What is it about the Wessex that makes people so fond of it?
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A couple of years ago I photographed XT607 at the National Diving and Activity Centre near Chepstow. I posted a while back, so here's a reminder:-
Simon Brown Images - Photographer & Writer
Its taken a few years, but the underwater visibility was excellent last week and I managed to photograph Westland Wessex XS122 in clear water:-
Simon Brown Images - Photographer & Writer
The reason for posting is that I'm looking for former crew who would be willing to be interviewed about their experiences with the former Fleet Air Arm Wessex XS122, or to see if anyone out there has any topside images of the helicopter in her heyday, either static or (better) in flight. By way of exchange, I would like to offer former crew a print of XS122 as she is today in return.
Email or PPRUNE PM is best. simon (at) simonbrownimages (dot) com would reach me, replacing the (at) and (dot) with @ and . respectively.
Look forward to hearing from anyone who could help.
Simon Brown Images - Photographer & Writer
Its taken a few years, but the underwater visibility was excellent last week and I managed to photograph Westland Wessex XS122 in clear water:-
Simon Brown Images - Photographer & Writer
The reason for posting is that I'm looking for former crew who would be willing to be interviewed about their experiences with the former Fleet Air Arm Wessex XS122, or to see if anyone out there has any topside images of the helicopter in her heyday, either static or (better) in flight. By way of exchange, I would like to offer former crew a print of XS122 as she is today in return.
Email or PPRUNE PM is best. simon (at) simonbrownimages (dot) com would reach me, replacing the (at) and (dot) with @ and . respectively.
Look forward to hearing from anyone who could help.
RAe Bedford Wessex XR503
Does anyone remember this Wessex used for trials of the 'glass cockpit' trials 3 decades ago at Bedford
(images courtesy of Bedford Heritage Aviation Group)
Cheers
(images courtesy of Bedford Heritage Aviation Group)
Cheers
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes I remember it well.I flew in it many times to Larkhill and Boscombe Down dropping models of the MRCA...(Tornado) from RAE Bedford in the mid 70's. It was still in RAF camo scheme then.I can't remember where it ended it's days but I did see a Raspberry Ripple tail boom with it's serial number on
in the training school at Gosport (HMS Sultan).
in the training school at Gosport (HMS Sultan).
Last edited by Tacho Genny; 11th Feb 2014 at 04:22.
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Age: 61
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
1 Post
Bad behaviour?
Oh come on this was just a little fun with the photographer whilst on a detachment to Stanford PTA from Aldergrove. If I remember it was Feb 7th 1984. My 21st Birthday.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,868
Received 2,818 Likes
on
1,200 Posts
whooo.. that's over a foot long, for those of you that do metric, it's over a foot long 
Fly Model Kit No. 32010 - Westland Wessex HC.2 Reviww by Jim Hatch
Fly Model Kit No. 32010 - Westland Wessex HC.2 Reviww by Jim Hatch
FarEastDriver
"Started off life carrying Marines; how it got a Royal Air Finish is unknown."
most likely it was roped back into service as part of the Puma 'mid-life' update..........or was it the Puma that was the Wessex 'mid-life' update?????
Age!
most likely it was roped back into service as part of the Puma 'mid-life' update..........or was it the Puma that was the Wessex 'mid-life' update?????
Age!
Simple..relatively, dependable and relatively few vices. A good cab for a dumbass like me to learn my craft on. Not my favourite ship, the UH-1D was the most fun/pleasant and easy ride. Didn't like the Squirrel, equally as ambivalent toward the Gazelle..the Seaking 4 was a pleasant ride, just never got 'comfortable' with it.
It's an impressive model otherwise, if that's your thing.
Learned so much in it in my first 2 years of flying - constant MAUM and limited power, loss of tail rotor authority, how to overtorque and not crash when you get the wind wrong, how that awesome undercarriage can save you even when you get recirculation going into a CA - the list goes on for the Queen of the skies.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For the attention of Geebee 50
Having sat, read and really enjoyed the Wessex thread I was extremely disappointed to note the personal attack by Geebee 50 on the SAR crew involved in the Wessex vs HMS Glasgow incident.
The comments by what appears to be a poorly informed member of the police investigating team is really not worthy of comment but comment I shall. Prior to this critical mail the thread has been conducted in a well informed and non critical manner and as the flying members of this thread appreciate this leaves much scope for those wanting to score points.
Geebee 50 I would refer you to Post number 487 which for your reference is factual. Aircrew = Respect. Police Flight =
Having sat, read and really enjoyed the Wessex thread I was extremely disappointed to note the personal attack by Geebee 50 on the SAR crew involved in the Wessex vs HMS Glasgow incident.
The comments by what appears to be a poorly informed member of the police investigating team is really not worthy of comment but comment I shall. Prior to this critical mail the thread has been conducted in a well informed and non critical manner and as the flying members of this thread appreciate this leaves much scope for those wanting to score points.
Geebee 50 I would refer you to Post number 487 which for your reference is factual. Aircrew = Respect. Police Flight =
Up Gently - both Cab le Cutter and I have flown with the pilot in the past and, whilst he was a good pair of hands, he had a mischevious and sometimes slightly barking view of what should and shouldn't be done in a helicopter (he was previously a plankie).
The unit he was previously with (plankie) don't have a fantastic reputation when it comes to flying discipline so part of it was learned behaviour.
