Owned and operated by John Heath
Restored and Maintained by North Weald Heritage Aviation
The Wasp HAS Mk1 was introduced to service in 1964. It served in its primary role with 829 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), but also in training units to supply crews for the front line with 706 NAS between 1965 and 1967 and in 703 NAS between 1972 and 1981. In all 98 wasps were built of which 96 were production models. Ship flights numbered 15 on Leander class Frigates, four on Tribal class frigates and three on Rothesay class frigates.
Its original role was to act as a weapon carrier to launch torpedoes and depth charges on submarine contacts out of range of the parent ships weapon range. Soon it also took on a second primary role of air to surface attack using AS12 wire guided missiles. The flexibility of the aircraft was such that it was able to conduct a plethora of secondary roles from visual search to collecting the all-important ship’s mail.
Westland Wasp XT435 entered service with the Royal Navy in 1965 and operated at various Naval air stations including Culdrose, Boscombe Down and Portland. She was assigned to HMS Arethusa but never deployed. She then entered service with the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1983 before passing into private ownership.
Specifications
- Crew: One pilot, one Aircrewman
- Capacity: up to four passengers
- Length: inc rotor 40 ft 4 in (12.30 m[26])
- Rotor diameter: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)
- Height: 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m)
- Disc area: 816.9 ft2 (75.9 m2)
- Empty weight: 3,800 lb (1,569 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 5,500 lb (2,500 kg)
- Useable payload: 1,700
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Nimbus 103 turboshaft, 1,050 shp [27] (783 kW)
- Burn rate: 205 kilos or 450 lbs per hour (55 gallons)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 120 mph (104 knots, 193 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 110 mph (96 knots, 177 km/h)
- Range: 303 miles (263 NM, 488 km)
- Service ceiling: 12,200 ft (3,720 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,440 ft/min (7.3 m/s)
- Disc loading: 6.75 lb/ft2 (33 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.19 hp/lb (0.31 kW/kg)
Armament
- Naval: 2 x Mk 44 or 1 x Mk 46 torpedo or 2 x Mk 44 depth charges or WE.177 600lb Nuclear Depth Bomb.[28][29][30]
- Attack: 4 x SS.11 replaced by 2 x AS.12 missiles.
- General: GPMG, 4.5 Flares, Smoke/flame floats
Reference: Authors Larry Jerram-Croft & Terry Martin The Royal Navy Wasp, An operational & retirement History. Pen & Sward Aviation 2018
