Aerospatiale Gazelle

Type

Light multi-role helicopter

Power plant

One Turbomeca Astazou 3A turboshaft

Speed (km/h)

264 clean at Sea level; Cruise 238

Range (km)

360 with a 1,102lb payload

Hovering Ceiling (m)

2,875

Rotor Diameter (m)

10.5

Length (m)

(Fuselage) 11.97m with Rotors turning

Payload (kg):

4000lb slung load, or pylons fitted for rocket pods.

Armaments:

Can be mounted on optional pylons, can carry 2 68mm SNEB rocket pods and cabin mounted GPMG.

Crew

2 +3 Pax.

Nine Gazelles from 3 Cdo Bde Air Sqn RM were in action at the start of the Falklands war. 6 more joined from 656 Sqn when 5 Inf Bde landed. In total, three Gazelles were shot down during the operation.

Avro Vulcan

Aircraft Type:

Bomber

Crew: 

5

Power plant: 

4 Bristol Olympus 201 turbojets, each rated at 17,000lb thrust

Range (Km): 

7400 at high altitude with bomb load

Service Ceiling (m): 

19812

Wingspan (m): 

33.83

Wing Area (m2): 

368.3

Length (m): 

30.50

Height (m): 

8.29

Max. Payload 

21000lb of bombs internally, or One Blue Steel stand off nuclear missile, or externally upto four Shrike or two Skybolt missiles

BAC Canberra PR9

Type

Photo reconnaissance aircraft

Power plant

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

A few Canberras operated from Chile in the Falklands Campaign

BAC Nimrod

Type

Maritime reconnaissance and strike aircraft

Power plant

4 12140lb dry thrust Rolls-Royce Spey Mk 250 turbofans

Speed (km/h)

925; Patrol speed 370 on two engines

Range (km)

9662 ferry range on internal fuel only

Service Ceiling (m)

12800

Wingspan ((m)

35 excluding ESM wing tip pods

Wing Area (m2)

197.04

Length (m)

39.34

Armaments:

Provision for 13500lb of dropped stores in internal bay, including nine torpedoes and underwing pylons can be fitted with Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles or pairs of Sidewinder AAMs

Crew

11

The R.1 Version of the Nimrod served in the Falklands Campaign, keeping an eye out for Enemy ships in the Total Exclusion Zone

British Aerospace Harrier GR. Mk 3

Aircraft Type:

Strike

First Flight: 

31/8/1966

Entered Service: 

7/1969

Power plant: 

One 21,500lb thrust Rolls-Royce (Bristol) Pegasus Mk 103 vectored thrust turbofan expelling through four rotating fuselage side mounted exhaust nozzles

Speed (Km/h): 

1,186 at low altitude

Range (Km): 

667 combat radius

Service Ceiling (m): 

Above 15,240

Wingspan (m): 

7.7

Wing Area (m2): 

18.68

Length (m): 

14.27

Height (m): 

3.45

Empty Weight (kg): 

5,579 with pilot

Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg)

11,340

Armaments:

None as standard, can mount two external gun pods below fuselage. Two Aden 30mm cannon each with 100 rounds. 5,000lb of disposable stores on four wings and one centreline pylon.

Crew: 

1 (2 in Trainer versions)

The World's first V/STOL combat aircraft. Later developed into the Harrier II. Developed from the Kestrel by Hawker Siddeley, the Harrier brought to the RAF the ability to operate from locations which did not have the absurdly obvious target of a massive concrete runway and hardened aircraft shelters.

BAe Sea Harrier FRS Mk.1

Aircraft Type:

Carrier borne Multi-Role aircraft

First Flight: 

20/8/1978

Entered Service: 

1980?

Power plant: 

One 21,500lb dry thrust Rolls Royce Pegasus Mk 104 vectored thrust turbofan

Speed (Km/h): 

Mach 1.5 in a dive, 600 knots in level flight at sea level with full AAM load

Range (Km): 

740km on a hi-lo-hi intercept mission with full combat reserve

Service Ceiling (m): 

15545

Wingspan (m): 

7.7

Wing Area (m2): 

18.68

Length (m): 

14.5

Height (m): 

3.71

Empty Weight (kg): 

5,942

Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg)

11,884

Armaments:

Two 30mm Aden cannon in ventral pods with 150 round's each. 8,000lb of stores on centreline and four wing pylons

Crew:

1

Navalised version of the BAe Harrier, fitted with raised cockpit and anti-salt corrosion methods. The Sea Harrier flies with the Blue Fox multi-role radar. The cockpit was also raised improving the Sea Harrier pilots' view and the amount of space available in the cockpit, compared to the restrictive Harrier GR. Mk 3.

Boeing-Vertol Chinook

Type

Medium Transport Helicopter

Power plant

Two Avco Lycoming T55 free turbine turbo shafts

Speed (km/h)

306

Range (km)

185 with 7262lb payload

Hovering Ceiling (m)

14,750ft

Rotor Diameter ((m)

18.29

Main Disc Area (m2)

Length (m)

30.18 with Rotors turning. Fuselage 15.54

Armaments:

Guns can be fitted to doors, also sponson carried weapons are available but rarely used.

