Wessex HU Mk.5
Contents
Description
The Westland Wessex is a British modification of the American multipurpose H-34 helicopter. In the late 1950s, Westland Helicopters began developing a new multipurpose helicopter, taking into account the experience of licensed production of American-developed Dragonfly and Whirlwind helicopters. The H-34 was chosen as the base model, the documentation and one copy of which the company received from Sikorsky. In 1958, a modified version of the helicopter took to the skies with a Napier Gazelle turboshaft engine instead of the standard piston engine. The helicopter was initially developed for the needs of the Royal Navy, but later the vehicle also entered service with Air Force units, as well as the Australian Navy and the armed forces of a number of other states.
One modification of the Wessex was the HU Mk.5, intended for special forces units. Designed for amphibious and search-and-rescue missions, the HU Mk.5 was powered by two Rolls-Royce Gnome turboshaft engines. The Wessex HU Mk.5 has been used as a military transport and attack helicopter in a number of armed conflicts around the world, from Cyprus and Malaysia to the Falklands. In total, about 100 helicopters of the HU Mk.5 modification were built, which were in service with Great Britain until the 1990s.
The Wessex HU Mk.5 was introduced in Update "Alpha Strike". At first glance, it is not much different from the H-34, but the main difference lies in the new power plant, consisting of two Rolls-Royce Gnome engines, which provide a significant increase in power and flight capabilities compared with the original H-34. Another important difference is the presence of 7.62 mm machine guns and an expanded arsenal of suspended weapons, which, in addition to unguided rockets, includes new AS.11 and AS.12 guided missiles with increased armour penetration. However, much like the H-34, the Wessex lacks any armour protection.
General info
Flight performance
Describe how the helicopter behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m) |
Max altitude (metres) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | ||
| Stock | ___ | ___ | 5400 |
| Upgraded | ___ | ___ | |
Survivability and armour
Examine the survivability of the helicopter. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical systems.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Offensive armament
The Wessex HU Mk.5 is armed with:
- 2 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns, winglet-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
Suspended armament
Describe the helicopter's suspended armament: additional cannons under the winglets, any bombs, and rockets. Since any helicopter is essentially only a platform for suspended weaponry, this section is significant and deserves your special attention. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
Usage in battles
Describe the tactics of playing in a helicopter, the features of using the helicopter in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).
Pros and cons
Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".
Pros:
Cons:
History
Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the helicopter in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).
Devblog
Westland Helicopters began work on the Wessex in the late 1950s after the relative success of their previous American origin Dragonfly and Whirlwind licence built designs. Following the acquisition rights to produce the Sikorsky S58/H-34, a singular S58 was transferred to Britain as a development and template vehicle. By 1958, a domestically produced and redeveloped version powered by a Napier Gazelle turboshaft engine, rather than the piston engine of the Sikorsky design, designated the Wessex HAS.1 (Helicopter Anti-Submarine), would take to the skies for the first time. Entering service initially with the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force would later adopt the type too. In addition to this, the Royal Australian Navy and several other customers that Westland could sell too.
The HAS.3 would further enhance the systems on board the Wessex, followed by the HU.5 Commando variant. Primarily a troop transport and also utilised in the Search and Rescue role, the HU.5 employed a further improved power plant in the form of two Rolls-Royce Gnome engines. Serving all over the world from Cyprus, to the Indonesia–Malaysia conflict and the Falklands War, the Wessex was operated in utility, lift, transport and attack roles.
Retiring finally in the early 2000s, the Wessex was finally replaced in all major roles it maintained by the Westland Sea King which it had served alongside for many years.
Media
- Videos
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the helicopter;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Westland Aircraft Limited | |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | |
| Fighters | Whirlwind Mk I · Whirlwind P.9 |
| Turboprop | Wyvern S4 |
| Helicopters* | |
| Attack | AH Mk.1 Apache** |
| Utility | Wessex HU Mk.5 · Scout AH.Mk.1 · Wasp HAS.Mk.1 · Lynx AH.Mk.1 · G-LYNX |
| *After World War II, Westland Aircraft focused on building helicopters and changed its name to Westland Helicopters. | |
| **Licensed AH-64D | |
| See Also | Boeing Aircraft |
| Britain helicopters | |
|---|---|
| Attack | AH Mk.1 Apache · Rooivalk Mk1F CSH · Superhind |
| Utility | Wessex HU Mk.5 · Scout AH.Mk.1 · Wasp HAS.Mk.1 · Lynx AH.Mk.1 · G-LYNX |
