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Aérospatiale Alouette II

October 27, 2023

"Alouette II" redirects here. For the Canadian satellite, see Alouette 2.

The Aérospatiale Alouette II (French pronunciation: [alwɛt], "lark"; company designations SE 313 and SA 318) is a French light helicopter originally manufactured by Sud Aviation and later Aérospatiale. It was the first production helicopter powered by a gas turbine engine instead of the heavier conventional piston powerplant.

SE 313/SA 318 Alouette II
An SE.3130 Alouette II (ex-Swiss Air Force)
Role Light helicopter
National origin France
Manufacturer Sud Aviation
Aérospatiale
First flight 12 March 1955
Introduction 2 May 1957
Status Limited service
Primary users French Army
French Air Force
German Army
Swiss Air Force
Produced 1956–1975
Number built 1,300+
Variants Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama
Developed into Aérospatiale Alouette III
Sud Aviation SE.3130 Alouette II
ZU-ALO; Private operator in South Africa
SA 318C Alouette II Astazou at the Borderland Museum Eichsfeld in Central Germany.

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 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 underslung 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 rotorcraft. Despite it being long out of production, considerable numbers of Alouette II were still in service at the start of the 21st century.

Development edit

Although Sud-Est's previous helicopter design, the SE 3120 Alouette, broke helicopter speed and distance records in July 1953, it was too complex an aircraft to market successfully. With the records falling, the French government started showing interest, but with their financial backing, the state gave an ultimatum that within two years a helicopter had to be in production, otherwise all rotary wing activities would cease. SNCASE came up with seven helicopter designs powered by turboshaft engines: X.310A – X.310G. Earlier Joseph Szydlowski, the founder of Turbomeca, had successfully managed to develop the Artouste, a 260 hp (190 kW) single shaft turbine engine derived from his Orédon turbine. The X.310G design was chosen and, together with an improved version of the Artouste engine, was fast-tracked towards production as the SE 3130 Alouette II.[1]

 
A West German Alouette II Astazou patrolling the border with East Germany, 1985

On 12 March 1955, the prototype SE 3130 performed its maiden flight;[2][3][4] within three months, on 6 June, a pre-production Alouette II, flown by Jean Boulet, established a new helicopter altitude record of 8,209 m (26,932 ft).[5][6][7] According to the manufacturer, such early demonstrations of the Alouette II had served to promote the performance and advantages of turbine helicopters over their piston-engined counterparts.[1]

In April 1956, the first production Alouette II was completed, making it the first production turbine-powered helicopter in the world.[1][4] Upon completion, several of the initial production models were dispatched for a series of evaluation flights in the Alps.[1] On 13 June 1958, a single SE 3130, again flown by Boulet, re-took the altitude record, reaching a height of 10,984 m (36,027 ft).[6][8][9] In 1964, a new version of the Alouette II was introduced, the SA 3180 Alouette II Astazou (originally called "Alouette Astazou"), using the Turbomeca Astazou IIA engine in place of the Artouste II. In 1975, production of the Alouette II ended after more than 1,300 had been built; in 1969, a new high-altitude variant, the Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama had been developed to replace it in this niche capacity.[1][10] A slightly larger and more powerful helicopter in the form of the Aérospatiale Alouette III has also entered production, which had negatively impacted upon the demand for the older II model.[11]

Design edit

The Aérospatiale Alouette II is a French light helicopter, incorporating many innovations of its time.[7] It was powered by a single Turbomeca Artouste II turboshaft engine capable of generating a maximum output of 400 hp. The speed of the main rotor is controlled by an automated fuel supply governor, eliminating the necessity of a twist-grip throttle and a conventional link between the throttle and the collective-pitch.[7] Instead, the Alouette II uses a simple control lever arrangement, which acts to directly regulate the collective-pitch and actuate the governor while immediately and automatically applying the correct level of power to conform with flight condition. Without a clutch, the transmission is considerably simplified in both design and maintenance aspects.[7]

Despite being a light helicopter, the Alouette II possesses a reasonable lift capacity and can carry underslung loads on an external sling; during one high-profile public demonstration, one helicopter was able to air-lift a compact Citroen truck weighing in excess of half a ton without visible difficulty. While flying at sea level, the Alouette II uses only 300 of the powerplant's available 400 hp; accordingly, performance can be maintained while operated at a high altitude and within tropical conditions where the additional power would come into play.[7] It was capable of flying at altitudes of up to 2,286 meters above sea level while possessing an average climb rate of 250 meters per minute and a typical maximum range of 563 miles.[12] Various alternative landing gear configurations could be fitted, including skids, wheels, or pontoons.[10]

The Alouette II is capable of accommodating a seating arrangement for up to five personnel, including the pilot; access to the cabin was provided via a pair of side-hinged doors.[7] The compact cockpit was provided with a dome-shaped windscreen which provided for excellent levels of external visibility.[12] The Alouette II also made innovative use of armaments. It was the first helicopter worldwide to be equipped with anti-tank munitions in the form of the SS.11 MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile.[13][3] In addition to anti-tank missiles, the French Army chose to arm their Alouette IIs with machine guns, while the French Navy outfitted theirs with aerial torpedoes to conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW) duties.[4]

