Westland Wasp – Photos & Video

Teh Σφήκα Γουέστλαντ ήταν ένα μικρό βρετανικό τουρμπίνα της δεκαετίας του 1960, με ανθυποβρυχιακό ελικόπτερο. Παρήχθη από την Westland Helicopters, προερχόταν από το ίδιο πρόγραμμα P.531 με το Βρετανικό Στρατό Westland Scout, και βασίστηκε στο προηγούμενο Saunders-Roe Skeeter με εμβολοφόρο κινητήρα. Εκπλήρωνε την απαίτηση του Βασιλικού Ναυτικού για ένα ελικόπτερο αρκετά μικρό για να προσγειωθεί στο κατάστρωμα μιας φρεγάτας και να μεταφέρει ένα χρήσιμο φορτίο δύο τορπιλών.

Πηγή: Σφήκα Γουέστλαντ στο Wiki

The Westland Wasp was a small helicopter designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions on board naval ships. It was developed by Westland Helicopters in the 1960s, based on the earlier Saro P.531 prototype and the Saunders-Roe Skeeter helicopter. The Wasp had a distinctive four-wheeled undercarriage that allowed it to land and take off from small and moving decks. It also had a negative pitch capability that enabled it to stick to the deck until secured by lashings. The Wasp could carry two torpedoes or missiles under its fuselage, or various depth charges under its wings. It had a single Bristol Siddeley Nimbus turboshaft engine that gave it a maximum speed of 193 km/h and a range of 490 km. The Wasp entered service with the Royal Navy in 1963, and was also exported to several other countries, including Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and South Africa. The Wasp saw combat action in several conflicts, most notably in the Falklands War in 1982, when it damaged the Argentine submarine ARA Santa Fe with AS-12 missiles. The Wasp was retired from service in 2008 by the Royal Malaysian Navy, the last operator of the type.