[@martinleicht5911]

GR8 VID !! 🚁

[@oscarpimentel3364]

Great Factory Congratulations

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Thank's for watching, glad you enjoyed the video.

[@LEEROY_UK]

My dad owned privately a turbine Whirlwind ex Queens flight in the late 80’s

[@user-nv6us7ol2p]

Жудаяхши. Гап.йуқ.👍👍👍

[@tokenyamada5424]

I saw in the movie this helicopter carrying antenna parts to Mt. Fuji.

[@nipponhouseplayer]

Sikorsky with 145 octane ! ✨👍🏻

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

It's funny how Britain had a thriving acft industry and now they make nothing by themselves

[@Dave174385]

Comet, Canberra, Vulcan, Victor, Lightning, VC10, Buccaneer, Harrier : all developed entirely in the UK. Today? Not so much. Brazil has a more innovative aerospace industry than the UK.

[@notsoancientpelican]

Thank you Maggie Thatcher and a big assist to your Partner in Destruction, Ronnie Reagan

[@jrt818]

It seems BAE gets a large chunk of the Pemtagon's budget so it's not like British aviation and expertise disappeared.

[@flybobbie1449]

@@jrt818 BAe have shares in quite a few US aviation companies.

[@dozer1642]

This wasn’t really a British aircraft.

[@usmanmuhammed8897]

No. 1 companies.

[@brianhaygood183]

Did anyone in the history of time ever look at one of those Westlands and say, "Wow, that's beautiful!" I really doubt it.

[@derekhansen8438]

I think they look really cool.

[@flybobbie1449]

Was impressed by the large helicopter mock up. No need for Chinooks if that was made. Looks a bit like the US Sea Stallion. I dare say in such a small community ideas and engineers flow free from UK and US.

[@laurencecope7083]

They were made in weston super mare, until heseltine dropped the axe.

[@Senna-xi1gr]

Cheers 👍🇬🇧

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

I first read "Helicopters of the Wasteland".

[@mastain8227]

Top👍👍

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for watching.

[@mastain8227]

@@BritishHelicoptersHistory ok myfrend...👍👍

[@derekobidowski3301]

The Westland Helicopters at this time were licensed built from the USA. by Sikorsky which then were known for their flying boats at the time today the company is owned by Lockheed Martin.

[@Dave174385]

Sad but true.

[@flybobbie1449]

BAe own quite few US companies, like Lockheed avionics

[@notmenotme614]

5:10 Banging the casualties head off the bottom of the helicopter a few times.

[@456swagger]

The whole video was Smashing Baby.

[@BritishHelicoptersHistory]

Thank you for viewing and glad you enjoyed it.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

👍👍

[@DieselD182]

5:25 Harold the Helicopter

[@ginoalvarado3409]

Thomas

[@bomberaustychunksbruv4119]

Towing a 430 ton minesweeper. 3 mins per tank.

[@RepJock88]

Westland: TurboSikorsky.

[@henrypasini6827]

S55

[@alexandrebraga3959]

Kkkk....aos 5,15 cinco minutos e quinze segundos, levantando a maca, se o paciente não morreu de acidente morreu por ter batido a cabeça no helicóptero.....kkkkk

[@dhekaaprian2792]

In Borneo?

[@RJM1011]

Yes and other

[@wojtekgall4766]

😊👍🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@ismailHossain-ln9ln]

Now we are seeing on this trype of video for done technology

[@user-gs7hh1dy9x]

😀😃😃👍👍👍

[@alexandremarcelino7360]

👀👂

[@justme197511]

Hoveruski away!

[@viviangrabowski6506]

British - what else.. ❤ Vivian Hyde

[@millimetreperfect]

14.30 G-AOCZ was not fitted with an Alvis or a Pratt and Witney it had a BRISTOL SIDDELEY GNOME H1000 MK 501, just saying!

[@ginnybourne6374]

I think you will find it was converted to the Gnome later on. As it appears in this video it was fitted with the P&W. Gnome conversions didn't happen until 1960. The licence to build them was acquired from GE (it being the T58) in '58 and initial testing commenced in Aug '59. There is a pic of it here abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1323225 and some later ones after conversion on that site if you look.

[@millimetreperfect]

@@ginnybourne6374 I am sure you are correct, I just looked up the registration on G-info which says it is now de-registered after living in Bermuda, it declared it was fitted with 1 x BRISTOL SIDDELEY GNOME H1000 MK 501 however it doesn’t show when this was fitted, I assumed from new. A lovely old lady, I wonder where she is now.

[@ginnybourne6374]

@@millimetreperfect I imagine it is long gone sadly. I think they were pretty much all converted to the Gnome later on (60s onwards).

[@millimetreperfect]

@MichaelKingsfordGray whose lying?

[@peterdabrera3857]

This excellent film 😂

[@maddoc68]

Westlands first main research project: copying the sikorsky building plans as they built til 1960 under license... 😅

[@RJM1011]

The USA did the same with British aircraft in the USA !

[@maddoc68]

@@RJM1011 was there something worth to copy? 🤣

[@galaxymyt4834]

You can use this helicopter for helping people like in medical not for war why humans they lived like jungles