Gazelle
Aerospatiale / Westland · France / United Kingdom · first flew 1967 · helicopter
A fast, agile Anglo-French light helicopter, the Gazelle is instantly recognised by its enclosed fenestron tail rotor and was the first production type to fly with one.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Sleek glazed goldfish-bowl cabin on a low-drag streamlined fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Shrouded fenestron fan-in-fin tail rotor, the first on a production helicopter
- Sleek glazed goldfish-bowl cabin on a low-drag streamlined fuselage
- Skid undercarriage with a slender tail boom and swept vertical fin
Look for the shrouded fenestron in the swept fin, the rounded glazed cabin and the slim skid-equipped fuselage. Its high speed and quiet, low-drag profile separate it from contemporaries with exposed tail rotors.
Specifications
- The Gazelle has a length of 9.53 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.5 m (34 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 310 km/h (193 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2 pilots.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by Sud Aviation, the SA 340 prototype first flew in April 1967 and led to the fenestron-equipped SA 341 production series. The Gazelle was built under the 1967-68 Anglo-French helicopter agreement alongside the Puma and Lynx, with Westland producing aircraft in the UK.
Variants
Military marks included the Army Air Corps AH.1, the Royal Navy HT.2 trainer, the RAF HT.3 trainer and the HCC.4 communications aircraft. Civil and export SA 341 and uprated SA 342 versions served widely abroad.
Where you'll see it
The Gazelle entered British service in 1974 and was flown extensively by the Army Air Corps from Middle Wallop, with RAF and Royal Navy training and communications fleets. It became one of the longest-serving British military helicopters, finally retiring on 31 October 2023.
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