Ulster get their Wessex
 

Have just heard that the Ulster Aviation Society at Langford Lodge have at long lastreceived a Wessex airframe, it being Wessex XR517. Ex 72 Sqn; Ex 60 Sqn and probably quite a few more.

This small but very enthusiastic group have been after a Wessex for years and deserve it having had little support from the Military with its "No favours whilst there is a scrap man about" atttude.

The Wessex having served in the Province for over 30 years can now be seen where the first one to retire should have been sent.

Congratulation to any UAS members that may frequent these pages, and if any viewers have a little bit of history stored away in an attic, I am sure the folks there would welcome it.

This is not a commercial post as I have nothing to do with UAS, and admission is FREE!

http://dnausers.d-n-a.net/dnetrAzQ/Wessex%202.jpg

Anyone got 2 Gnome engines to give away?

Excellent news!! Fine boys they are at LL, and an entirely appropriate resting place for the Queen (Mother) of the Skies ... must scour the logbooks to see how many of my 3000-ish Wessi hours are on 517...... it's one of the first batch delivered IIRC (first being XR 498?), so was probably on 18 Sqn too in the late 60s ....

Later... Just checked roughly ... first flew 517 on 72 Sqn (Odiham) in 1971, flew her in NI later that year .... last flew her on 60 Sqn in 1993 .... seems to have been at Strawberry in the mid-to-late 80s also .... blimey! there goes my anonymity!!

I don't think you could have flown 517 teeter; the Wessex didn't fly, it Levitated.

Neither I think Blacksheep ... it was the original "so ugly that the Earth repelled it"

But ugly in a brutal Desparate Dan sort of way ......