Aérospatiale SA 341/342

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Aérospatiale SA 341 Gazelle
SA 341 "Gazelle"
SA 341 "Gazelle"
Type: Multipurpose combat helicopter
Design country:

FranceFrance France United Kingdom of Yugoslavia (under license)
United KingdomUnited Kingdom 
Yugoslavia Socialist Federal RepublicYugoslavia 
Manufacturer:
First flight:

April 7, 1967

Commissioning:

1973

Number of pieces:

1,775

The Aérospatiale SA 341 is a helicopter that was co-produced by the French manufacturer Aérospatiale and the British manufacturer Westland Aircraft . It is used with a wide variety of armaments in at least 23 countries to attack targets such as armed vehicles, other helicopters, slow flying objects and infrastructure .

history

In 1966, work began on a light five-seat multi-purpose helicopter, which should act as the successor to the successful Alouette II and should be technically less complex. On April 7, 1967, the prototype SA 340 flew for the first time , although it still had a conventional two-bladed tail rotor . The newly developed 13-bladed and sheathed Fenestron tail rotor was only used in the second prototype. The three GRP blades of the hingeless main rotor were a joint development with Bölkow GmbH ; the concept was similar to that of the Bölkow Bo 105 . However, due to problems with the control at high speeds, the hingeless rotor head was replaced with a moving rotor system.

On August 6, 1971, the first SA-341 series helicopter took off. After various versions for the French (still active in 2016) and the British military (retirement to take place in 2018), the SA 342 appeared , which was equipped with a more powerful turbine. The Army Air Corps of the British Army had stationed a few "Gazelles" in Germany in Elmpt / Niederrhein until March 2009. The SA 342 was produced by Aérospatiale, Westland and under license from SOKO ( Yugoslavia ) as Gazela .

variants

Aerospatiale SA 340
First prototype, first flew on April 7, 1967 with a conventional tail rotor.
Aerospatiale SA 341
Pre-production machines of the Gazelle AH.1 for the British Army Aviation , which flew for the first time on August 2, 1968.
Aerospatiale SA 341.1001
The first production machine with a longer cabin and a reinforced Turbomeca Astazou IIIA turbine flew on August 6, 1971.
Westland SA 341B "Gazelle AH.1"
Production at Westland for the British Army Aviation with an Astazou IIIN2 gas turbine, searchlight and Decca Doppler 80 height measuring radar. Since July 6, 1974, 158 series machines have been put into service.
Westland SA 341C "Gazelle HT.2"
The machine based on the Gazelle AH.1 also has an automatic hover mode and a winch. It is used by the British Fleet Air Arm as a training helicopter. Since December 10, 1974, 30 units have been put into service.
Westland SA 341D "Gazelle HT.3"
The machine based on the Gazelle HT.2 serves as a training helicopter for the Royal Air Force. Since July 16, 1973, 14 units have been put into service.
Westland SA 341E "Gazelle HCC.4"
The machine based on the Gazelle AH.1 serves as a liaison helicopter for the Royal Air Force. Only one helicopter was put into service.
Aerospatiale SA 341F "Gazelle"
The armed multi-purpose helicopter used by the French Army Aviation is equipped with an Astazou IIIC turbine. 166 units were put into service.
Aerospatiale SA 341G "Gazelle"
This civilian variant flew with an Astazou IIIA turbine for the first time on June 7, 1972. It is approved as a single-pilot IFR Cat 1.
Aerospatiale SA 341H
This military export variant equipped with an Astazou IIIB turbine was manufactured under license by SOKO in Yugoslavia from 1971 .
SOKO HO-42
License production of SA 341H
SOKO HI-42 "Hera"
License production of the SA 341H as a light reconnaissance helicopter
SOKO HN-42M "Gama"
Licensed production of the SA 341H as a lightly armed attack helicopter
SOKO HN-45M "Gama 2"
License production of the SA 341L as an armed anti-tank helicopter
SOKO HS-42
License production of the SA 341H as a light rescue helicopter
Aerospatiale SA 342J
Civilian version of the SA 342L with a more powerful Astazou XIV turbine and improved Fenestron tail rotor.
Aerospatiale SA 342K
This military export variant, equipped with an Astazou XIV turbine for high altitude and dry areas, was first manufactured with sand filters for the Kuwaiti Air Force from 1973 .
Aerospatiale SA 342L
Improved military variant of the SA 342J with an Astazou XIV turbine, suspension points for six HOT anti-tank guided missiles and a target device.
An SA 342M of the French Army Aviation
Aerospatiale SA 342M
Variant of the SA 342L for the French army aviators with an Astazou-XIV turbine, suspension points for four HOT anti-tank guided missiles and a stabilized SFIM-APX-M397 aiming device.
Aerospatiale SA 342M1
Improved variant of the SA 342M with retrofitted rotor blades from the Ecureuil .

