1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. RAF Rescue Helicopter: Marcusroos· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines (derived from the US General Electric T58), British-made anti-submarine warfare systems and a fully computerised flight control system. The Sea King was primarily designed for performing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions.
How to recognise it: 2 turboshaft engines · 18.9 m main rotor
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 57 years ago, in 1969.
- Rotor of 18.9 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
- Range of 1,230 km: 7× Amsterdam to Brussels.
turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1969-05-07
- introduced
- 1969
- status
- still flying
- number built
- 344
- role
- sikorsky sh-3 sea king
- makers
- Westland Helicopters
- engines
- 2× Rolls-Royce H.1400-2 Gnome
- crew
- 2
- length
- 17 m
- rotor diameter
- 18.9 m
- height
- 5.1 m
- max take-off weight
- 9,707 kg
- top speed
- —
- cruise speed
- 207 km/h
- range
- 1,230 km
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
family
Sources: Wikidata Q1188742, Wikipedia: Westland Sea King (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.