Under operational conditions, the Alouette II often proved to be a relatively maintenance-intensive rotorcraft.[14] It required a high level of regular lubrication, the main rotorhead alone featuring 20 grease nipples that had to be re-lubricated after every five flight hours, while the drive shaft for the tail rotor was similarly demanding. Due to its high susceptibility to dust ingestion, some operators would have to remove the Alouette's rectangular sand filters after every landing in order to clean them.[14]

Operational history edit

 
An Alouette II in flight, 2010

On 3 July 1956, prior to even entering civil service, the Alouette II was responsible for breaking new ground when it became the first helicopter to perform a mountain rescue mission, having been deployed to evacuate a mountaineer who had suffered from cardiac arrest at over 4,000 m (13,000 ft).[15] On 3 January 1957, the Alouette II was called upon again in order to rescue the crew of a crashed Sikorsky S-58, which had been searching for missing mountaineers Jean Vincendon and François Henry on Mont Blanc.[1]

On 2 May 1957, following a series of airborne trials, the Alouette II was awarded a French domestic certificate of airworthiness, which cleared the type to enter service with civil operators.[4] Initial production was allocated to fulfil those orders placed by the French military, as well as by civilian customers. During 1957, the first deliveries of the Alouette II were made to the French Army.[16] Shortly thereafter, large-scale orders for the type were received from several foreign nations, including the United Kingdom, Federal Republic of Germany, and Austria.[10]

Almost immediately upon entering service, French forces commenced active combat operations using their fledgling Alouette II fleet; the type being placed into heavy use in the Algerian War, during which it made valuable contributions to France's activities in the theatre.[17] When used as a troop-transport, up to four fully equipped soldiers could be airlifted at a time. Additionally, a number of Alouette IIs were modified to become what has been argued by some to have been the world's first helicopter gunships; in this capacity, it would have been typically armed with Nord Aviation-built SS.10 or SS.11 anti-tank missiles.[17]

 
An SE.3130 Alouette II, formerly V-54 of the Swiss Air Force, now on the UK civil register as G-BVSD. It was built in 1964.

The nation of Rhodesia emerged as a prolific user of both the Alouette II and its enlarged sibling, the Alouette III.[17] Early operations were flown with an emphasis on its use by the Army and British South Africa Police, including paramilitary and aerial reconnaissance operations. Throughout the 1960s, the type progressively spread into additional roles, including aerial supply, casualty evacuation, communications relays, and troop-transports.[18] Rhodesian aerial operations would typically involve flying under relatively high and hot conditions, which reduced the efficiency of aircraft in general; however, the Alouette II proved to be both hardy and relatively resistant to battle damage.[12] In order to extend the inadequate range of the type, fuel caches were strategically deployed across the country to be used for refuelling purposes.[18]

In order to improve performance, Rhodesia's Alouette II fleet was subject to extensive modifications, including changes to their refuelling apparatus, gun sights, cabin fittings, armouring, and armaments.[19] Over time, the Rhodesian Security Forces developed an innovative deployment tactic of rapidly encircling and enveloping enemies, known as the Fireforce, for which the Alouette II served as a core component.[17] The quick-reaction Fireforce battalions were centred at Centenary and Mount Darwin; emphasis was placed on locating both rotorcraft and troops as close to a current or anticipated theatre of operations as would be feasibly possible.[20]

By 1975, at which point production of the type was terminated, in excess of 1,300 Alouette IIs had been constructed. The rotorcraft was also in use in over 80 countries, including 47 separate armed forces.[15] The Alouette II was produced and sold under licence by Brazil, Sweden, India and in the United States.[10] While succeeded in some respects by the SA 315B Lama, which was itself a derivative of the Alouette II; the French Army ultimately replaced their Alouette II fleet with a newly developed observation and reconnaissance helicopter in the form of the Aérospatiale AS350 Écureuil.[21]

During July 2018, a single Alouette II was involved in the helicopter prison escape of the French gangster Rédoine Faïd. The rotorcraft, which had been hijacked by gang members who held the pilot hostage at gunpoint, flew into the courtyard of Réau prison, before flying to Roissy in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris; the event allegedly occurred in under ten minutes from take-off to escape.[22][23]

