HI, Late response to this one. My father Flt Lt Ben Braithwaite was the pilot of the first whirlwind on scene, the award he and Dinty Moore the winchman received in America was the Avco Lycomin award for helicopter heroism, the first time it had been awarded out of the USA. Conditions were as stated appalling, the whirlwind was started in the hangar, not allowed but the end result worked. Chatting to Dinty a few years ago he said the hangar went IMC on start-up. They actually over-loaded the whirlwind with crew from the Amberley as the other Helos were running late due to weather conditions. I understand that they landed on not far from a pub where-upon the crew from the Amberley started pulling money out from all sorts of places and a session ensued. The controller from the RCC that evening was Brian Laird