[Richard_H]

Bit the bullet - back to helicopters.

Class 204 – Light Helicopter

This class will delight anybody who “welcomes, applauds and encourages diversity” (Andy G will catch my drift here!). Take for instance the Bell 47 – a simple enough beast, but with about 16 different names in 5 units. OK, let’s do a “Sort by Speed” . . . . fat chance, it has abot 8 different speeds as well! I begin to understand Don’s desire for name standardisation :>)

Don, if there are inconsistencies in this section (as in any other, of course) I apologise in advance, but some 350 units have taken me 2½ days, and it’s done my head in. I may even have another go at this class at the end – but that’ll be after the brain transplant . . .

Cosmetic point – Italy 587 & 588, Albania 128 and Malaysia 313 & 314 have ‘HEAT Top’ 2, ie they are ‘returners’.

Aerospatiale SA.315 Lama – Chile 118 has ‘Steel HF’ 8, all others have 4.

Aerospatiale SA.365 Dauphin – Angola 128 and Uruguay 272 have Survivability 3, standard is 4. They also have ‘Steel HF’ 4, standard is 6.

Aerospatiale AS.550 Fennec – France 507 and Paraguay 282 have Size 3, standard is 2.
Algeria 224 has Speed 102, which seems excessive. Others have 94 or 81. It also has Survivability 4, standard is 3.
Paraguay 282 has ‘Steel HF’ 4, standard is 6.

Sud-Est Alouette II – Sweden 580 has Survivability 1, standard is 2.
Switzerland 988 and Zimbabwe 110 have Stabiliser 0, although armed (standard is 5).
Greece 505 has Stabiliser 5, although unarmed.

Sud-Ouest Djinn – France 501 has Size 1, Switzerland 618 has 2. With a fuselage length of 17’ 5”, 1 seems more appropriate.
France 501 has Speed 35, Switzerland 618 has 65. Janes 1954 gives speed at 81 mph, which equates to 43.
French unit has Survivability 1 and Steel HF 5, Swiss has 3/3.
Swiss unit has dates 1/48 to 12/59. The Djinn’s first flight was in 1/53, and no relevant formation begins until 1/62. According to SIPRI, 4 were delivered between 1958 & 1959. No record of how long they stayed in service, but given the Swiss propensity for getting the most out of their aircraft. . . .

Sud Alouette III – Nigeria 137 has Survivability 3, Lebanon 125 has 1, standard is 2.
France 506, Gulf 114, ARVN 597, Greece 506, Turkey 492, Libya 112, Argentina 526, Austria 121, Albania 126, Chad 212, Lebanon 127, Indonesia 113, Portugal 279, UN 114 and Peru 124 have ‘Steel HF’ 5, Lebanon 125 has 3, standard is 4.

MBB Bo.105 – Green 536 and Nigeria 122 have Speed 90, standard is 80 or 82.
Iraq 106, Gulf 113, S.Korea 102, Netherlands 503, Spain 501 & 502, Chile 116 and Kenya 124 have ‘Steel HF’ 6, Peru 128 has 10, standard is 4.

Agusta A.109 – Belgium 208 & 209 and Sweden 587 have Size 3, all others have 2.
Belgium 208 & 209 have ‘Steel HF’ 10, Sweden 587 has 4, standard is 9.

Mil Mi-1 – Poland 424, Russia 310, China 110, E.Germany 113, Czech 550, Hungary 114, Romania 114 & 115, Cambodia 107, Finland 520, Indonesia 114 and Somalia 145 & 146 have Size 3, standard is 2.
Poland 424, China 110, E.Germany 113, Czech 550, Hungary 114, Romania 114, Cambodia 107, Finland 520, Indonesia 114 and Somalia 145 have Speed 76, standard is 67.
Russia 310 has Speed 62, which is probably closer to reality.
Poland 424, China 110, E.Germany 113, Czech 550, Hungary 114, Romania 114 & 115, Finland 520, Indonesia 114 and Somalia 145 & 146 have Survivability 3, Russia 310 has 0, standard is 1.
Poland 424, Algeria 225, Finland 520 and Indonesia 114 have ‘Steel HF’ 2, standard is 4.
NB I have included the SM-1 & SM-2 variants, because there was very little difference between them.

Mil Mi-2 – Afghanistan 115 has Size 2, all others have 3.
E.Germany 116, Czech 552, Hungary 115, Red 407 & 409 and Ukraine 311 have Speed 76, standard is 70.
Russia 311 has Survivability 0, Czech 552, Hungary 115, Red 407 & 409, Nicaragua 116, Peru 114 and Bulgaria 116 have 4, standard for this class is 3.

