What is it about the Wessex that makes people so fond of it?
Odd subject and tone for a first post?
Cabe's 'perspective' sounds more informed and less emotional than geebee50's.
Cabe's 'perspective' sounds more informed and less emotional than geebee50's.
Last edited by Bertie Thruster; 7th Jun 2013 at 08:48.
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Puts me in mind of a very well known Jungly pilot who knocked the radio airiel of the wing - yes the fender for you SASless - in front of the windscreen of a moving car crossing Goonhilly Downs with the main wheel of a Wessex5. The doctor driving the car just rang Culdrose and asked if the chaps would perhaps fly a couple of feet higher in future, and no further action was taken....................happy days indeed
Avoid imitations
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There was only a skid mark on the raydome
GB 50,
I can only assume that you are unaware that one of the people you are poking fun at passed away in tragic circumstances a couple of years ago and your post could be considered in bad taste.
For the record, there was only one pilot, it was the flight and not the Squadron which disbanded and the whole exercise was pre briefed and agreed with the ship(including the flour bombs!)
The incident was a result of a visual illusion created by the conditions on the day and when the pilot repeated the profile in a simulator he hit the (simulated) ship again I believe. The whole crew returned to flying after the incident and continued for some time in the SAR world but are all now retired.
The 'hats off' interview with AOC 18 Gp was apparently much worse than the 'hats on'.
I can only assume that you are unaware that one of the people you are poking fun at passed away in tragic circumstances a couple of years ago and your post could be considered in bad taste.
For the record, there was only one pilot, it was the flight and not the Squadron which disbanded and the whole exercise was pre briefed and agreed with the ship(including the flour bombs!)
The incident was a result of a visual illusion created by the conditions on the day and when the pilot repeated the profile in a simulator he hit the (simulated) ship again I believe. The whole crew returned to flying after the incident and continued for some time in the SAR world but are all now retired.
The 'hats off' interview with AOC 18 Gp was apparently much worse than the 'hats on'.
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The incident was a result of a visual illusion created by the conditions on the day and when the pilot repeated the profile in a simulator he hit the (simulated) ship again I believe.
Now that is something I would like to have seen.............
I can only assume that you are unaware that one of the people you are poking fun at passed away in tragic circumstances a couple of years ago and your post could be considered in bad taste.
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RE HMS GLASGOW AND HELICOPTER
I am saddened by that news as I respect all pilots and god rest his soul, but at least the flight was not forgotten, and it was a particularly special flight considering the potential margins of error. The radome damage on the other hand was not underestimated as it had to be removed from the ship in scotland and taken by escort with it being so big to Stevenage to have a halfords repair kit job done on it and then put into store. The cost of that alone amounted to £80.000 which the MOD was none to impressed about. I also had to attend a brittish aerospace head honcho meeting where they were all very reluctant to become involved about the repair cost until it was pointed out that this event was not going to go away. On the other hand the tail wheel cost a couple of hours to sort, but the original wheel is somewhere in the evidence chain along with the skid marked radome section both of which I caried around for some weeks during the inquistion. I still find it humerous to this day and it just epitomes the spirit of aviation
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RE WESSEX AND HMS GLASGOW
Myra
My apologies if it looked like I was making fun, that was not the intention, I repect all pilots and know that they were both well meaning on that day, however a SAR helicopter is not profiled or authorised to conduct low level under the radar attacks on ships. This post is not about making fun or remembering pilots gone to the sky yard, but it is about pilots doing things from which we all learn.
My apologies if it looked like I was making fun, that was not the intention, I repect all pilots and know that they were both well meaning on that day, however a SAR helicopter is not profiled or authorised to conduct low level under the radar attacks on ships. This post is not about making fun or remembering pilots gone to the sky yard, but it is about pilots doing things from which we all learn.
There you are; buy your own. Get hold of a couple of engines and a coupling gearbox and you're on your way.
XT469 WESSEX HU.5 HELICOPTER | eBay
Started off life carrying Marines; how it got a Royal Air Finish is unknown.
XT469 WESSEX HU.5 HELICOPTER | eBay
Started off life carrying Marines; how it got a Royal Air Finish is unknown.
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 6th Aug 2013 at 18:20.
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I loved the wezzies...
I did my basic tech training on them at HMS Daedalus (now gone to the Sky-yard too)...
i loved the way the instructors used to tell the baby wafoos about chrome the 'intercom system' (piss pipe) to speak to the Pilot lol.....
I did my basic tech training on them at HMS Daedalus (now gone to the Sky-yard too)...
i loved the way the instructors used to tell the baby wafoos about chrome the 'intercom system' (piss pipe) to speak to the Pilot lol.....
Last edited by aergid; 8th Aug 2013 at 11:25.
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XT469
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I only flew the Wessex for three years but loved every moment. I flew it after 5 years on the Puma and people used to ask me which I preferred. My re[ly used to be the Puma was easy to fly but difficult to operate whereas the Wessex was hard to fly accurately but easy to operate.
Regarding an early post about Warrenpoint I think this is one of the photos in 72Sqn book. It was taken by a professional photographer who was nearly shot by a para who thought he should be helping and these were the last photos he took. I promise you there is a Wessex in there that flew away to Bessbrook with casualties onboard.
Regarding an early post about Warrenpoint I think this is one of the photos in 72Sqn book. It was taken by a professional photographer who was nearly shot by a para who thought he should be helping and these were the last photos he took. I promise you there is a Wessex in there that flew away to Bessbrook with casualties onboard.