I have only just discovered this site! Why did we love the Wessex 5? I flew it for 21 years or so off and on and it never ceased to amaze me how much abuse it could take. EOLs even possible without using any collective, engine failures that you did not notice unless you were looking at the time.(Ask many students!) Bouncing off trees and the ground at speed and best of all if you ran out of official power in a tight corner, just keep pulling and tell the engineers when you got back! Not many people know that a WX 5 also became probably the first helicopter to down a jet fighter. In 1982, post Falklands there I was thumb in bum on a Friday lunchtime, yes, I know that is a stupid time to fly when the Guinesss is calling, at 2000 feet in cloud when we hit a Sea Harrier. He had to return to Yeovilton damaged, and we landed at the Fox and Hounds in Charlton Adam to have a celebratory pint or two. Tough old bird? Oh yes!