Payload

44 troops, or 24 stretcher casualties plus two attendants or 16,00lb external slung load and a 4,000lb internal payload

Crew

2+

A number Chinooks were bound for the Falklands aboard the Atlantic Conveyor, unfortunately all but one of the Chinooks were lost in the sinking of the Atlantic Conveyor. The lone surviving Chinook, Bravo November, performed performed vital and dangerous tasks for several weeks until more Chinooks arrived in mid-June.

Handley Page Victor K.2

Aircraft Type:

Air to air refuelling tanker

First Flight: 

1974

Power plant: 

4 Rolls Royce Conway RCo.17 Mk.201

Speed (Km/h): 

964

Range (Km): 

7400

Service Ceiling (m): 

15240

Wingspan (m): 

35.57

Wing Area (m2): 

204.38

Length (m): 

34.96

Height (m): 

8.55

Crew: 

5 plus a seat for the Crew Chief if required.

RAF Victors were used as Refueling aircraft by the Royal Air Force to and from Ascension Island. Especially in support of the Vulcan in its Black Buck Missions, the Victor tanker had a fuel capacity of 58,029 kg, 128,000Lbs, 15,991 UK Gallons or 72,695 Litres.

Many Thanks to RR Brooks of The Handley Page Victor "The Ultimate V Bomber" for the help with the Victor details.

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Type

Transport

Power plant

Four Allison T56-A-7 turboprops, 4050 hp each

Speed (km/h)

603 at 6100m

Range (km)

5470

Service Ceiling (m)

9145

Wingspan ((m)

40.41

Length (m)

29.79

Crew

5

Payload

92 passengers or 35700lb payload

RAF Hercules Aircraft were used as Transports by the Royal Air Force to and from Ascension Island

Vickers-Armstrong (BAC) VC 10

Type

Transport and Tanker

Power plant

Four 22500lb dry thrust Rolls-Royce Conway Mk 301 turbofans

Speed (km/h)

684 at 9145, for long range. Cruise: C1K: 830km/h at 38,000ft, K2/K3/K4: 928km/h at 38,000ft

Range (km)

6276 with maximum payload

Service Ceiling (m)

1245

Wingspan ((m)

44.55

Length (m)

C1K: 48.36 , K2: 48.36m; K3/K4 2.32m (excluding probe

Crew

2-3?

Payload

Fuel or Passengers, sometimes a mixture. Depending on variant

The VC10 aircraft were used as Transports by the Royal Air Force to and from Ascension Island

Westland Lynx

Type

Multi-role Anti-Submarine, Anti-Ship and Utilities Helicopter 

Power plant

Two Rolls-Royce Gem turbo shafts

Speed (km/h)

232, Cruise on one engine 225

Range (km)

592

Hovering Ceiling (m)

2575

Rotor Diameter ((m)

12.8

Length (m)

15.16 with rotors turning

Armaments:

Wide range of torpedoes, guns, mines, sonar buoys, anti-ship and ASW torpedoes mounted on wheel sponsons and forward fuselage mountings.

Crew

3

A Lynx crippled an Argentine freighter with a Sea Skua missile during the Falklands War

Westland Sea King

Type

ASW and Air-sea rescue Helicopter

Power plant

Two Rolls-Royce Gnome turbo shafts

Speed (km/h)

230; Cruise 208

Range (km)

1230 with standard fuel

Service Ceiling (m)

975m

Rotor Diameter ((m)

18.9

Main Disc Area (m2)

Length (m)

22.15 with Rotors turning

Armaments:

Sponson mountings for a variety of ASW and Anti-ship weaponry. Guns can be fitted to doors.

Crew

3

Westland Scout

Type

Anti-Tank and Utility helicopter

Power plant

Nimbus 101 turbo shaft

Speed (km/h)

211; Cruise 196

Range (km)

507 with four passengers and full allowances

Hovering Ceiling (m)

2682

Rotor Diameter (m)

9.83

Length (m)

12.29m with rotors turning

Payload (kg):

2,404 kg

Armaments:

Mounted on optional boom, can carry, SS11 missiles or a cabin mounted GPMG.

Crew

2 + 3 Pax

Six Scouts from 3 Cdo Bde Air Sqn RM were in action at the start of the Falklands war along with 3 from 656 Squadron Army Air Corps. 3 more joined 656 Sqn when 5 Inf Bde landed. One Scout was shot down during operations.

Westland Wasp

Type

Shipboard ASW, SAR and Utility helicopter

Power plant

One Nimbus 503 engine

Speed (km/h)

193; Cruise 177

Range (km)

435 with four passengers and full allowances

Hovering Ceiling (m)

2682

Rotor Diameter ((m)

9.83

Length (m)

12.29m with Rotors turning

Armaments:

Can be mounted on optional sponsons, can carry torpedoes, missiles, rockets and guns

Crew

2

A Wasp from H.M.S. Plymouth employed an AS12 in the Falklands against the Argentine Submarine Sante Fe, Crippling it.

Westland Wessex HAS.3

Type

Multi-role utility and assault helicopter with ASW capability

Power plant

1,600shp Rolls-Royce Gazelle 165 turbo shaft

Speed (km/h)

212; cruise 195

Range (km)

486 on Standard Fuel

Hovering Ceiling (m)

945m

Rotor Diameter (m)

17.07

Length (m)

20.04

Payload (kg):

4,000lb payload

Armaments:

Weapons can be mounted externally

Crew

3