What is it about the Wessex that makes people so fond of it?

[Savoia]

ROYAL NAVY WESSEX SIBU AIRSTRIP, SARAWAK, 1965: A crippled Navy Wessex helicopter hovers above a landing pad while its damaged under-carriage unit, weighing 300 lbs, is removed, repaired and replaced by a repair team in 8 minutes. Piloted by Lieut John Foster, RN, the left undercarriage wheel snapped on landing near the Indonesian border, the pilot promptly put the aircraft into a climb and flew back to Sibu airport, and hovered while his passengers disembarked and the repair team went into action.


ROYAL NAVY WESSEX ABOARD HMS ALBION, 1962: Flight deck scene as Royal Marines of 41 Commando embark on a Wessex helicopter. HMS Albion prepares for her tour of the Far East in 1962 during trials and work-up as the Royal Navy's second commando carrier assigned to relieve HMS Bulwark. The Marines here pictured were participating in Exercise 'Double Take' which involved training operations from helicopters, carriers and landing craft