Andy and I met in Phu Loi, Vietnam in '69.....last I heard of him he had gone to Peru with the US Department of State working on the Anti-Drug Ops Program but that was many Moon's ago!
I can confirm that the first S61's arrived at Trengganu from Singapore in Jan 1970, I was there with the Whirlwinds and flew out with Bill Farnell to Singapore to operate the Whirlwind in Masalembo. With the S61's came Horst Voight the C/E, Frank Nudd was there and John Cromwell among others. I posted a photo of the 61's taken the day they arrived in Skyweaver.
Last edited by Oldlae : 23rd October 2009 at 10:48.
Reason: More info.
S61-S92,
My initial thoughts were that to replace two Whirlwinds doing a couple of flights a day with these huge machines meant that Esso had found an awful lot of oil. We didn't stay long enough to see them operating.
Just to spread the word, a Bristow reunion is planned at the Heli Museum at WSM in Somerset on 28th November to coincide with the launch of Alan Bristow's autobiography.I gather his widow,Heather and a coach load of BOGS from the Redhill area are due to come down but all will be welcome.
The new book should be on sale there,but if you can't get there the museum will take mail orders....£25.00 plus P and P.
OK it goes like this:
The Iranian government ordered a bunch of Agusta 212s which could not be completed in the time scale, so Agusta ordered Three from Bell, to top up the order. These were basic Bells. The aircraft were delivered to Agusta, to be passed on, presumably at a mark up. In the meantime, the Iranian government collapsed, so these machines were left in limbo, and were stored at the Siai Marchetti factory in Varase, north of Milan.
With the grounding of the Wessex, the company was short of aircraft, especially at Yarmouth. Jean Dennell grabbed me and said "get over to Milan, and check these Three out", I replied " I don,t speak Italian, to which he replied "that does not matter, everyone in Milan speaks English"
I duly landed at Milan, to find that very few people there speak English, so I blundered around with my Italian phrase book in my hand, looking like the typical stupid Englishman abroad.
I got to Varase, and found the aircraft were obviously new, and just what the company needed, so I reported this back, When I got back, I collared JD and said " you conned me, nobody in Milan speaks English" to which he replied, " well if I had told you that, you would not have gone".
The decision was made to purchase the aircraft, so I went out again, with a greenie, and Three pilots, led by Dave Winter, (apologies but I cant, remember the other names)
We air tested the Three all in one morning, flying over the lakes, North of Milan, fantastic scenery, but I did not get to see much of it, as Agusta insisted on one of their pilots sitting in the left hand seat, so I had to take the readings, looking over Dave's shoulder.
We declared the Aircraft acceptable, and on the appointed day they were preflighted, and the paper work was all done, we then sat there,as Agusta would not release us. After a couple of hours, an executive jet arrived from Holland, and a guy in a suit got out, with a bulging brief case, there was a huddled conference in a smoke filled office, and then Agusta said "OK guys you can go"
Dave had not been sure what route we should take back home, as the shortest way would have been through the Alps, but he was worried that the weather might close in, and we would not be able to turn back, so he decided that we should come the pretty way. None of us objected.
So we bumbled down through Italy, turned right at the coast, and flew along the Italian, and French Riviera stopping at Nice for lunch, (it could be hard working sometimes)
We then flew up through France, to cause havoc when we landed at Gatwick, by blowing everyone around.
The aircraft were got ready to North sea standard in quick time, with the first one departing for yarmouth on Christmas Eve.
(cool tip, if you are stuck at a French provincial airport for a meal, go around the back of the hangers, and seek out the workers canteen, rough tables, and benches, but fantastic food at cheap prices)
I was one of the engineers responsible for the construction and early evening launching of those spectacular hot-air balloons, plus manufacture of the accompanying refreshments (communal vats of Tequila, Vodka or Gin Flambé) during the early Papa Charlie days… The other prime miscreant was Dave White. These activities were usually followed by competitive fire-pit leaping, plus continuation of any outstanding Uckers grudge match issues.
On a more practical note, we also constructed the Bristow Papa Charlie rain-proof (ish) workshop roofing, jet-fuel fired heating system, plus shower and toilet facilities behind the “workshop/office” building. (Not all of these projects were totally succesful )
I was PAX on G-AZOM's penultimate flight. In 1984 helicopters were like hen's teeth and I organised a Shell charter of OM for a day from Norfolk to move survey positioning beacons in the outer isles of the Hebridean Sea for a seismic survey ship pre-GPS. The beacons were scarce too so the only way to cover the large survey area was by helicopter movement. I joined at GLA and we spent the day out at Islay and Barra Head refuelling at Benbecula. They dropped me at GLA and headed back to North Denes. I got back to Shell London two days later and was reading Lloyds List where OM's demise was reported. I remember being shocked as I had just got the photos back and remembered the call-sign from them. As you say, and quite amazingly, no casualties. I seem to recall the wrong grease was used in the tail rotor gearbox which seized causing the unfortunate series of events.
I liked the 105s, they felt safe and I flew in them a lot around the Northern fields in the North Sea.
Mtoroshanga and all.
Bristow get together detail on 28th Novemeber still being worked out with book publisher etc but will post more when I know.
Mind you if enough people turn up ,it will happen anyway but still waiting to hear if Heather B is coming .
Worst case scenariono ,you pay £5.50 to get in ( £4.50 for pensioners ) and meet lots of all friends.
Musseum opens at 10.00...suspect arrivals at 11.00 and book launch at midday .
Many older Bristow Engineers will recall being grilled by Bill Webster of the CAA, for their licenses.
Bill passed away not so long ago, and his obituary was published in the local paper.
Something I did not know, and I don,t think many people did, was that Bill had been a Dakota pilot during the war, in Burma, and was actually Field Marshal Viscount Slims personal pilot.
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