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Wessex XM328 was built at Yeovil in 1959 as a pre-production HAS.1 anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Royal Navy. Between 1965 and 1968 forty-three of the original Wessex HAS.1 variants, including XM328, were upgraded to Mk.3 specification. From 1970, it was stationed at RNAS Portland, in Dorset, with 737 Naval Air Squadron where it was assigned to operate from several of the County Class guided missile destroyers. In their shipborne, anti-submarine role, the HAS.3s could carry two homing torpedoes or four depth charges in addition to their dipping sonar. They could also be fitted with a doormounted machine gun. XM328, remained in service until after the Falklands conflict period in 1982. It sailed with HMS Antrim on her second deployment to the South Atlantic, was transferred to 772 Squadron when 737 Squadron disbanded on 4th February 1983, returned to Portsmouth with HMS Antrim in March 1983 and was flown back to Portland.Then, for twenty years, itwas used as a ground training aircraft, by the School of Aircraft Handling at RNAS Culdrose. In May 2004, it was finally withdrawn from use and transferred to The Helicopter Museum atWeston-Super-Mare,where it is on display today.
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