HeliSDW wrote on 26th August 2010: "Was the Alouette a particularly common camera platform in the UK?"
This is a somewhat belated response but I believe that if referring to the 60's and 70's the answer could be yes.
Recently there has been discussion involving a couple of Alouette II's which were assoicated with filming. Specifically, Helicopter Hire's G-AWAP (previous page) and Alan Mann's G-FILM on the
Mann thread. Tragically, both ships were lost while engaged in filming sorties.
On the Mann thread
TRC wrote:
"The Al II was chosen for a number of reasons; the large flat floor, large door opening, it could fly as fast sideways as it could forwards and there were several approved mods for various camera installations in existence."
It would seem as though a fair few of the commercial Al II's in the UK during the 60's and 70's were indeed engaged in filmwork:
When
HeliSDW made his comment above on page
9 he posted a clip from the BBC archives which featured a Heli-Union Al II, G-AWLC, performing filmwork in 1969.
On page
27 an image appears of another Heli-Union Al II, G-AWFY, which was sold to BEAS and then Dollar. One wonders whether this may also have been engaged in filming assignments?
Another Al II appears on page
14, G-AVEE, being an '
Air Gregorius' craft - one which I encountered at Shoreham in the early 70's and, herewith, another Al II belonging to Air Gregory:
SA318C G-BBJE operated by Air Gregory as seen at Biggin Hill on 18th May 1974. The craft was registered in 1973 to 'Medminster' of Putney then sold to Switzerland in 1978. (Photo: Ray Barber)
Anyone with evidence of additional Al II's or Lama's used in filmwork, please do chip in.
Sav