50 Years of Sea King in UK service

[John Eacott]

Originally Posted by chopper2004

Happy Half A Century of UK SK ops

https://uk.leonardocompany.com/en/ne...th-anniversary

Please don't confuse XV666 first flight with the type's date of entry into service with the RN.

700S IFTU commissioned 19th August 1969, nearly 51 years ago with Vic Sirrett as CO We had XV644 to XV649 (582/CU to 587/CU) on charge with the first three delivered in August 1969, one in September and the last two in October. 706NAS received three later in the year and the first front line operations were with 824NAS/Ark Royal from February 1970.

Spotters Hat <off>

700S stuff









826NAS, HMS Eagle









XV666/144E was delivered to 826NAS on 17th August 1970 and the first operational flight was 20th August on a 4hr 5 min CASEX with CO Lt Cdr Noel Unsworth, me, SOBS and TASI ('Sugar' Bush). A very high powered team






So XV666 anniversary of RN service is still 8 weeks away



700S trials, RFA Olna