Variants edit

  • SE 3130 Alouette II – Initial version powered by Turbomeca Artouste II series engine rated at 300 kW (400 hp) for takeoff, with maximum weight of 1,500 kg (3,300 lb).[24][25]
  • SE 313B Alouette II – Version of SE 3130 powered by Turbomeca Artouste IIC5 or IIC6 engine rated at 300 kW (400 hp) for takeoff, with maximum weight raised to 1,600 kg (3,500 lb).[24][25]
  • SE 3131 Gouverneur – Refined executive version with enclosed tailboom,[26] which was abandoned in favour of the Alouette III.[27]
  • SE 3140 Alouette II – Proposed version, it was going to be powered by a 298 kW (400 hp) Turbomeca Turmo II engine. None were built.
  • HKP 2 Alouette II – Swedish licence version of the SE 3130
  • SA 3180 Alouette II Astazou – Version powered by Turbomeca Astazou IIA or IIA2 engine rated at 390 kW (523 hp) for takeoff and 353 kW (473 hp) continuous, but restricted to 300 kW (400 hp) by rotor transmission limitations, with maximum weight of 1,500 kg (3,300 lb).[24][25][28]
  • SA 318B Alouette II Astazou – Version of SA 3180 with maximum weight raised to 1,600 kg (3,500 lb).[24][25][28]
  • SA 318C Alouette II Astazou – Version of SA 3180 with maximum weight raised to 1,650 kg (3,650 lb)[24][25][28]
  • SA 315B Lama – designed to meet an Indian armed forces requirement for operation in "hot and high" conditions; it combined the Artouste powerplant and rotor system of the Alouette III with a reinforced Alouette II airframe.
  • Republic Lark: Proposed production in the United States by Republic Aircraft, powered by a 600 shp (447 kW) AiResearch TSE-331-7[29] turboshaft.

Operators edit

  Tunisia
  Turkey

Former operators edit

  Austria
  Belgium
  Benin
  Biafra
  Cambodia
  Cameroon
 
SE 3130 Alouette II in its former French markings
  Central African Republic
  Republic of the Congo
  Djibouti
  Dominican Republic
  France
 
An Aérospatiale SE 3130 Alouette II of the German Army
  Germany
  Guinea-Bissau
  Indonesia
  Israel
  Ivory Coast
  Katanga
  Khmer Republic
  Laos
 
A SAAF Alouette II
  Lebanon
  Madagascar
  Mexico
  Netherlands
  Peru
  Portugal
  Rhodesia
  Romania
  Senegal
 
British Army Air Corps Alouette II
  South Africa
  Spain
  Sweden
  Switzerland
  Turkey
  United Kingdom
  Zimbabwe


Specifications (SE 313B Alouette II) edit

 
Orthographically projected diagram of the Aérospatiale Alouette II
 
Closeup of an SA 318C Alouette II Astazou's Turbomeca Astazou IIA turboshaft engine

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67[2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 4 passengers
  • Length: 9.66 m (31 ft 8 in) (overall, blades folded)
  • Height: 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in)
  • Empty weight: 895 kg (1,973 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,600 kg (3,527 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 580 L (150 US gal; 130 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Artouste IIC6 turboshaft, 400 kW (530 shp) derated to 269 kW (360 hp)
  • Main rotor diameter: 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
  • Main rotor area: 81.7 m2 (879 sq ft)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 185 km/h (115 mph, 100 kn) at sea level
  • Cruise speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn)
  • Range: 565 km (351 mi, 305 nmi) (with maximum fuel)
  • Endurance: 4.1 hours
  • Service ceiling: 2,300 m (7,500 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 4.2 m/s (820 ft/min)

See also edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aérospatiale Alouette II.

