Plane One

[lenny100]

As the four last Westland Pirate aircraft from 801 squadron rolled in on target they were met with a hail of 20 mm gun fire from the two type 42 destroyers Santisima Trinidad and Hercules as they tried to get away at close to 25 knots in the choppy sea.
The two ships had already left GENERAL BELGRANO behind listing over sinking into the south Atlantic after a torpedo attack 4 hours ago.
The aircraft had already dogged a flight of 4 sea darts fired by the two ships as they popped up from their two hundred mile zero altitude flight from HMS Hermes.
Aircraft 251 was armed with the only Pave Knife unit working in the task force for this attack and was to act as the designator for the other aircraft before it attacked its self. The only two hits by the 500lb Paveway bombs were recorded by 251 sinking the Hercules. The other aircraft the started strafing runs on the surviving ship serious damages her. It took the ship another week sail the 900 miles to return to port in Puerto Belgrano shadowed all the way by HMS Leeds Castle using her flight deck as a base for the lynx helicopters armed with sea skua to take the ship out if she turned back. This was the only sea strike the flight of six Pirate aircraft flew the usually were used to make attack runs on Stanley airport and the hills around Port Stanley.
The aircraft shown is 251 as she made up part of the victory parade over London later in the year. This was also the type's final flight as when the flight landed 801 squadron was disbanded pending reequipping with the sea harrier.
This aircraft is now part of the display of aircraft of the Royal Navel Historic Flight



When in 1964 the royal Canadian navy found that the attack aircraft to flying from HMCS Bonaventure, a small Majestic Class carrier were soon to be rendered obsolete which the newer jets such as the royal navy's Buccaneer or the united states A-4 Skyhawks soon to be flying from the larger UK and us ships, a design requirement was set up.
Westland aircraft dusted of their proposals from the m148 navel strike aircraft which was won by the buccaneer.
Seeing that the Bonaventure had only a small deck they look at way of achieving a take of at full war loads comparable with the other two aircraft on the market with a take of speed over just over half as fast. Using recent experience with the kestrel jump jet Westland  fitted fixed deflection jet pipes to the first stage compressors of the twin RR spay engines, and a moveable end to the main pipes allowing a 55% reduction in landing and take off speed when compared with the Skyhawks.
The internal weapons bay could carry 4 1000lb bombs

When in 1975 HMS Hermes was converted from a commando helicopter to a interim sea control ship- pending the delivery of the new "through deck cruisers" it was found that the use of the ski jump allowed the pirate to operate from the decks of the carrier using a conventional wire landing system, the navy place a order for 35 upgraded priate2 aircraft but it did not need a catapult system fitted to launch.

The upgrades over the mark one aircraft included a 30mm cannon for strafing attack, extra ECM gear as well as updated engines. Also there was the provision for 4 under wing hard points two for which were piped for fuel tanks.

[lenny100]

just updated and added the photos

[Archibald]

       

Thanks Tony Buttler for its lovely books...    

[Brian da Basher]

Nice one, Lenny! I particularly like the kill marking. Yet more proof that the Royal Navy scheme is one of the most atrractive ones around!

Brian da Basher

[Scooterman]

EGADS!!!  A Tornado and a Cutlass have offspring!!!!
I LOVE IT!!!        

[ysi_maniac]

Weird stuff... sure
I like it        

[Eddie M.]

Good looking jet and a great idea! B)
  Eddie  

[seavixen]

This aircraft is now part of the display of aircraft of the Royal Navel Historic Flight

Is that cos it was involved in the attack on the General Bellygrano!