There is a Wessex flying in the UK again

[NutLoose]

Blimey, flying at Biggin hill, see

A surprise at Biggin Hill (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?128967-A-surprise-at-Biggin-Hill&p=2115972#post2115972)

Piccie

9G-AEL | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/indiaecho/12719155245/)

[Mr Grimsdale]

I think there's a second one in a hangar on the eastern side of airfield. They turned up several years ago for overhaul/upgrade.

[Navaleye]

I vaguely recall that when retired, some where going into a strategic war reserve or something similar. Where does that live then?

[tucumseh]

Navaleye

Many moons ago, mid 80s, the recently retired but still perfectly good FAA Wessex surplus was sent to Daedalus where RN apprentices kept them in tip top shape as part of their training; something that used to be common practice and very beneficial to the MoD as a whole. Others were in long term storage at Fleetlands; again maintained by, this time, civilian apprentices. But in time they fell off what was called the A/B/C Sheet plot in the LTC and there was little or no funding permitted.

[Wessex Boy]

Nice one!

There is a movement on Facebook to get one flying again: https://www.facebook.com/groups/463920787030860/ but it looks like we have been taken over by events

[Trim Stab]

I'm always quite curious about how the Wessex handled - with presumably a low CG due to the low-mounted engine - compared to what we now regard as a "conventional" design with the engines mounted on the roof directly under the rotor?

Was the engine mounted low down deliberately, in order to make the aircraft relatively stable for ship-borne operations?

[Haraka]

TS
The Wessex inherited that configuration ( as did the Gnome Whirlwind) from its piston-engined Sikorsky predecessor.
The S-58 had a big Wright radial , with associated drive, gearbox etc trains up to the rotor system.
Westlands replaced this with the Gazelle turboshaft and later the twin Gnome installation , perforce having to use the same location.
IIRC the Wessex nose doors came out of the same basic jig as those of the S-58.
The twin turboshaft over the cockpit ( "normal" ) configuration was first instigated into production by Mil with the Mi-6 "Hook" in 1957.

[Fareastdriver]

Apparantly when the idea of putting gas turbinesin the S58 was first mooted Westlands wanted to reverse the position of cockpit and engine similar to the S62. They had previous proposed a turbine powered version of the S56, which had the engines mounted on pods either side of the gearbox.

The reaction from the military was that an engine/gearbox mounted above the cabin was too dangerous in a crash and so they had to stick with inclined engines in the nose.

[cobaltfrog]

They are maintained by contract there for the Ghanaian Govt which has an contract on the old NI Wessex. If you look more closely at BH you will see about 15 of the things in various states, oh and some Westland civvy Lynx!!

Oh and for the record the Fly Navy Heritage Trust has two in storage in good condition just awaiting a good benefactor to fund the restoration to flight!

[orgASMic]

But does anyone have a spare pair of main wheels for 84 Sqn's gate guardian to replace the Land Rover wheels she currently sports?

[NutLoose]

Try the Navy at Peddanack as these tend to get burnt, though i think some of the Harriers have gone, but the wessex seem to still have wheels on, a tube fitted or filled with concrete should improve things for you :)

Aviation Photography - RNAS Predannack, Cornwall (http://www.targeta.co.uk/predannack.htm)


Archived Report - Predannack, Cornwall, March 2011 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/59368-predannack-cornwall-march-2011-a.html)