A two-seater observation and training helicopter, designed in the late 1940s by Polish engineer Tadeusz Ciastuła at the Cierva Autogiro Company, under the designation Cierva W.14 Skeeter.
It was the first helicopter operated by the British Army Air Force. The first prototype flew on October 10, 1948. Cierva was acquired by Saunders-Roe (Saro) in 1951. The prototypes suffered from propulsion and ground resonance problems that took several years to resolve, so it wasn’t until 1956 that 64 helicopters of the main production version, the AOP.12 (Air Observation Post), were ordered. Trainer and export versions were also built.
The presented AOP.12, serial number XL767, was manufactured in 1959.
| Rotor diameter | 9,75 m |
| Length | 8,12 m |
| Empty weight | 751 kg |
| Take-off weight | 998 kg |
| Maximum speed | 175 km/h |
| Altitude | 3900 m |
| Range | 418 km |
| Engine | De Havilland Gipsy Major Type 140 215 hp air-cooled 4-cylinder in-line engine |
