Happy Birthday-Whirlwind 10

[sycamore]

Well, you could call it `re-incarnation`,first flight of the `Gentlemans Carriage`, 28 February 1959...

[rotorfossil]

Still flying the last flyable one (occasionally), 45 years and counting. It still reminds me that provided everything is working, it is one of the more pilot friendly helicopters. It was just that in service, laden down with all the operational kit, its lift capability was abysmal. I can recall one fitted with the filter nose door, winch, u/s hook, night sun, SS 11 fixed fittings, H/F radio, Decca fixed fittings etc, etc. Full fuel meant pilot and crewman and nothing else. Happy days!

[idle stop]

And, as a few old hands were musing, to while away the time at Cheltenham heliport today, it didn't seem to matter much if you tried a running take-off or landing with the brakes on!
The last few were being used alongside the Gazelles on 1 Sqn at Shawbury when I graduated from CFS(H): my regret now is that I didn't push to spend a few months instructing on the old girls, rather than going straight to the Gazelle flight. So my memories are only as a student. Not a very good one, at that! I think I was one of Rotorfossil's last students at SARTU, probably persuaded him that it really was time for him to leave the RAF....
However, we students did get to do 3 x solo EOLs on the Whirlwind, towards the end of the AFTS course; a bit like being sent first solo again, with QHI standing watching nervously on the airfield. When the Gazelle took over the AFTS course, solo student EOLs disappeared from the syllabus.