Technical specifications

Three-sided plan Aérospatiale SA 341
version SA 341C SA 342M
Engine 1 Turboméca-Astazou-IIIA -
gas turbine with 440 kW 		1 Turboméca Astazou XIVM
gas turbine with 640 kW
Rotor diameter 10.50 m
Hull length 9.53 m
overall length 11.97 m
height 3.15 m 3.19 m
Empty mass 850 kg 975 kg
Max. Takeoff weight 1800 kg 2000 kg
Top speed at sea level 265 km / h 310 km / h
Marching speed 240 km / h 263 km / h
Service ceiling 5000 m
Transfer range 650 km 754 km
payload 1 pilot and 4 people or 600 kg load 1 pilot and 4 people or 700 kg load
First flight April 7, 1967 May 11, 1973

Armament

Ordnance for a maximum of 600 kg on two to four external load carriers
Air-to-air guided missile
  • 2 × double starters each with two 9K32 Strela-2 - self-targeting with infrared sensor for short distances (only SOKO HN-42M / SA.341H GAMA)
  • 2 × double guided missile launchers for 2 × MBDA "Mistral II" (AATCP) each - self-targeting with infrared sensor for short distances
Air-to-surface guided missiles ( anti-tank guided missiles )
Unguided air-to-surface missiles
  • 2 × rocket tube launch container Thomson-Brandt 100-6 for 6 × unguided air-to-ground missiles each; 100 mm caliber
  • 2 × Matra 155H tubular launchers for 18 × unguided SNEB air-to-ground missiles; Caliber 68 mm / 2.75 inch
  • 2 × rocket tube launch container L-57-16MD (license copy of UB-16-57M) for 16 × unguided S-5 air-to-surface missiles each ; Caliber 57 mm (only SOKO HN-42M / SA.341H GAMA)
  • 2 × rocket tube launch container L-128-4 (license copy of UB-4-128) for 4 × unguided air-to-ground missiles each; Caliber 128 mm (only SOKO HN-42M / SA.341H GAMA)
  • 2 × Matra Type 156 rocket tube launch containers for 19 × unguided SNEB air-to-surface missiles; Caliber 68 mm
  • 2 × Brandt rocket launchers for 36 × unguided SNEB air-to-ground missiles; Caliber 68 mm
  • 2 × Brandt rocket tube launch containers for 22 × unguided SNEB air-to-ground missiles each; Caliber 68 mm
  • 2 × Brandt rocket tube launchers for 12 × unguided SNEB air-to-ground missiles each; Caliber 68 mm
Additional container
  • 2 × FN ETNA TMP-5-MG canisters each with 2 × 7.62 mm FN MAG 58P machine guns with 500 rounds of ammunition each
  • 2 × GIAT M621 automatic cannon containers (POD NC 621) each with a 20 mm automatic cannon and 180 rounds of ammunition

Station locations in Germany

The army aviators of the two program nations also stationed Gazelles in Germany from the late 1970s to 2009.

  • Aviation Legere de l'armée de terre (ALAT)
    • Friedrichshafen , September 1973 to 1992, SA 341F / M and from February 1983 also SA 342M ( Groupe d'aviation légère du 2ème corps d'armée , from 1978 2ème Régiment d'hélicoptères de combat )
  • Army Air Corps (AAC)
    • Brüggen , June 1992 to March 2009, Gazelle AH.1 / SA 341B ( 12th flight )
    • Detmold , 1977 to 1995, Gazelle AH.1 / SA 341B ( 4th Regiment )
    • Gütersloh , June 1993 to 2000, Gazelle AH.1 / SA 341B ( 1st Regiment )
    • Hildesheim , January 1983 to June 1993, Gazelle AH.1 / SA 341B ( 1st Regiment )
    • Soest , 1983 to early 1993, Gazelle AH.1 / SA 341B ( 3rd Regiment )
    • Wildenrath , late 1970 / early 1980s to June 1992, Gazelle AH.1 / SA 341B ( 12th flight )

Gazelles were also in the German civil register, especially in the police squadrons of two countries:

Use in film

A converted "Gazelle" played the main role in the movie The Flying Eye .

In the movie Batman (1989), the Joker uses such a helicopter.

See also

Web links

Commons : Aérospatiale SA 341 / SA 342 Gazelle  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Hugh Field: Anglo-French rotary collaboration goes civil. In: Flight International. February 8, 1973, p. 194 ( digitized version ).