All the World's Rotorcraft HELICOPTER RECOGNITION GUIDE


Aerospatiale Alouette III

Aerospatiale AS-350 "Ecureuil"

Aerospatiale "Gazelle"

Aerospatiale

Aerospatiale "Gazelle"

One of two helicopters with the tail rotor enclosed in the tail fin (see Aerospatiale Dauphin), the Gazelle has a huge bubble-fronted greenhouse canopy; enclosed turboshaft engine stands out behind main rotor drive shaft. Near at hand, tail rotor drive shaft lies on tail cone. Has a rigid, non-drooping main rotor similar to the MBB series (page 200)

Quite rare in the United States, many more in French and British military service. The unusual rotor-in-tail, called a "fenestron," was repeated in the commonly seen, much larger U.S. Coast Guard Dolphin. No longer produced in North America.