Westland Whirlwind (helicopter)

Whirlwind
A Royal Air Force Whirlwind HAR.10 of the RAF Search and Rescue Force at RIAT 2018
General information
Type	Helicopter
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Westland Aircraft
Primary users	Royal Navy Royal Air Force list
Number built	360+
History
Manufactured	1953–1966
Introduction date	1954
First flight	August 1953
Retired	1982
Developed from	Sikorsky H-19

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. It was also exported to other countries, and the Whirlwind was succeeded by the turbine powered Westland Wessex (based on the Sikorsky H-34) which was developed from the H-19/Whirlwind. The helicopter was made in many variants using a variety of radial (piston) and turbine engines.

Whirlwind helicopters fitted with turbine power served right up until the early 1980s, and a converted Whirlwind was in the Queen's Flight.