Related development

Related lists

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "1955: SE3130 "Alouette II"." 22 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine Eurocopter, Retrieved: 20 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b Taylor 1966, p. 61.
  3. ^ a b Boyne 2011, p. 74.
  4. ^ a b c d McGowen 2005, p. 74.
  5. ^ "FAI Record ID #9876 – Altitude without payload. Class E-1 (Helicopters), turbine 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine" Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). Retrieved: 21 September 2014.
  6. ^ a b "History of Rotorcraft World Records, Sub-class:E-1 (Helicopters), Category:General, Group 2:turbine" Archived 11 June 2007 at archive.today. Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Flight 8 July 1955, p. 54.
  8. ^ "FAI Record ID #9874 – Altitude without payload. Class E-1 (Helicopters), turbine 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine" Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). Retrieved: 21 September 2014.
  9. ^ Taylor 1966, p. 2.
  10. ^ a b c d McGowen 2005, p. 75.
  11. ^ McGowen 2005, p. 227.
  12. ^ a b c Cocks 2015, p. 19.
  13. ^ Helicopters at War – Blitz Editions, p. 63, ISBN 1-85605-345-8.
  14. ^ a b Cocks 2015, pp. 22–23.
  15. ^ a b Boyne 2011, p. 101.
  16. ^ Cocks 2015, pp. 18–19.
  17. ^ a b c d Cocks 2015, p. 18.
  18. ^ a b Cocks 2015, p. 20.
  19. ^ Cocks 2015, pp. 20–22.
  20. ^ Cocks 2015, pp. 21–22.
  21. ^ McGowen 2005, p. 124.
  22. ^ Sage, Andy. “Hostage ordeal of helicopter pilot used for Rédoine Faïd jail breakout.” ‘'thetimes.co.uk'’, 4 July 2018.
  23. ^ “Prison break: French pilot of hijacked helicopter speaks of terrifying ordeal.” ‘'thelocal.fr'’. 4 July 2018.
  24. ^ a b c d e Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (10 January 2014). "Type Certificate Data Sheet No. 7H1".
  25. ^ a b c d e Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC) (May 1977). "Fiche de Navigabilité No. 24" (in French).
  26. ^ "Business and Touring Aircraft: Sud-Aviation". Flight, 11 October 1957, p. 585.
  27. ^ "Helicopters of the World:SE.3160 Alouette III". Flight, 15 May 1959, p. 684.
  28. ^ a b c European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) (14 February 2017). "Type Certificate Data Sheet No. EASA.R.124" (PDF).
  29. ^ Wilkinson, Paul H. (1964). Aircraft engines of the World 1964/65 (20th ed.). London: Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd. p. 43.
  30. ^ "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  31. ^ @emniyetgm (14 March 2019). "Havacılık Daire Başkanlığı Polis Helikopteri, Gölbaşı/Ankara,1990 #Tbt" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 November 2020 – via Twitter.
  32. ^ "polis".
  33. ^ "Ӧstereichische Luftstreitkräfte SE3130 Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  34. ^ "Aviation légère de la force terrestre Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  35. ^ "Gendarmerie Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  36. ^ "World Air Forces 1981 pg. 328". Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  37. ^ a b c "World Air Forces 1971 pg. 924-925". Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  38. ^ Jowett, Philip (2016). Modern African Wars (5): The Nigerian-Biafran War 1967-70. Oxford: Osprey Publishing Press. p. 18. ISBN 978-1472816092.
  39. ^ "World Air Forces 1981 pg.329". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  40. ^ "World Air Forces 1981 pg.330". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  41. ^ "World Air Forces 1981 pg. 332". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  42. ^ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 50". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  43. ^ "World Air Forces 1981 pg. 333". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  44. ^ "Armée de l'air Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  45. ^ "Aviation légère de l'armée de Terre Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  46. ^ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 56". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  47. ^ "World Helicopter Market pg. 51". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  48. ^ "L'HISTORIQUE DE LA SECURITE CIVILE". helisecours.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  49. ^ "Securite Civil Sud-SA-318C". Demand Media. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  50. ^ "Heeresflieger Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  51. ^ "Bundespolizei Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  52. ^ "World Air Forces 1975 pg. 298". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  53. ^ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 59". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  54. ^ a b "World Air Forces 1981 pg. 347". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  55. ^ "World Air Forces 1975 pg. 302". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  56. ^ "World Air Forces 1981 pg. 351". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  57. ^ "Congo, Part 1; 1960–1963". ACIG. 2003. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  58. ^ "World Air Forces 1971 pg. 932". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  59. ^ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 68". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  60. ^ "World Air Forces 1975 pg. 305". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  61. ^ "World Air Forces 1975 pg. 305". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  62. ^ "Koninklijke Luchtmacht SA 313". Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  63. ^ "World Air Forces 2013" (PDF). Flightglobal Insight. 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  64. ^ a b "Força Aérea Portuguesa Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  65. ^ Nelson, Harold. Zimbabwe: A Country Study. pp. 237–317.
  66. ^ . Aripi Argintii (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 11 July 2017.
  67. ^ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 81". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  68. ^ "Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag Alouette II". Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  69. ^ Sur, Europa (6 March 2016). "Algeciras trabaja para ser base de una unidad policial de helicópteros". Europa Sur (in European Spanish). Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  70. ^ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 91". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
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  73. ^ "Air Force of Zimbabwe Aircraft Types".

Bibliography edit

  • Boyne, Walter (2011). How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare. Pelican Publishing Company. ISBN 1-58980-700-6.
  • Cocks, Kerrin (2015). Rhodesian Fire Force 1966–80. Helion and Company. ISBN 1-91029-405-5.
  • "Helicopters in Europe: Fourteen Different Types Seen at Paris". Flight. 8 July 1955. pp. 54–55.
  • Taylor, John W. R. (1966). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67. London, United Kingdom: Sampson Low, Marston & Company.
  • McGowen, Stanley S. (2005). Helicopters: An Illustrated History of their Impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1-85109-468-7.
  • "Pentagon Over the Islands: The Thirty-Year History of Indonesian Military Aviation". Air Enthusiast Quarterly (2): 154–162. n.d. ISSN 0143-5450.

