What is it about the Wessex that makes people so fond of it?
Lovely pics John - could I recommend a prog called Silverfast (currently on its 8th iteration), a German scanning-software programme that includes an IR-based cunning method for removing unwanted artefacts? My current Covid project is scanning 800-odd 6cm slides and several thousand 35mm transparencies dating back to 1977 - Silverfast has done a fantastic job of tidying up the ubiquitous dust/fluff and microscopic cracks on the ones I've done so far. Might want to check that your scanner works with it first, though - I don't know if all of them have the capability (my retirement present to myself was an Epson V800, bought specifically for this little project).
Here are some more of Nigel's from Borneo, not from behind
Can I see the dreaded Amber Screen in the last photo?
And what is the Heath Robinson set of rods in front of the pilot: an original Iron Sight?
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Throttle actuator freezing
Nostalgia running wild here! On an Air test post ASF in the mid 70s with Garth Parfitt flying and me writing down the figures the No1 engine decided to do its own thing and freeze.
Sir, I said, and pointed out what had happened.
On arrival back at Odiham I pointed out that we hadn't done all the hover checks,which were always left to last anyway. No problem he said and as an aside, I wander what those fire engines are doing there? Checks completed on one engine and then an expletive when he realised that having called the tower and told them about the failure they were expecting us to land pronto! Never a dull airtest with Garth at the controls.
Great times.
Sir, I said, and pointed out what had happened.
On arrival back at Odiham I pointed out that we hadn't done all the hover checks,which were always left to last anyway. No problem he said and as an aside, I wander what those fire engines are doing there? Checks completed on one engine and then an expletive when he realised that having called the tower and told them about the failure they were expecting us to land pronto! Never a dull airtest with Garth at the controls.
Great times.
Never used them myself, but I thought the sight was for unguided rockets - cue the story about K** G***s (my next-door neighbour in Hants when we were - allegedly - growing-up) and the Mansion in Malta. I'm sure someone ex-RN will be along shortly to furnish us with the details.
(John, the de-cluttering bit of SF8 is iSRD, just under the Unsharp Mask control in the sidebar on the left. You can tweak the sensitivity of the detection to get the right amount of 'fuzz' removal without loss of original image quality... but you probably knew all this already)
(John, the de-cluttering bit of SF8 is iSRD, just under the Unsharp Mask control in the sidebar on the left. You can tweak the sensitivity of the detection to get the right amount of 'fuzz' removal without loss of original image quality... but you probably knew all this already)
Ah Hueymeister, ''Flags'', the record was 32mins Sek Kong and back with all the flags up. I remember Flag 1 one morning with Trevor W and Steve L with me as winchman. We had just put it up and I was back on intercom, when Trevor calmly says ''Right then off back now'', Why when we still had over half the flags to go, well he says I had an Engine Failure whilst you were on the wire and I didn't want you to be Chopped! If anybody remembers Flag 1 there was about a 500ft drop on the run in to the pole. Walter's single engine capability saved the day again.
And as for Eire did we really go ''International''
And as for Eire did we really go ''International''
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I think that was a temporary sight for the rockets, didn't keep it for long. The pilot there is the late Bruce Brown, who was sadly killed in a crash at Bau with 3 others. He is helping the Frankie Howerd group of entertainers to fly up to Nanga Gaat. He hoped to chat up Shirley but missed out! No I think that is a plastic sun shade.
John, lovely photos. The Heath Robinson flap to permit transmission service door dropping with a winch fitted is typically functional.
regarding your I'd like to see your photos please [img]images/smilies/thumbs.gif[/img] I've realised I posted them a while ago in the "calling all ex-Wessex personnel" thread. Here the thumbnails from that post attached, along with a Squadron Print in a crew room there commemorating the delivery to Uruguay from UK. Yes, an ex-USN version (H58T ?) in there. Two sad ex-750 Jetstreams were holed up on the same dispersal, along with a broken squadron of ex-USN Grumman Trackers.
regarding your I'd like to see your photos please [img]images/smilies/thumbs.gif[/img] I've realised I posted them a while ago in the "calling all ex-Wessex personnel" thread. Here the thumbnails from that post attached, along with a Squadron Print in a crew room there commemorating the delivery to Uruguay from UK. Yes, an ex-USN version (H58T ?) in there. Two sad ex-750 Jetstreams were holed up on the same dispersal, along with a broken squadron of ex-USN Grumman Trackers.
