Aircraft of the Borneo Conflict

Armstrong Whitworth AW660 Argosy series 100

Avro Shackleton M.R.2

BAC Canberra

Blackburn Beverly

Bristol Belvedere

Bristol Sycamore

De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2

Fairey Gannet AEW Mk.3

Gloster Javelin F.A.W.9

Handley Page Hastings

Handley Page Victor

Hawker Hunter FGA 9

Scottish Aviation Pioneer

Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer

Short Belfast

Vickers Valetta

Westland Wessex

Westland Whirlwind


Armstrong Whitworth AW660 Argosy series 100
Powerplant:  4 1506kw Rolls-Royce Dart Mk 526 Turboprop engines
Speed (Km/h):  451 at optimum altitude
Range (Km):  3219
Service Ceiling (m):  6100
Wingspan (m):  35.05
Length (m):  26.44
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 39916
Crew:  4-5
Notes:  Payload 28000lb or 89 passengers, rear loading ramp.
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Avro Shackleton M.R.2
Powerplant:  4 Rolls-Royce Griffon 57A, V-12 liquid cooled, 2450hp
Speed (Km/h):  486 at sea level
Range (Km):  6780
Service Ceiling (m):  6100
Wingspan (m):  36.53
Length (m):  26.62
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 45360
Guns:  2 20mm cannon
Bombs etc:  10000lb ordnance
Crew:  10
Notes:  Details for MR3 version at the moment, looking for MR2 data.
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BAC Canberra
Type Photo-reconnaissance aircraft
Powerplant Two Rolls-Royce Avon 206 turbojets of 11,250lb st
Speed (km/h) 917 at 12192m
Range (km) 4274
Service Ceiling (m) 14630
Wingspan ((m) 19.49
Length (m) 19.96
Crew 3
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Blackburn Beverly
Powerplant:  4 Bristol Centaurus 273, 18-cylinder, air-cooled, radials, 2850hp
Speed (Km/h):  383 at 1740m
Range (Km):  2090
Service Ceiling (m):  4880
Wingspan (m):  49.38
Length (m):  30.30
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 64,865
Guns:  2 20mm cannon
Payload etc:  94 passengers or 45000lb payload
Crew:  5-6
Notes:  No. 34 Squadron based on Labuan Island played a large part in ferrying personnel in and out of the war zone as well as ferrying in supplies and personnel from its main base in Singapore. 
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Bristol Belvedere
Aircraft Type: Transport helicopter
Powerplant:  Two 1,300 shp Napier Gazelle N.Ga.2
Speed (Km/h):  138mph
Range (Km):  75 miles with 6,000lb payload. 490 mile ferry range
Service Ceiling (m):  17,300ft
Wingspan (m):  Rotor diameter: 48ft 8inches
Length (m):  Overall: 54ft 4inches
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 8,636
Guns: 
Payload:  18 fully armed troops or freight
Crew:  2
Notes: 
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De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2
Aircraft Type: All-Weather Naval Fighter
Powerplant:  Two Avon Mk 208s together developing 22,500 lb.static thrust at sea level
Speed (Km/h):  610 knots at sea level, or 1,130 km/hr
Range (Km):  3.5 hours
Service Ceiling (m):  48,000ft
Wingspan (m):  15.2
Length (m):  16.3
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 20,700
Crew:  2 (Pilot and observer)
Armament:  1x2,000lb or 2x1,000lb or 4x500lb bombs, 4xRed Top AAM or 4x 36 2 inch RP batteries or 8 Glow Worm RP Flares or Lepus flares, or the Bull Pup Air to Ground guided weapon. It also carry the older Firestreak AAM, but only on the starboard inner pylons.
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Fairey Gannet AEW. MK 3
Aircraft Type: Airborne Early Warning Aircraft
Powerplant:  One Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba ASMD.1 Mk 112 turboprop engines rated at 3,875-ehp.
Speed (Km/h):  500 at optimum altitude; Cruising 481 km/h at optimum altitude
Range (Km):  106
Service Ceiling (m):  7,620
Wingspan (m):  16.56
Length (m):  13.11
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 9,798
Crew:  3
Notes:  The AEW replacement of the Douglas Skyraider, developed from the Fairey Gannet anti-submarine aircraft with a complete redesign and a longer stroke landing gear to provide clearance for the randome mounted beneath the fuselage. Only No.849 squadron operated this aircraft and it was the last Fairey aircraft to serve with the Fleet Air Arm.
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Gloster Javelin F.A.W.9
Aircraft Type: Fighter
Powerplant:  2 Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojets
Speed (Km/h):  1130 at sea level
Range (Km):  1530
Service Ceiling (m):  15850
Wingspan (m):  15.8
Length (m):  17.2
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 19578
Guns:  2 30mm cannon
Bombs etc:  4 air-to-air missiles
Crew:  2
Notes:  Details for F.A.W.7 version
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Handley Page Hastings C1
Powerplant:  Four Bristol Hercules 106, 14-cylinder, air-cooled, radials, 1675hp
Speed (Km/h):  560 at 6770m
Range (Km):  6840
Service Ceiling (m): 8080
Wingspan (m):  34.44
Length (m):  25.19
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 36288
Crew:  5
Notes:  This transport aircraft was operated by 48 Squadron of the Far East Air Force during the Borneo confrontation and could carry 50 passengers.