October 27, 2023
aérospatiale, alouette, alouette, redirects, here, canadian, satellite, alouette, french, pronunciation, alwɛt, lark, company, designations, french, light, helicopter, originally, manufactured, aviation, later, aérospatiale, first, production, helicopter, powe. Alouette II redirects here For the Canadian satellite see Alouette 2 The Aerospatiale Alouette II French pronunciation alwɛt lark company designations SE 313 and SA 318 is a French light helicopter originally manufactured by Sud Aviation and later Aerospatiale It was the first production helicopter powered by a gas turbine engine instead of the heavier conventional piston powerplant SE 313 SA 318 Alouette IIAn SE 3130 Alouette II ex Swiss Air Force Role Light helicopterNational origin FranceManufacturer Sud AviationAerospatialeFirst flight 12 March 1955Introduction 2 May 1957Status Limited servicePrimary users French ArmyFrench Air ForceGerman ArmySwiss Air ForceProduced 1956 1975Number built 1 300 Variants Aerospatiale SA 315B LamaDeveloped into Aerospatiale Alouette IIISud Aviation SE 3130 Alouette IIZU ALO Private operator in South AfricaSA 318C Alouette II Astazou at the Borderland Museum Eichsfeld in Central Germany 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 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 underslung 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 rotorcraft Despite it being long out of production considerable numbers of Alouette II were still in service at the start of the 21st century Contents 1 Development 2 Design 3 Operational history 4 Variants 5 Operators 5 1 Former operators 6 Specifications SE 313B Alouette II 7 See also 8 References 8 1 Citations 8 2 BibliographyDevelopment editAlthough Sud Est s previous helicopter design the SE 3120 Alouette broke helicopter speed and distance records in July 1953 it was too complex an aircraft to market successfully With the records falling the French government started showing interest but with their financial backing the state gave an ultimatum that within two years a helicopter had to be in production otherwise all rotary wing activities would cease SNCASE came up with seven helicopter designs powered by turboshaft engines X 310A X 310G Earlier Joseph Szydlowski the founder of Turbomeca had successfully managed to develop the Artouste a 260 hp 190 kW single shaft turbine engine derived from his Oredon turbine The X 310G design was chosen and together with an improved version of the Artouste engine was fast tracked towards production as the SE 3130 Alouette II 1 nbsp A West German Alouette II Astazou patrolling the border with East Germany 1985On 12 March 1955 the prototype SE 3130 performed its maiden flight 2 3 4 within three months on 6 June a pre production Alouette II flown by Jean Boulet established a new helicopter altitude record of 8 209 m 26 932 ft 5 6 7 According to the manufacturer such early demonstrations of the Alouette II had served to promote the performance and advantages of turbine helicopters over their piston engined counterparts 1 In April 1956 the first production Alouette II was completed making it the first production turbine powered helicopter in the world 1 4 Upon completion several of the initial production models were dispatched for a series of evaluation flights in the Alps 1 On 13 June 1958 a single SE 3130 again flown by Boulet re took the altitude record reaching a height of 10 984 m 36 027 ft 6 8 9 In 1964 a new version of the Alouette II was introduced the SA 3180 Alouette II Astazou originally called Alouette Astazou using the Turbomeca Astazou IIA engine in place of the Artouste II In 1975 production of the Alouette II ended after more than 1 300 had been built in 1969 a new high altitude variant the Aerospatiale SA 315B Lama had been developed to replace it in this niche capacity 1 10 A slightly larger and more powerful helicopter in the form of the Aerospatiale Alouette III has also entered production which had negatively impacted upon the demand for the older II model 11 Design editThe Aerospatiale Alouette II is a French light helicopter incorporating many innovations of its time 7 It was powered by a single Turbomeca Artouste II turboshaft engine capable of generating a maximum output of 400 hp The speed of the main rotor is controlled by an automated fuel supply governor eliminating the necessity of a twist grip throttle and a conventional link between the throttle and the collective pitch 7 Instead the Alouette II uses a simple control lever arrangement which acts to directly regulate the collective pitch and actuate the governor while immediately and automatically applying the correct level of power to conform with flight condition Without a clutch the transmission is considerably simplified in both design and maintenance aspects 7 Despite being a light helicopter the Alouette II possesses a reasonable lift capacity and can carry underslung loads on an external sling during one high profile public demonstration one helicopter was able to air lift a compact Citroen truck weighing in excess of half a ton without visible difficulty While flying at sea level the Alouette II uses only 300 of the powerplant s available 400 hp accordingly performance can be maintained while operated at a high altitude and within tropical conditions where the additional power would come into play 7 It was capable of flying at altitudes of up to 2 286 meters above sea level while possessing an average climb rate of 250 meters per minute and a typical maximum range of 563 miles 12 Various alternative landing gear configurations could be fitted including skids wheels or pontoons 10 The Alouette II is capable of accommodating a seating arrangement for up to five personnel including the pilot access to the cabin was provided via a pair of side hinged doors 7 The compact cockpit was provided with a dome shaped windscreen which provided for excellent levels of external visibility 12 The Alouette II also made innovative use of armaments It was the first helicopter worldwide to be equipped with anti tank munitions in the form of the SS 11 MCLOS wire guided anti tank missile 13 3 In addition to anti tank missiles the French Army chose to arm their Alouette IIs with machine guns while the French Navy outfitted theirs with aerial torpedoes to conduct anti submarine warfare ASW duties 4 Under operational conditions the Alouette II often proved to be a relatively maintenance intensive rotorcraft 14 It required a high level of regular lubrication the main rotorhead alone featuring 20 grease nipples that had to be re lubricated after every five flight hours while the drive shaft for the tail rotor was similarly demanding Due to its high susceptibility to dust ingestion some operators would have to remove the Alouette s rectangular sand filters after every landing in order to clean them 14 Operational history edit nbsp An Alouette II in flight 2010On 3 July 1956 prior to even entering civil service the Alouette II was responsible for breaking new ground when it became the first helicopter to perform a mountain rescue mission having been deployed to evacuate a mountaineer who had suffered from cardiac arrest at over 4 000 m 13 000 ft 15 On 3 January 1957 the Alouette II was called upon again in order to rescue the crew of a crashed Sikorsky S 58 which had been searching for missing mountaineers Jean Vincendon and Francois Henry on Mont Blanc 1 On 2 May 1957 following a series of airborne trials the Alouette II was awarded a French domestic certificate of airworthiness which cleared the type to enter service with civil operators 4 Initial production was allocated to fulfil those orders placed by the French military as well as by civilian customers During 1957 the first deliveries of the Alouette II were made to the French Army 16 Shortly thereafter large scale orders for the type were received from several foreign nations including the United Kingdom Federal Republic of Germany and Austria 10 Almost immediately upon entering service French forces commenced active combat operations using their fledgling Alouette II fleet the type being placed into heavy use in the Algerian War during which it made valuable contributions to France s activities in the theatre 17 When used as a troop transport up to four fully equipped soldiers could be airlifted at a time Additionally a number of Alouette IIs were modified to become what has been argued by some to have been the world s first helicopter gunships in this capacity it would have been typically armed with Nord Aviation built SS 10 or SS 11 anti tank missiles 17 nbsp An SE 3130 Alouette II formerly V 54 of the Swiss Air Force now on the UK civil register as G BVSD It was built in 1964 The nation of Rhodesia emerged as a prolific user of both the Alouette II and its enlarged sibling the Alouette III 17 Early operations were flown with an emphasis on its use by the Army and British South Africa Police including paramilitary and aerial reconnaissance operations Throughout the 1960s the type progressively spread into additional roles including aerial supply casualty evacuation communications relays and troop transports 18 Rhodesian aerial operations would typically involve flying under relatively high and hot conditions which reduced the efficiency of aircraft in general however the Alouette II proved to be both hardy and relatively resistant to battle damage 12 In order to extend the inadequate range of the type fuel caches were strategically deployed across the country to be used for refuelling purposes 18 In order to improve performance Rhodesia s Alouette II fleet was subject to extensive modifications including changes to their refuelling apparatus gun sights cabin fittings armouring and armaments 19 Over time the Rhodesian Security Forces developed an innovative deployment tactic of rapidly encircling and enveloping enemies known as the Fireforce for which the Alouette II served as a core component 17 The quick reaction Fireforce battalions were centred at Centenary and Mount Darwin emphasis was placed on locating both rotorcraft and troops as close to a current or anticipated theatre of operations as would be feasibly possible 20 By 1975 at which point production of the type was terminated in excess of 1 300 Alouette IIs had been constructed The rotorcraft was also in use in over 80 countries including 47 separate armed forces 15 The Alouette II was produced and sold under licence by Brazil Sweden India and in the United States 10 While succeeded in some respects by the SA 315B Lama which was itself a derivative of the Alouette II the French Army ultimately replaced their Alouette II fleet with a newly developed observation and reconnaissance helicopter in the form of the Aerospatiale AS350 Ecureuil 21 During July 2018 a single Alouette II was involved in the