The Westland Whirlwind helicopter was a British licence-built version of the U.S. Sikorsky S-55/H-19 Chickasaw. It primarily served with the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm in anti-submarine and search and rescue roles.
Manufacturer: Westland Aircraft
First flight: August 1953
Introduction: 1954
Primary users: Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Produced: 1953–1966
Number built: 360+
General characteristics
Crew: 2 pilots
Length: 41 ft 8+1⁄2 in (12.713 m)
Height: 15 ft 7+1⁄2 in (4.763 m)
Empty weight: 5,993 lb (2,718 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 7,800 lb (3,538 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Alvis Leonides Major 755 14-cylinder two-row radial engine, 750 hp (560 kW)
Main rotor diameter: 53 ft 0 in (16.15 m)
Main rotor area: 2,205 sq ft (204.9 m2)
Performance
Maximum speed: 109 mph (175 km/h, 95 kn)
Range: 334 mi (538 km, 290 nmi)
Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (4,000 m)
Rate of climb: 910 ft/min (4.6 m/s)
Armament
1x Mark 30 or Mark 44 torpedo or Depth charges (carried in place of dipping sonar)
