Scout AH.1

history

The Westland Scout was a light helicopter developed by Westland Helicopters. Developed from the Saro P.531, it served as a land-based general purpose military helicopter, sharing a common ancestor and numerous components with the naval-orientated Westland Wasp helicopter. The type's primary operator was the Army Air Corps of the British Army, who operated it in several conflict zones including Northern Ireland and the Falklands War. It was progressively replaced in British service by the Westland Gazelle reconnaissance helicopter, and the larger Westland Lynx battlefield utility helicopter.

xp910

The Museum's Scout served with the British Army until September of 1989, when it suffered a tail rotor strike. Excerpted from the accident report:

Immediately after take off from Netheravon, Wiltshire for an abseiling sortie the nose pitched up and the tail rotor struck the ground. The nose then pitched down and the aircraft rotated into the ground. The three abseilers and the pilot were uninjured. Caused by the failure of the port cyclic servo jack.

Aircraft deemed to be beyond economic repair. To Wroughton store until being allocated to ground instruction at Middle Wallop at the Army's School of Electrical and Aeronautical Engineering.

Later rebuilt to static display standards, and now serving as gate-guard for the Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop