What is it about the Wessex that makes people so fond of it?
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Wessex
My first flight in a helicopter was Brecon, Derring Lines, 1970, from the football field, a young Para in them days. Think it was a Mk 5, but I was to green to know! Could that pilot be out there somewhere? We lifted to Exercise and was droped by forestry block D !
How the hell do I remember that ?
How the hell do I remember that ?
My first attempt at posting a photo!
It is taken just after the second bomb went off near Waterford - you can just make out Walter in the dust/smoke. I was further north at the time and Walter did very well with bits of clods of earth etc rattling down on it.
HF
It is taken just after the second bomb went off near Waterford - you can just make out Walter in the dust/smoke. I was further north at the time and Walter did very well with bits of clods of earth etc rattling down on it.
HF
Overheard on Dungannon's frequency one evening;
"Can I get 400lbs of fuel for this Wessex, please?"
To which a transitting Lynx driver replied;
"Sounds like a fair swap."
"Can I get 400lbs of fuel for this Wessex, please?"
To which a transitting Lynx driver replied;
"Sounds like a fair swap."
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fudpucker
Actually, when I contributed to this thread, I was thinking exactly that.
I seem to be at that wistful stage in life where I remember that an hour's early morning tasking in the pouring rain around Y453, before heading back to Aldergrove for breakfast, was one of the best things I have ever done. Whatever the truth in that, good times with good people.
I seem to be at that wistful stage in life where I remember that an hour's early morning tasking in the pouring rain around Y453, before heading back to Aldergrove for breakfast, was one of the best things I have ever done. Whatever the truth in that, good times with good people.
First light inserts of ops in S.Armargh, selectively blatting at 50' (honest) over the houses flying a tricolour - ahhhh the good old days
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Civilian Wessex
I used to fly the S58T on the southern North Sea while Bristow were operating Wessex (60's I think) from North Denes at Yarmouth. The 58 T was pretty limited on power, just about meeting Perf A standards but I seem to remember that the Wessex had a genuine OEI hover performance out of ground effect which meant it could carry out single-engine rig landings should the need arise. Nothing I flew could do that although I believe that is possible on some Pumas??
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I used to be able to get right next to the helipad in the field they used at Enniskillen UDR base before it became 'Grosvenor Barracks' - i loved watching those beasts come in to land 
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Many interesting flights in the back of Wessex mainly from Carrickmore but a couple of very interesting ones doing EagleVCPs in West Belfast (landing on the green in Twinbrook and getting bricks and bottles thrown at the helicopter) here are a few pics taken over the years.
Carrickmore 83/84
Exercise Beaufort Dyke ,Bangor
Newtownards Airshow
Carrickmore 83/84
Exercise Beaufort Dyke ,Bangor
Newtownards Airshow
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Tail rotor drive shaft failure. In the hover with underslung fuel drums . PK-HBV. Djambi Sumatra. 73. Ex RBMR aircraft. More here -
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showpos...1&postcount=92
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showpos...1&postcount=92
A det to NI in 1979 with a Wessex 3 (the blue and yellow one). We arrange to have it resprayed green so as not to stand out too like a sore thumb. Then the beancounters (even then) decreed it would be too expensive and we would just have to have it distempered (water based). On the subsequent paint flight test, of course, it rained and I had to fly back with the door wide open because the windscreen was green !
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Many moons ago a flight of Wessex were due in to pick us up from the bush. A bunch of journalists were watching and filming. As we heard the sound of Wessii approaching we told them to hunker down, and do what we did. No, journos will be journos. How many rocks does it take to smash a Nikon lens? 
The junglys were a wonderful sight when you were cold and wet. They were even better at endex. I once saw a very scared crewman at the end of a cold exercise in the med the wessex were lifting bloody artillery guns onto Bulwark all morning while we sat in the freezing cold,.When we eventually got loaded on there was mutiny in the air. The crewie handed out cigarettes, didn't smoke did I!!!
When loading it was advisable to drop your bergen by the door last. It then got loaded first, all the others went on top. My boss was curled up laughing during a night lift as from 3000' the top bergen sailed out of the door to brighten some shepherd's morning. It was only after much whispering and threats when we were dropped off that he realised it was his kit. He had a very cool time of things for a few days, "Share my kit boss? F**k off!".
Turkey 1972/3.
Same trip, warmer day. Rusty 'B' HMS Bulwark.
The junglys were a wonderful sight when you were cold and wet. They were even better at endex. I once saw a very scared crewman at the end of a cold exercise in the med the wessex were lifting bloody artillery guns onto Bulwark all morning while we sat in the freezing cold,.When we eventually got loaded on there was mutiny in the air. The crewie handed out cigarettes, didn't smoke did I!!!
When loading it was advisable to drop your bergen by the door last. It then got loaded first, all the others went on top. My boss was curled up laughing during a night lift as from 3000' the top bergen sailed out of the door to brighten some shepherd's morning. It was only after much whispering and threats when we were dropped off that he realised it was his kit. He had a very cool time of things for a few days, "Share my kit boss? F**k off!".
Turkey 1972/3.
Same trip, warmer day.
Rusty 'B' HMS Bulwark.
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This is one I came across at the museum in Bournemouth a few years back. Was doing groundschool there at the time; was my little piece of helicopter history to have a sit in and remind me what I was doing there when things got stressful!
Not the best pics in the world. I remember being very impressed that sitting in it there was a lot more elbow room than in an R22
LZCUTTER - I was in Brecon the other day (I live just outside) trying to get some work done... difficult with a bunch of green Sea Kings going in and out all day. Kinda distracting!
Some things don't change!
Not the best pics in the world. I remember being very impressed that sitting in it there was a lot more elbow room than in an R22
LZCUTTER - I was in Brecon the other day (I live just outside) trying to get some work done... difficult with a bunch of green Sea Kings going in and out all day. Kinda distracting!
Some things don't change!
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Hey Ioan
How is Brecon these days? I have not been there since 84, I keep saying im going back to walk the Pen-Y-Fan or the Fan-dance as we used to call it!( although i dont think i will be dancing over it these days!)