helicopter prison escape of the French gangster Redoine Faid The rotorcraft which had been hijacked by gang members who held the pilot hostage at gunpoint flew into the courtyard of Reau prison before flying to Roissy in the north eastern suburbs of Paris the event allegedly occurred in under ten minutes from take off to escape 22 23 Variants editSE 3130 Alouette II Initial version powered by Turbomeca Artouste II series engine rated at 300 kW 400 hp for takeoff with maximum weight of 1 500 kg 3 300 lb 24 25 SE 313B Alouette II Version of SE 3130 powered by Turbomeca Artouste IIC5 or IIC6 engine rated at 300 kW 400 hp for takeoff with maximum weight raised to 1 600 kg 3 500 lb 24 25 SE 3131 Gouverneur Refined executive version with enclosed tailboom 26 which was abandoned in favour of the Alouette III 27 SE 3140 Alouette II Proposed version it was going to be powered by a 298 kW 400 hp Turbomeca Turmo II engine None were built HKP 2 Alouette II Swedish licence version of the SE 3130 SA 3180 Alouette II Astazou Version powered by Turbomeca Astazou IIA or IIA2 engine rated at 390 kW 523 hp for takeoff and 353 kW 473 hp continuous but restricted to 300 kW 400 hp by rotor transmission limitations with maximum weight of 1 500 kg 3 300 lb 24 25 28 SA 318B Alouette II Astazou Version of SA 3180 with maximum weight raised to 1 600 kg 3 500 lb 24 25 28 SA 318C Alouette II Astazou Version of SA 3180 with maximum weight raised to 1 650 kg 3 650 lb 24 25 28 SA 315B Lama designed to meet an Indian armed forces requirement for operation in hot and high conditions it combined the Artouste powerplant and rotor system of the Alouette III with a reinforced Alouette II airframe Republic Lark Proposed production in the United States by Republic Aircraft powered by a 600 shp 447 kW AiResearch TSE 331 7 29 turboshaft Operators edit nbsp TunisiaTunisian Air Force 30 nbsp TurkeyGeneral Directorate of Security 31 32 Former operators edit nbsp AustriaAustrian Air Force 33 nbsp BelgiumBelgian Army 34 Gendarmerie 35 nbsp BeninMilitary of Benin 36 Brazilian Air Force 37 nbsp BiafraBiafran armed forces 38 nbsp CambodiaRoyal Cambodian Air Force 37 nbsp Cameroon nbsp SE 3130 Alouette II in its former French markingsCameroon Air Force 39 nbsp Central African RepublicCentral African Republic Air Force 40 nbsp Republic of the CongoCongolese Air Force 41 nbsp DjiboutiDjibouti Air Force 42 nbsp Dominican RepublicDominican Air Force 43 nbsp FranceFrench Air Force 44 French Army 45 French Navy 46 Gendarmerie Nationale 47 Securite Civile 48 49 nbsp An Aerospatiale SE 3130 Alouette II of the German Army nbsp GermanyGerman Army 50 German Federal Police 51 German Air Force 52 nbsp Guinea BissauGuinea Bissau Air Force 53 nbsp IndonesiaIndonesian Army 54 Indonesian Navy 54 nbsp IsraelIsraeli Air Force 55 nbsp Ivory CoastIvory Coast Air Force 56 nbsp KatangaKatangese Air Force 57 nbsp Khmer RepublicKhmer Air Force 37 nbsp Laos nbsp A SAAF Alouette IIRoyal Lao Air Force 58 nbsp LebanonLebanese Air Force 59 nbsp MadagascarMalagasy Air Force 60 nbsp MexicoMexican Navy 61 nbsp NetherlandsNetherlands Air Force 62 nbsp PeruPeruvian Army 63 nbsp PortugalPortuguese Air Force 64 National Republican Guard 64 nbsp RhodesiaRhodesian Air Force 65 nbsp RomaniaRomanian Air Force 66 nbsp SenegalSenegalese Air Force 67 nbsp British Army Air Corps Alouette II nbsp South AfricaSouth African Air Force 68 nbsp SpainSpanish National Police 69 nbsp SwedenSwedish Air Force 70 Swedish Army nbsp SwitzerlandSwiss Air Force 71 nbsp TurkeyGendarmerie General Command Turkish Air Force nbsp United KingdomArmy Air Corps 72 nbsp ZimbabweAir Force of Zimbabwe 73 Specifications SE 313B Alouette II edit nbsp Orthographically projected diagram of the Aerospatiale Alouette II nbsp Closeup of an SA 318C Alouette II Astazou s Turbomeca Astazou IIA turboshaft engineData from Jane s All The World s Aircraft 1966 67 2 General characteristicsCrew 1 Capacity 4 passengers Length 9 66 m 31 ft 8 in overall blades folded Height 2 75 m 9 ft 0 in Empty weight 895 kg 1 973 lb Max takeoff weight 1 600 kg 3 527 lb Fuel capacity 580 L 150 US gal 130 imp gal Powerplant 1 Turbomeca Artouste IIC6 turboshaft 400 kW 530 shp derated to 269 kW 360 hp Main rotor diameter 10 20 m 33 ft 6 in Main rotor area 81 7 m2 879 sq ft Performance Maximum speed 185 km h 115 mph 100 kn at sea level Cruise speed 170 km h 110 mph 92 kn Range 565 km 351 mi 305 nmi with maximum fuel Endurance 4 1 hours Service ceiling 2 300 m 7 500 ft Rate of climb 4 2 m s 820 ft min See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aerospatiale Alouette II nbsp Aviation portal nbsp France portalRelated development Aerospatiale Alouette III Aerospatiale Gazelle Aerospatiale SA 315B LamaRelated lists List of civil aircraft List of rotorcraftReferences editCitations edit a b c d e f 1955 SE3130 Alouette II Archived 22 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine Eurocopter Retrieved 20 December 2015 a b Taylor 1966 p 61 a b Boyne 2011 p 74 a b c d McGowen 2005 p 74 FAI Record ID 9876 Altitude without payload Class E 1 Helicopters turbine Archived 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine Federation Aeronautique Internationale FAI Retrieved 21 September 2014 a b History of Rotorcraft World Records Sub class E 1 Helicopters Category General Group 2 turbine Archived 11 June 2007 at archive today Federation Aeronautique Internationale FAI Retrieved 3 November 