Westland Widgeon (helicopter)

The Westland Widgeon was a helicopter developed by Westland Aircraft as a private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly.

Design and development
Westland Aircraft decided to make a private venture improvement on the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter, which was a licensed Sikorsky Aircraft design, by increasing the cabin capacity and replacing the Dragonfly's rotor head, blades and gearbox with the units used in the Westland Whirlwind. Three Dragonfly Series 1As were converted to WS-51 Series 2 Widgeon specifications and the first one flew on 23 August 1955. One of these conversions, registration G-ANLW, was the first helicopter to land at the London Heliport on 8 April 1959, and later appeared in the 1971 film, When Eight Bells Toll.

In 1957, 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.

Operators

 * Brazilian Navy
 * 🇱🇰 Ceylon
 * Royal Ceylon Air Force
 * 🇭🇰 Hong Kong
 * Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force
 * Royal Jordanian Air Force
 * Biafran Air Force - operated a Two ex-Bristow Widgeon during the Biafran War.
 * Bristow Helicopters
 * Biafran Air Force - operated a Two ex-Bristow Widgeon during the Biafran War.
 * Bristow Helicopters
 * Bristow Helicopters
 * Bristow Helicopters

Brazil

 * N-7001 - WS-51/2 c/n WA/H/142 on static display in Museu da Aviação Naval at São Pedro da Aldeia, Rio de Janeiro