Westland Scout AH/1

Background

The Scout was originally a private venture by Saunders-Roe in 1957. Developed from the Saro P531 which first flew (G-APNU) in 1958, the prototype Scout became airborne in 1960. Saunders-Roe (and Bristol Rotorcraft) were incorporated into Westland in 1959. The Scout has a lot in common with the Wasp. The Wasp differed from the Scout mainly in undercarriage (having wheels instead of skids) and engine (Nimbus 503 instead of Nimbus 101). The military used them primarily for communications (replacing the Saunders-Roe Skeeter) and in the anti-tank role (utislising air to ground missiles).

The Scout has no military record in New Zealand. Six Scouts were imported for civil use in February 1996. Two of the aircraft went to Wanaka. These have subsequently entered the register for Airlift Trading as ZK-HUC and ZK-HUD. The other four aircraft went to Ardmore. One has subsequently been destroyed in a crash.

• ZK-HUC (ex XW282) entered military service in 1969, and is known to have been in Germany and the Falklands during the conflict. Its military service ended in April 1994.
• ZK-HUD (ex XV128) entered military service in 1968, and is known to have been in the Falklands during the conflict. The aircraft made its last military flight on April 12, 1994.
• ZK-HUK (c/n F.9655, ex XT649) entered service with the British Army on December 5, 1966. It may have served in the Falkland conflict. The aircraft made its last military flight on April 7, 1994.
• ZK-HZS (c/n F.9492 ex XP891 ) entered military service in 1962. The aircraft was registered in May 1996. This aircraft is now based at Christchurch.
• XV129 have been placed in storage at Ardmore.

One of the aircraft illustrated below ZK-HYS (c/n F.9652 ex XT646 ) which entered the register in July 1996 crashed at Mangapiko on March 9, 1998. The registration was cancelled in June 1998. The other aircraft ZK-HVD is recorded in the Civil Aviation database as ex XV129, but the tail shows the remains of markings for XP981 - which is supposedly ZK-HZS.

Last Text Update:- 12 October, 1998
Last Picture Update:- 14 May, 2003

Technical Data

• Accommodation : 2+3
• Dimensions
  • Span : 9.83m (32'3ft)
  • Length : 9.24m (30'4ft)
  • Height : 3.56m (11'8ft)
• Weight
  • empty : 1,566kg (4,452lb)
  • max : 2,495kg (5,500lb)
• Power Plant : 685shp Rolls-Royce Nimbus 101
• Performance :
• max speed : 193kmh (120mph)
• max climb : 1,440ft/min (7.4m/sec)
• ceiling : ft (m)
• range : 488km (303miles)

Images

Images - Close Up

Remember to let me know if you have a request for an image of a particular part of the aircraft!).

© 1998-2003 Phillip Treweek, all rights reserved