Last edited by peterperfect; 1st May 2020 at 08:39. Reason: add info
I've reloaded my missing photos: and the flap to allow the service door to drop over the rescue hoist was fine until you forgot it was there and moved back onto it during a pre-flight inspection!
I the dying days of Confrontation in Borneo in 1966 the powers that be changed the Navy Wessex Bario detachment over with the RAF detachment at Sepulot. I has spent two months at Tawau and was in Labuan awaiting my repatriation to the UK when I was detailed to proceed to Sepulot for a week..
and here is a picture to prove it.
The reason for me being there was that both Wessex were AOG.
and here is a picture to prove it.
The reason for me being there was that both Wessex were AOG.
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All these photos of Junglies swanning about in bright sunshine are all very well but doesn`t anyone have some of the real workhorse, the Wessex 3? She deserves more than a passing mention as she was way ahead of her time in terms of automation and outstanding performance in her allotted role, not to mention the incredible contribution to the Special Forces raid on South Georgia during the Falklands campaign.
All these photos of Junglies swanning about in bright sunshine are all very well but doesn`t anyone have some of the real workhorse, the Wessex 3? She deserves more than a passing mention as she was way ahead of her time in terms of automation and outstanding performance in her allotted role, not to mention the incredible contribution to the Special Forces raid on South Georgia during the Falklands campaign.
Yes yes yes the WX 3 was a fantastic bit of kit and dear old pinger Stanley did an amazing job in South Georgia - but the fact remains that in living history no anti submarine helicopter has ever found and successfully prosecuted a submarine!
Admittedly not using sonar, but what about Antrim Flight (dear old pinger Stanley) double depth charging the Argentinian submarine Santa Fe and forcing it to return to South Georgia, leaking like a sieve? The AS12 attack by Endurance's Wasp did blow someone's leg off I believe. The Mk 46 torpedo attack failed. It's all there in Chris Parry's book.
In a wider context, how often have submarines and anti-submarine helicopters been pitted against each other in a war setting, say since the 1960s? I seem to remember plenty of times where it happened in exercises but then we knew there was actually a submarine there. I find it hard to think of an real war situation where the two have been pitted against each other. There was plenty of a/s pinging in the Falklands but I have no idea of whether Argentinian subs were actually present apart from at South Georgia.
NDBs were oh so secret at the time but a near certain kamikaze mission if used in anger. We even flew a circuit at Culdrose with one strapped on during an inspection, but at night in case anyone saw us!
In a wider context, how often have submarines and anti-submarine helicopters been pitted against each other in a war setting, say since the 1960s? I seem to remember plenty of times where it happened in exercises but then we knew there was actually a submarine there. I find it hard to think of an real war situation where the two have been pitted against each other. There was plenty of a/s pinging in the Falklands but I have no idea of whether Argentinian subs were actually present apart from at South Georgia.
NDBs were oh so secret at the time but a near certain kamikaze mission if used in anger. We even flew a circuit at Culdrose with one strapped on during an inspection, but at night in case anyone saw us!
Wessex
I'd have put this in "What Is It About The Wessex" but Search comes up with everything else but.
Thread found and merged
Senior Pilot
Anyway, Swinton Barracks, Perham Down, Tidworth, July 1980. XV732. Very red and shiny. Is is a Royal Flight aircraft?
Thread found and merged
Senior Pilot
Anyway, Swinton Barracks, Perham Down, Tidworth, July 1980. XV732. Very red and shiny. Is is a Royal Flight aircraft?