Mil Mi-34 – Russia 354 has Size 1, Slovakia 295 and Ukraine 354 have 3, all others have 2.
Brazil 114, Slovakia 295, Nigeria 127 and Ukraine 354 have Speed 80, standard is 70. They also have ‘Steel HF’ 4, others have 5.

Westland Wasp/Scout – UK 525 has Survivability 3, S.Africa 157 and Uganda 121 have 1, a slight majority have 2.
S.Africa 157 has ‘Steel HF’ 3, all others have 6.

Westland Gazelle – Egypt 114 has Speed 87, standard is 102.
France 509 and Jordan 103 ,have Survivability 4, standard is 3.
Syria 118 & 138 have ‘Steel HS’ 1, standard is 0.

Bell 47/H-13 (and derivatives) – Speeds vary from 37 to 68. From Janes and others, 56 is about right. The range is:-
37 – Sweden 579.
44 – India 137, Pakistan 400.
47 - Turkey 490, Italy 478.
65 – UK 524, Iran 264, USMC 157, Australia 432, Gulf 110, S.Korea 97, Greece 504, Denmark 110 & 111, Argentina 520, Austria 118, Cyprus 142, Cuba 120, Cambodia 109, Chile 115, Saudi 520, Indonesia 119 & 122, Malaysia 308, S.Yemen 110, N.Yemen 110, Uruguay 270, Paraguay 280.
67 – UN 115.
68 – ARVN 598, Norway 253, Green 529, Brazil 115, Angola 120, Nigeria 124, Kenya 121, Ecuador 115, Nicaragua 115, Peru 115, Tanzania 120, Uganda 120.
Japan 340, USA 282, India 137, Pakistan 400, Greece 504, Turkey 490, Spain 585, Italy 478 & 479, Thailand 488, Chad 214, Sweden 579 and Somalia 144 have Size 1, the majority have 2.
Japan 340, USA 282, Belgium 202, Turkey 490, Spain 585, Italy 478 & 479, Thailand 488, Chad 214 and Somalia 144 have Survivability 2, UK 524, India 137, Pakistan 400 and Malaysia 308 have 3, Iran 264 has 0, standard in this class is 1.
Japan 340, USA 282, Spain 585, Thailand 488 and Sweden 579 have ‘Steel HF’ 2, India 137, Pakistan 400, Turkey 490, Italy 478 & 479, Chad 214 and Somalia 144 have 6, standard is 3.

Bell 206/OH-58 (and derivatives) – Gulf 112, Afghanistan 118, Libya 114, Green 534, Argentina 524, Austria 122, Cyprus 144, Chile 117, Nigeria 125, Ethiopia 111, Saudi 523, Kenya 122, N.Yemen 112, Ecuador 116, Tanzania 122 and Uganda 122 have Size 2, standard over all classes is 3.
Austria 122, Chile 117 and N.Yemen 112 have Speed 94, standard is 79-80.
PLO 235, Turkey 491 and Sweden 583 have Survivability 2, Yugoslavia 119 and Croatia 119 have 4, standard is 3.
Israel 263, PLO 25, Iran 261, USA 296, Australia 434 & 435, Pakistan 402, Afghanistan 118, Turkey 491, Libya 114, Yugoslavia 119, Austria 122, Algeria 223, Croatia 119, Sweden 583 and UN 116 have ‘Steel HF’ 8, standard for this class is 5.

Hiller OH-23 – France 500, Netherlands 500 and Turkey 489 have Speed 40, Cuba 119 and Uruguay 268 have 64, Canada 403 has 65. Although those with Speed 51 are in a minority, Jane’s and others suggest that this is correct.
France 500, Cuba 119, Thailand 484 and Uruguay 268 have Survivability 1, all others have 2.
France 500 has ‘Steel HF’ 5, Canada 403 has 3, all others have 2.

Hughes 500/OH-6 – In this class 10 of these are Size 1, the majority Size 2. As the OH-6 is rather smaller than the OH-13, there’s a case for all of them to be Size 1 – but what a pain to plough through.
S.Korea 100 has Speed 70, all others have at least 80.
Italy 481 and Finland 522 have Survivability 3, standard in this class is 2.

Schweizer 300 – Sweden 584 has Speed 37, others have 56.

Sikorsky S-51 – Thailand 487 has Size 1, all others have 2.
Japan 338, Iraq 105 and Argentina 521 have Survivability 3, standard is 2. They also have ‘Steel HF’ 6, others have 2.

Richard H