Westland Wessex HC.2

Utility helicopter By: Westland Origin: United Kingdom First Flight: 1958

About This Aircraft

The Westland Wessex was a British-built, turbine-powered development of the American Sikorsky S-58 helicopter. This example, XR525, is an HC.2 variant, which served with both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. The Wessex was a true multi-role workhorse, used for troop transport, battlefield support, and casualty evacuation. The HC.2 was powered by a pair of coupled Rolls-Royce Gnome turboshaft engines, giving it superior performance, particularly in "hot and high" conditions. With its distinctive dropped nose housing the engine, the Wessex was a common and reliable sight in British service for many years, seeing action in conflicts from the Falklands War to Northern Ireland.

Museums Featuring This Aircraft

Exhibits can change. To avoid disappointment, before visiting, please check the museum website for up-to-date exhibit listings.