Bristol Belvedere
Bristol Aeroplane Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1958 · helicopter
The Bristol Type 192 Belvedere was a British twin-engine tandem rotor military helicopter. It was Britain's only tandem rotor helicopter to enter production.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Tandem twin rotors on a long fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tandem twin rotors on a long fuselage
- Unusually tall forward undercarriage that put the cabin door about 1.2 m above the ground
- Two Napier Gazelle engines at either end of the cabin, with a bulge on the left side of the fuselage
A long-bodied tandem rotor helicopter with a very tall nose undercarriage and a bulge on the left of the fuselage.
Specifications
- The Bristol Belvedere has a length of 16.56 m (54 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.91 m (49 ft).
- Typical crew: 3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was derived from the cancelled Bristol Type 173 and shaped by earlier Royal Navy work. The first prototype flew on 5 July 1958 with wooden rotor blades, and production aircraft had metal blades.
Variants
The RAF operated the Belvedere HC Mark 1. A civilian Type 192C was proposed but did not lead to production.
Where you'll see it
The RAF used it from 1961 until 1969 for troop transport, supply dropping and casualty evacuation, including operations in Aden and Borneo. Twenty-six were built and the Westland Wessex replaced it.
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- Bristol Britannia
- Bristol Sycamore HC Mk 10
- Bristol Type 171 Sycamore Mk 3
- Bristol Brabazon
- Bell 204B
- Boeing Vertol 107
- Harbin Z-5
- Kaman UH-43C Huskie
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