Westland Scout

[Weaver]

If I remember correctly, Bantam had an open-fronted container, but I can't find a picture to prove it....

[Aircav]

Bantam was fitted to Swedish Bulldogs at one point. 

[Mossie]

Yep, only pic I can find too (just pipped me to it)!  I'm guessing that if mounted on an aircraft it might have a basic aerodynamic fairing fitted.  Have you got any pics of the Bulldog with the mountings Steve?

[Aircav]

I do have a brochure somewhere which I'll have a look for but I do have this





Just found this pic on the net

[Mossie]

Nice one Steve!  Hmm, maybe, with an experimental cover???

[Aircav]

Hopefully find out when I visit the AAC Museum.

[Weaver]

Just found this on the Scout's Wiki page, which made me smile:

The forward firing GPMGs were electrically operated, being fired by the pilot and aimed using a rudimentary system of drawing a small cross on the windscreen with a chinagraph pencil. In sandy conditions, these weapons could jam, which necessitated one of the free crew leaning out of the cockpit door and 'booting' the offending weapon in the hope of clearing it. This procedure was not strictly in accordance with the flight reference cards.

[rickshaw]

Interestingly, the US Army found when testing the FN-MAG58 GPMG that the only way they could induce a stoppage in the weapon was to pour sand over the top of it, eventually covering the whole receiver in sand.  This was when they were looking at a co-axial MG for use in their M60 MBTs.  It was up against a version of the M60 which failed dismally (of course).   The result was the US Army decided to adopt the FN-MAG58 initially as a co-ax and then later as a SFMG and finally as a GPMG - the M240 MG.

[Weaver]

I guess the difference is that the downwash from a helo can actively blow sand into the mechanism.

[DarrenP2]

I do wonder if Westland had decided to compete with the MH6 little bird and re started production with modern power plant and avionics for the special forces market.

[Mossie]

Westland did submit a design for the role taken by the Gazelle, the WG.12. I don't know what form it took though.

It'd be interesting to see how much mileage could be got squeezed out of the Skeeter. Maybe a single Gem for compatibility with the Lynx?

[PR19_Kit]

I thought the 12 was the Lynx? 

[jcf]

SARO P220 autogyro concepts, P.531 (Westland Scout) based.
There are three other gyro projects: P220/1 and /2 - which looks like it's HDM.106 based;
and an all new low-wing 4-seat cabin monoplane design. I'll post the first two in the Skyvan
topic.

[PR19_Kit]

Hmmm, I rather like that P220/3, very neat and modellable too. 

[Mossie]

I thought the 12 was the Lynx? 

Lynx was WG.13.