Sea King XZ574
 

Is now preserved at the Fleet Air Arm Museum Yeovilton, it will go on public display next year, in order to tell its story to the public can anyone confirm that it was the airframe involved in the attempted rescue of the crew's of the coaster Union Star and of the Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne on the night of 19th December 1981.
I have checked various documents at the FAAM but none confirm the actual identity of the airframe, it would be nice to tell this story as part of the information provided to the public about this long serving airframe.

Was it 771 sqn at the time?

If so, might have a lead, check your PMs :8

I think it would have been 706 Sqn (the old DTI SAR commitment) and one of the pilots was an American on exchange. I would think that there would be someone from Culdrose who could throw some more light on it.

Chaps, thanks for the prompt replies, its known that it was a cab from 820NAS who were the duty squadron that night and a reference in a published article is made to airframe 016, at the time this would have been XZ574, what is not to hand is proof in an official document that this was the case.

Steve Marlow was the Observer. I think he's RNR still; his logbook would clarify the a/c number.

6Z3 - did Steve Marlow then (or later) get the QGM? If so, I have (via the FAAOA membership list) an address for him. He's in Scotland.

From the FAAM:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/att...8&d=1229347574

Also one of the cabs flown by the Patron, the DoY :ok:

(and JaY, but he can't remember that far back ;) :p

http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8DE55...nghandover.jpg

Now you've done it.....if SKIOS see those piccys they will be straight round to pinch a few spares - looks in a lot better condition than some of the frames still flying...reportedly

It was definitely 820 - I was part of the 'call out' as Duty AEO. Russ Smith was the USN exchange pilot who flew the mission.

A very hairy event all round that day, with the wind speed across Culdrose such that getting the aircraft spread and engaged was not at all straightforward.

The abiding memory of the aircrew was the unbelievable bravery of the Penlee lifeboat crew, in continuing to attempt to carry out their task in quite atrocious conditions.

Quite correct, 574 was flown by HRH - along with every other airframe on 820 - he had no special aircraft allotted to him. Notably, 574 (016) was also the aircraft that picked up Ian Mortimer after he had been 'Roland'd' out of his SHAR over Port Stanley.

Engines

A-A,
Not sure I'm afraid, I see it has him down as a Cdr RNR, in which case if it's the same Marlow, he's been promoted in the last couple of years. He wouldn't have got the QGM for the Penlee disaster, though he certainly might have for some other rescue.

For those who are interested, the legendary Mousehole Christmas lights will be switched off at 2000 tonight for an hour in remembrance and respect for the breathtakingly brave Trevelyan Richards and the rest of the crew of the Solomon Browne. I quite like this folk song tribute to the event.

Also 574 was involved on 23/4/82 in the rescue when Sea King HC4 ZA311 ditched, sadly POACMN Casey was lost.

Many thanks for all the information to date

FYI
 

I ditched XZ574 on Tiger's Far East deplyment in the mid 70's!:*

FYI
 

I ditched XZ574 on Tiger's Far East deployment in the mid 70's!:*

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...e/skpenlee.jpg


(It says here) Five Sea King HAS Mk2s from 824 NAS passing Penlee lifeboat house.

It certainly is the Penlee lifeboat house, driven past it many a time on the way to my then local at the Coastguards in Mousehole:ok:

Penlee
 

XZ574 was an 820 Sqn cab in December 1981 when the Penlee disaster occurred. 820 were holding the DTI SAR commitment (vice 706) at the time.

I'm not sure if it was the aircraft used on the night, flown by Russ Smith USN with Steve Marlow as the observer that went down on the wire. However, it was definately flown by me the following day for the unhappy task of recovering the bodies from the sea off Penzance.

Steve Marlow did not get any award for his bravery that night, but later received the QGM for another night rescue that nearly ended in disaster for himself!