2010 a b c d e f Flight 8 July 1955 p 54 FAI Record ID 9874 Altitude without payload Class E 1 Helicopters turbine Archived 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine Federation Aeronautique Internationale FAI Retrieved 21 September 2014 Taylor 1966 p 2 a b c d McGowen 2005 p 75 McGowen 2005 p 227 a b c Cocks 2015 p 19 Helicopters at War Blitz Editions p 63 ISBN 1 85605 345 8 a b Cocks 2015 pp 22 23 a b Boyne 2011 p 101 Cocks 2015 pp 18 19 a b c d Cocks 2015 p 18 a b Cocks 2015 p 20 Cocks 2015 pp 20 22 Cocks 2015 pp 21 22 McGowen 2005 p 124 Sage Andy Hostage ordeal of helicopter pilot used for Redoine Faid jail breakout thetimes co uk 4 July 2018 Prison break French pilot of hijacked helicopter speaks of terrifying ordeal thelocal fr 4 July 2018 a b c d e Federal Aviation Administration FAA 10 January 2014 Type Certificate Data Sheet No 7H1 a b c d e Direction Generale de l Aviation Civile DGAC May 1977 Fiche de Navigabilite No 24 in French Business and Touring Aircraft Sud Aviation Flight 11 October 1957 p 585 Helicopters of the World SE 3160 Alouette III Flight 15 May 1959 p 684 a b c European Aviation Safety Agency EASA 14 February 2017 Type Certificate Data Sheet No EASA R 124 PDF Wilkinson Paul H 1964 Aircraft engines of the World 1964 65 20th ed London Sir Isaac Pitman amp Sons Ltd p 43 World Air Forces 2018 Flightglobal Insight 2018 Retrieved 4 August 2018 emniyetgm 14 March 2019 Havacilik Daire Baskanligi Polis Helikopteri Golbasi Ankara 1990 Tbt Tweet Retrieved 22 November 2020 via Twitter polis Ӧstereichische Luftstreitkrafte SE3130 Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 Aviation legere de la force terrestre Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 Gendarmerie Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 World Air Forces 1981 pg 328 Retrieved 14 March 2013 a b c World Air Forces 1971 pg 924 925 Retrieved 14 March 2013 Jowett Philip 2016 Modern African Wars 5 The Nigerian Biafran War 1967 70 Oxford Osprey Publishing Press p 18 ISBN 978 1472816092 World Air Forces 1981 pg 329 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1981 pg 330 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1981 pg 332 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1987 pg 50 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1981 pg 333 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 Armee de l air Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 Aviation legere de l armee de Terre Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 World Air Forces 1987 pg 56 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Helicopter Market pg 51 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 L HISTORIQUE DE LA SECURITE CIVILE helisecours com Retrieved 14 March 2013 Securite Civil Sud SA 318C Demand Media Retrieved 14 March 2013 Heeresflieger Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 Bundespolizei Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 World Air Forces 1975 pg 298 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1987 pg 59 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 a b World Air Forces 1981 pg 347 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1975 pg 302 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1981 pg 351 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 Congo Part 1 1960 1963 ACIG 2003 Retrieved 9 August 2013 World Air Forces 1971 pg 932 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1987 pg 68 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1975 pg 305 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 1975 pg 305 flightglobal com Retrieved 2 February 2014 Koninklijke Luchtmacht SA 313 Retrieved 14 March 2013 World Air Forces 2013 PDF Flightglobal Insight 2013 Retrieved 14 March 2013 a b Forca Aerea Portuguesa Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 Nelson Harold Zimbabwe A Country Study pp 237 317 Alouette II Aripi Argintii in Romanian Archived from the original on 11 July 2017 World Air Forces 1987 pg 81 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 Suid Afrikaanse Lugmag Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 Sur Europa 6 March 2016 Algeciras trabaja para ser base de una unidad policial de helicopteros Europa Sur in European Spanish Retrieved 30 July 2023 World Air Forces 1987 pg 91 flightglobal com Retrieved 14 March 2013 Schweizer luftwaffe Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 Army Air Corps Alouette II Retrieved 12 March 2013 Air Force of Zimbabwe Aircraft Types Bibliography edit Boyne Walter 2011 How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare Pelican Publishing Company ISBN 1 58980 700 6 Cocks Kerrin 2015 Rhodesian Fire Force 1966 80 Helion and Company ISBN 1 91029 405 5 Helicopters in Europe Fourteen Different Types Seen at Paris Flight 8 July 1955 pp 54 55 Taylor John W R 1966 Jane s All The World s Aircraft 1966 67 London United Kingdom Sampson Low Marston amp Company McGowen Stanley S 2005 Helicopters An Illustrated History of their Impact Santa Barbara California ABC CLIO ISBN 1 85109 468 7 Pentagon Over the Islands The Thirty Year History of Indonesian Military Aviation Air Enthusiast Quarterly 2 154 162 n d ISSN 0143 5450 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aerospatiale Alouette II amp oldid 1167943181, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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