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- For the 1924 aeroplane, see Westland Widgeon (fixed wing)
The Westland Widgeon was a Westland company private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter.
[edit] Design and development
The Westland company decided to make a private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter by increasing the cabin capacity and replacing the Dragonfly's rotor head, blades and gearbox by the units used in the Westland Whirlwind. Three Dragonfly Series 1As were converted to WS-51 Series 2 Widgeons and the first one flew on 23 August 1955.
There was a plan to take up to 24 existing Fleet Air Arm Dragonflies to Dragonfly HC.7 standard (as the Naval Widgeon was to become) but this was abandoned and it contributed to the decision to stop progress.
[edit] Operational history
The Widgeon was a technical triumph and Widgeons flew in many parts of the world but it never achieved commercial success.
[edit] Popular culture
A Widgeon appears in the 1971 film adaptation of Alistair MacLean's When Eight Bells Toll
[edit] Operators
[edit] Military operators
Biafra
Brazil
Ceylon
Hong Kong
Japan
Jordan
Nigeria
[edit] Civilian operators
- Hong Kong
United Kingdom
[edit] Specifications
[edit] References
[edit] See also
Related development
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