On 15 May, Historic Helicopters at Chard, Somerset announced that it will be restoring Westland Widgeon G-ANLW, long owned by Sloane Helicopters at Sywell, to flying condition. A civilian development of the Westland WS-51 Dragonfly - itself a licence-built version of the Sikorsky S-51 - the prototype Widgeon first flew in August 1955, but just 12 examples of the five-seat utility machine were built, with a further three being converted from WS-51s. Powered by a 520hp, nine-cylinder Alvis Leonides 521 engine, the Widgeon had the Dragonfly's rotor blades, gearbox and rotor-head replaced with the same units used on the Westland Whirlwind. G-ANLW was built as a Series 1A by Westland Aircraft at Yeovil in March 1954, and during 1957-58 was leased to Belgian flag carrier Sabena. Examples of the type were operated by the Royal Jordanian Air Force, the Brazilian Navy, the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force and the Royal Ceylon Air Force, but a plan to convert 24 Fleet Air Arm Dragonflies into navalised Widgeons didn't come to fruition, a decision that was to cause cancellation of the entire Widgeon project.
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