Re the query about the ironmongery on the oleos of the Whirlwinds in post #1180, I have heard back from three of the five "elderly pingers" who I emailed. Unfortunately none of them flew Whirlwinds with that bit of kit fitted but they all surmise it was a radar reflector - almost certainly to prevent the helicopter being mown down by a ship whilst the former was in the dip (in the hover with the sonar lowered).
What has come to light from one of them is that the photograph date of c.1963 can be refined. 825 was formerly a Gannet squadron until 1958 and on 16 August 1960 it reformed with the Whirlwind HAS7, embarking on Victorious on 18 October that year. The Squadron stayed on Victorious until the ship's Commission ended and the Squadron disbanded on 2 April 1962. It did not reform until 3 May 1982 when it was hurriedly reformed with Sea Kings from 706 training squadron for the Falklands campaign under the command of my good friend the late Commander Hugh Clark.
The Squadron that was embarked in Victorious in 1963 was 814 and they were equipped with the Wessex HAS1 not the Whirlwind.
Re Geoffers comment about the Mk7 winching itself virtually into the water, I also have vivid memories of that happening to me in Falmouth Bay - during basic flying training with Petty Officer Mitchell as the winchman and a rather hefty "volunteer" as the rescuee. Quite brave of the winchman to entrust himself to winching with a 19 year old "solo" student with only around 70 hours on helicopters!
Last edited by CharlieOneSix; 5th Jan 2012 at 22:35.