Has anyone got high res pics of WS-70 in flight?

[chopper2004]

Hi all

Has anyone got any high res pics of the then Westland WS-70 Blackhawk, in flight or weapons test etc etc?

Thanks
:ok:

[SASless]

Is it correct that exactly one aircraft was built?

What became of it?

Britain is not a formal user of the Black Hawk, but one "S-70A-16" was supplied to Rolls-Royce for testing Rolls / Turbomeca TRM-332 turboshaft engines, and a single "S-70A-19" was supplied to Westland preparatory to a license production deal that ll through. The Westland-built Black Hawks were to be assigned the "WS-70" designation.

[nimby]

AGUSTAWESTLAND - Westland History - WS-70 Blackhawk (1987) (http://history.whl.co.uk/ws70_blackhawk.html)

[Hilife]

C2004

Type in WS-70L on Airliners.net and you should find what you are looking for.

SASless

Westland's were looking to sell the WS-70L to the Saudi's, but after it all fell through, it was my understanding that the sole flying WS-70L went further east - possibly Brunei/Malaysia way.

[helimarshaller]

Westland's were looking to sell the WS-70L to the Saudi's, but after it all fell through, it was my understanding that the sole flying WS-70L went further east - possibly Brunei/Malaysia way.

My understanding is that it did not go so far east and was sold to Bahrain around 1996/7.

[Plank Cap]

Somewhere I have photos I took of a Blackhawk flying at Farnborough airshow circa 1992, and if memory serves it was being touted as a Westland product. It was in desert camouflage colours. Could this be the machine in question? I shall try to find and post the pics.

[SASless]

The aircraft should be this one in Bahrain with the RBAF Ninth Squadron.

Sikorsky UH-60A/L Black Hawk * Current *
One UH-60L acquired new from the manufacturer in 1995. Equipped with ESSS pylons and external fuel tanks. Used for VIP transport duties by the 9th Squadron. The former Westland WS70 demonstrator was aquired in 1996.

Serial c/no. Prev. Identity Delivered Fate/Notes
BAAF-900 701547 90-26240 1995 UH-60L VIP configured
? 701058 ZG468 July 1996

References:

* World Air Power Journal Vol 26 Autumn 1996 p.114
* Worldmil(1994) p.52
* World Air Forces Directory '98 (Mach III)

[Jack Carson]

I believe that once the Westland/Sikorsky relationship soured Westland stripped the WS-70 of its RR engines and sold the airframe to Brainerd helicopters in the US. Brainerd then reconfigured the airframe with GE CT7 engines and put it in service as the first S-70 Firehawk.

[SASless]

Was that the aircraft that was used as a test bed for the RR engine.....and not the one that was known as the WS70.

The Brits had two Blackhawks.....one for engine testing and one for the WS70 program.

[dangermouse]

the WHL aircraft was never fitted with the RTM322, it was production UH60, it was later sold abroad after GW1

RRs aircraft (known as the Brownhawk after it's colour scheme) was converted to take the RTM322, the on completion of the development programme and lack of sales for a reengined variant was converted to a Firehawk and is now serving in the USA

[turboshaft]

On completion of the development programme and lack of sales for a reengined variant was converted to a Firehawk and is now serving in the USA
This aircraft's status has recently changed, and its retirement years will be spent further south.

[Plank Cap]

WS-70 BlackHawk, Farnborough Airshow 1992;



http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e172/ruplaw/WS70BlackHawkFarnborough1992.jpg