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Handley Page Victor
Aircraft Type: Bomber
First Flight:  24/12/52
Entered Service:  28/11/1957
Power plant:  4 Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 200 turbojets
Speed (Km/h):  1030 at 10973m
Range (Km):  4345
Service Ceiling (m):  16765
Wingspan (m):  33.53
Wing Area (m2):   
Length (m):  35.05
Height (m):  8.59
Bombload 35000lb ordnance
Crew:  5
Notes:  This conflict saw two Victor B Mk 1A bombers flew a single offensive operation which was the first, and only offensive operation undertaken by this type in RAF service. 
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Hawker Hunter FGA 9
Hunter
Aircraft Type: Fighter
Powerplant:  1 Rolls-Royce Avon 203 turbojet
Speed (Km/h):  1142
Range (Km):  3085
Service Ceiling (m):  15700
Wingspan (m):  10.26
Length (m):  13.98
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 8051
Guns:  4 30mm cannon with 100 rounds each 
Bombs etc:  6000lb of ordnance
Crew:  1
Notes:  Details for F.6 version, first frontline version.
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Scottish Aviation Pioneer
Powerplant:  One 520hp Alvis Leonides 502/4
Speed (Km/h):  145mph at 1,500ft
Range (Km):  650 miles maximum
Service Ceiling (m):  16,000ft
Wingspan (m):  49'9''
Length (m):  34'4''
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 2,636
Weapons:  None
Crew:  5
Notes:  Light Army Co-operation aircraft
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Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
Powerplant:  Two 550hp Alvis Leonides 514 or 640hp Leonides 531 engines
Speed (Km/h):  165mph at 2,000ft
Range (Km):  398 miles with 16 passengers
Service Ceiling (m):  20,000ft
Wingspan (m):  76'6''
Length (m):  45'3''
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 6,636
Guns:  Two fixed Browning guns forward or a movable Bren gun firing through the rear entry door
Bombs etc:  Two 1,0000, four 250lb or four 500lb bombs mounted externally
Crew:  2 + Navigator or air despatcher
Notes:  Can carry 11 men, 9 paratroops or freight, The Twin Pioneer is a medium transport for Army Co-operation use
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Short Belfast
Powerplant:  4 5,730ehp Rolls-Royce Tyne T.Ry.12 Mk. 101 turboprops
Speed (Km/h):  346 mph at 28,000ft. Cruise 315mph at 24,000ft
Range (Km):  3,600 miles with a 22,000lb payload. 1,000 miles with a 77,500lb payload
Service Ceiling (m):  30,000ft
Wingspan (m):  158'9.5''
Length (m):  136'5''
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 104,681
Crew: 6
Notes:  A Heavy Transport which was a frequent visitor to Borneo during the crisis, Had a payload capacity of 80,000lb of freight or 150 troops
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Vickers Valetta
Aircraft Type: Transport aircraft
Powerplant:  2 Bristol Hercules Mark 230 rated @ 2000HP on T/O. 
Speed (Km/h):  291mph @ 10,000 feet
Range (Km):  1400 miles
Service Ceiling (m):  22,200 feet
Wingspan (m):  89'3''
Length (m):  65' 3''
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 36,500 lbs
Crew:  3
Notes:  Capacity for 34 troops, 20 paratroops or 12,050 lbs payload. Details for C.1 version.
Detachments from 52 Sqdn (Vickers Valettas) at RAF Butterworth, were despatched to Labuan at the commencements of "Confrontasi". They were there for a long time. Their a/c were employed all over the Island. Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei, on supply drop duties and other tasks.
Each a/c was based at Labuan for a period of up to 3 weeks, before being rotated back for maintainance to RAF Butterworth.<-->
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Bristol Sycamore
Powerplant:  One Alvis Leonides 73 radial piston engines of 510hp
Speed (Km/h):  204 at sea level
Range (Km):  510
Length (m):  14.07 with rotors folded
Rotor Diameter (m):  14.81
Maximum Take Off Weight (kg) 2,540
Crew:  Two
Notes:  Supported SAS operations in Borneo, Malaya and Oman.
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Westland Wessex
Aircraft Type: Transport helicopter
Powerplant:  1 Rolls-Royce coupled Gnome 110/111 rated at 1550 shp 
but with two power section of 1250 shp each
Speed (Km/h):  212; cruise 195
Range (Km):  531
Service Ceiling (m):  945m hovering ceiling
Wingspan (m):  Rotor diameter: 17.07
Length (m):  20.09 with rotors turning
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 6124
Guns: 
Bombs etc:  unarmed but could carry a varied weapons 
load on two outboard sponsons
Crew:  2
Notes:  Can carry 12 troops or 3,500lb of cargo
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Westland Whirlwind H.A.R
Aircraft Type: Search and rescue or Light transport helicopter 
First Flight:  15/8/1953
Entered Service:  1953
Powerplant:  One 600hp Pratt and Whitney R-1340-40
Speed (Km/h):  110mph at sea level. cruise: 85mph
Range (Km):  360 miles
Rotor Diameter (m):  53'
Length (m):  41'8.5''
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 3,090
Crew:  3
Notes:  Details for H.A.R.2 version. 8 passenger payload
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Also see

Borneo Air War

The Helicoper War

Back to Borneo Index

 
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