He was a character but not a perfect one (after all who is?) and the HMS Glasgow incident is one a of a list of things that started out as a good idea (sort of) and wasn't fully thought through, especially concerning margins for safety when wazzing and zooming (if you don't leave a few feet spare for the 'wife and kids' you are going to end up as a statistic).
I wouldn't be too hard on Geebee - if you were asked to investigate a similar incident you would probably come to the same conclusions.
The unit he was previously with (plankie) don't have a fantastic reputation when it comes to flying discipline so part of it was learned behaviour.
He was a character but not a perfect one (after all who is?) and the HMS Glasgow incident is one a of a list of things that started out as a good idea (sort of) and wasn't fully thought through, especially concerning margins for safety when wazzing and zooming (if you don't leave a few feet spare for the 'wife and kids' you are going to end up as a statistic).
I wouldn't be too hard on Geebee - if you were asked to investigate a similar incident you would probably come to the same conclusions.
a mischevious and sometimes slightly barking view of what should and shouldn't be done in a helicopter
Last edited by Al-bert; 22nd Nov 2015 at 13:54. Reason: spillin
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for your replies chaps.
I have had the pleasure of many, many hours with the pilot concerned both on fixed wing and SAR and it would be foolish of me to contradict your observations but in both rolls the very successful results are there for all to see which alas on the negative side does include the HMS Glasgow incident.
I will repeat the observation of the AOC to the crew of which I incidentally was a member.
"Gentlemen if we were at war you would be the crew I would select, but gentlemen we are not at war"
Re the observation of Geebee, "coming to the same conclusions" these are an opinion and from a non aviator are difficult to accept, whereas facts are facts. Yep guilty as charged but please don't judge us until you are happy that the opinions presented represent the truth.
I have had the pleasure of many, many hours with the pilot concerned both on fixed wing and SAR and it would be foolish of me to contradict your observations but in both rolls the very successful results are there for all to see which alas on the negative side does include the HMS Glasgow incident.
I will repeat the observation of the AOC to the crew of which I incidentally was a member.
"Gentlemen if we were at war you would be the crew I would select, but gentlemen we are not at war"
Re the observation of Geebee, "coming to the same conclusions" these are an opinion and from a non aviator are difficult to accept, whereas facts are facts. Yep guilty as charged but please don't judge us until you are happy that the opinions presented represent the truth.
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I thought some of the Wessex enthusiasts might like a peek at XS122, who is now residing in 30m at NDAC.
This is a 3D model created using a process called photogrammetry - basically hundreds or thousands of overlapping images that when processed turn into a 3D shape.
This model is a bit 'noisy' and is low definition, but it should give you an idea of how XS122 looks today without getting wet:-
https://sketchfab.com/models/3e066c8...f32b9e55f8d25b
Hope you like it.
This is a 3D model created using a process called photogrammetry - basically hundreds or thousands of overlapping images that when processed turn into a 3D shape.
This model is a bit 'noisy' and is low definition, but it should give you an idea of how XS122 looks today without getting wet:-
https://sketchfab.com/models/3e066c8...f32b9e55f8d25b
Hope you like it.
Originally Posted by [email protected]
... a mischevious and sometimes slightly barking view of what should and shouldn't be done in a helicopter ...
You are reminding me of something I wrote a couple of years ago to an MR colleague in a discussion about mountain flying.
"It has to be faced that the supposed 'best' mountain flying you have ever seen was probably an immensely stupid thing to do."
It seems likely that Al-bert and Crab have known most of the people who contributed to the efforts that comment described.
Known? Contributed you mean Jim!
Not in the case of Crab of course since he was/is a QHI and far too sensible
Still, the Troops were always grateful and times were different then. I realised that they'd changed when we were stopped from cleaning the crew room windows at C Flight pre AOC's inspection - far too dangerous, Health and Safety etc!
Not in the case of Crab of course since he was/is a QHI and far too sensible
Still, the Troops were always grateful and times were different then. I realised that they'd changed when we were stopped from cleaning the crew room windows at C Flight pre AOC's inspection - far too dangerous, Health and Safety etc!
Last edited by Al-bert; 23rd Oct 2016 at 00:21. Reason: clarification of windows
I always thought the Wessex was a fantastic design with the pilots perched up top and that landing gear...
Why was the design never refined & developed.
Why was the design never refined & developed.
Last edited by DroneDog; 19th Oct 2016 at 15:29.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: West Sussex
Age: 84
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Wessex was a development of the S58, I don't see how that design could have been further developed, except for the vee frame landing gear that Sikorsky brought out to reduce the ground resonance that the machine was prone to.
It was also the worlds greatest vacuum cleaner, many a chief engineer received a roasting for engine stone damage, (engineers were always blamed by logistics for engine damage).
There was an attempt to reduce the damage by fitting air intake filters manufactured by Aviation traders, but they weighed a ton, and damaged the hinges and attachments.
There will always be a soft spot for the Wessex however.
It was also the worlds greatest vacuum cleaner, many a chief engineer received a roasting for engine stone damage, (engineers were always blamed by logistics for engine damage).
There was an attempt to reduce the damage by fitting air intake filters manufactured by Aviation traders, but they weighed a ton, and damaged the hinges and attachments.
There will always be a soft spot for the Wessex however.