Dear Shane
I'm not a Widgeon expert by any means so some of what I mention here may be in need of verification/correction - I'm trawling-up conversations with the Colonel from when I was a 'wee lad' as he would say!
One of Sebastian de Ferranti's first rotorcraft was the Westland S-51 Widgeon. The aircraft was used to test a variety of instruments being manufactured by Ferranti Electronics (from their Bracknell factory) which produced, among other things; flight instrument packages (ie. VSI, AH, ASI, turn and slip etc.), auto-stabilisation (SAS), flight director guidance and auto-pilot coupling. The craft was also utilised as Sebastian's personal mount.
As with most of Ferranti's 'self-flying' clients, Sebastian took-up my godfather's recommendation of having a professional pilot 'at hand' to accompany him on most flights. Col. Bob believed that while many private flyers are, without question, capable - the pressures of commanding industry combined with hectic schedules on top of transporting oneself about the country by helicopter on a daily basis did not always make for the best of ingredients. Sebastian had no qualms about this and, as with several other 'self-flying' clients, appreciated someone performing the daily checks and having the craft running and ready so that all they needed to do was hop-in a 'have a go' as it were.
After a few malt whisky's (the Colonel's preferred tipple was the Glenlivet by Smith of at least 12 years maturity - and woe betide the one who dared adding water - an ice cube or two was sometimes permitted however) Col. Bob would sometimes reenact his days flying the Widgeon and which usually took the form of him sitting on the edge of his armchair (from his home on the hill just above Churchill's beloved Chartwell) and kicking his legs at full extension while elevating his left arm to his shoulder and thrusting his right arm fully forward (this was meant to demonstrate the movements necessary to effect the take-off)!
Of course I don't really know how much manual effort was required to control the Widgeon but I do remember him saying that the chaps at Ferranti (or was it Westlands - memory serves me not here) coming up with a bungee contraption which the pilot could loop about the cyclic to ease some of the required control forces (especially for longer journeys).
I do also know that Sebastian was 'relieved' when the Colonel purchased the Bell J2A as this was significantly lighter on the controls.
As I say, I am no Widgeon expert but my understanding was this it differed from the Dragonfly in that it had the running-gear of the Westland Whirlwind installed and which makes me think that the Dragonfly was probably even more of a 'beast' to fly than the Widgeon (poor Navy chaps .. and of course there were a couple with the RAF).
I've mentioned before that I'm not too keen on posting the Ferranti craft on PPRuNe as I am trying to save these images for the site (now delayed until I can get back to Blighty to scan the remaining material) but I'm posting one image of the Ferranti Widgeon for you here:
Ferranti's Westland S-51 (Series 2) Widgeon as seen at Farnborough on 11th September 1964. (Photo - with the kind permission of Ken Elliott)
From Ferranti's, G-APVD was sold on to Miss Gill Aldam [read my godfather's dear friend the late John Crewdson/Helicopter Hire] and from there to another one of my gadfather's friends, ex-AAC flyer Andrew Walters of International Messengers (who later bought G-BBEU and G-OIML).
Brgds
Sav
.