Bristow Helicopters Westland Whirlwind WS-55 Mk III G-AYNP as seen at Redhill in May 1972 (Photo: Brian Bickers)
Another pleasing contribution from Brian with an additional point of interest in the form of a Percival Q6 Petrel, G-AFFD, seen beneath the Whirlwind's tail.
This Petrel was serial no. 21 and had been owned by Sir Philip Sassoon who served as Private Secretary to Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig from 1915-1918 and Under Secretary of State for Air from 1924-29 and again from 1931–37. He was also the Hon. Air Commodore of No. 601 (County of London) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force.
Sassoon had previously owned a Percival Gull, G-ACGR, in which he competed in the King’s Cup and Folkestone Aero Trophy Race.
As Under-secretary of State for Air, Sassoon carried out the first general inspection of British overseas air stations which he accomplished by touring the various locations in the three-engined Blackburn Iris flying boat. As a result of his travels with this craft he wrote 'The Third Route' published by Heinemann in 1929. (Blackburn Aircraft were of course the firm which built the Turmo turbine under licence from Turbomeca [later to be named Nimbus under Bristol Siddeley] which powered the first Westland Scout).
Sir Philip Sassoon (1888-1939)
Sir Philip Sassoon with Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig aboard a train carriage (which Haig used as his office) on the Western Front during World War I (probably taken in the summer of 1918)
Philip Sassoon's cousin was the poet and decorated soldier, Siegfried Sassoon.