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Alouette
II Photo: Robert Deering 4/9/2019 Technik Museum Speyer, Germany |
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Aérospatiale Alouette II
The Aérospatiale Alouette II is a French light helicopter originally manufactured by Sud Aviation and later Aérospatiale. It holds the distinction of being the first production helicopter to be powered by a gas turbine engine instead of the heavier conventional piston power plant.
On 12 March 1955, the prototype SE 3130 performed its maiden flight. The Alouette II was a widely used type and popular with operators, with over 1,300 rotorcraft eventually being constructed between 1956 and 1975. The type was predominantly mostly used for military purposes in observation, photography, air-sea rescue, liaison and training, but it has also carried anti-tank missiles and homing torpedoes. As a civilian helicopter, the Alouette II has been used for casualty evacuation (with two external stretcher panniers), crop-spraying and as a flying crane, with a 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) external under-slung load.
A high-altitude derivative, the SA 315B Lama, was developed and entered operational service in July 1971. The Alouette II also was further developed into the larger and more powerful Alouette III. In 1975, production of the type was terminated, having been effectively succeeded by these newer rotor craft. Despite it being long out of production, considerable numbers of Alouette II were still in service at the start of the 21st century.
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