After the Bristol Aeroplane Company formed a Helicopter Department at Filton in late 1944, they recruited Raoul Hafner from the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment, where he had been leading a rotorcraft development team. Hafner began work on a single-engine, four-seat helicopter to meet Ministry of Supply Specification E.20/45, designated the Bristol Type 171 Mk1. The Type 171 Mk1 had a single 450hp (335.6 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior, a light alloy cabin section , a stressed-skin tail boom attached to the central engine & gearbox mounting, & a three monocoque blade rotor.

The Sycamore made its first flight on the 27th of July 1947, piloted by H.A Marsh. Its civil certificate of airworthiness (the first ever given to a British helicopter) was granted on the 25th of April 1949, & the aircraft flew to the Paris Salon soon after. A third prototype, designated Type 171 Mk2, was fitted with an Alvis Leonides radial engine, & made an appearance at SBAC at Farnborough in the Static Display in 1948. The Mk2 made its first flight on the 3rd of September 1949, which was successful. The second flight was not so successful, however, as the rotor disintegrated. The rotor was strengthened, & the development programme continued. Soon after, 15 production Type 171 Mk3 were built & designated HC.Mk 10, HC.Mk 11, HR.Mk 12 & Mk 3A in RAF Coastal Command, Army Air Corps & BEA service.

The main production variant was the Type 177 Sycamore Mk4, which operated in several different designations, the most common of which were the Sycamore Mk52 (50 delivered to the Federal German Army & Navy) & Sycamore HR.Mk14 (80 delivered to the RAF). The HR.Mk14s were equipped with winches for air-sea rescue duties, & the Sycamore also operated as a light assault & reconnaissance helicopter in Cyprus, Borneo & Malaya.

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