Helicopter chase, southwest London in the 70s
Thread Starter
Helicopter chase, southwest London in the 70s
I'm not sure if this would be better posted in A&N, but as it has something to do with whirlybirds i thought that here might be the best starting place.
My father seems to remember back in the 70s an evening, possibly summer, where there was a succession of fast flying helicopters over southwest London, almost as though there was a chase going on. He thinks that he remembers reading in the papers that one had been stolen and the others were giving chase, but as it's a while back, his memory is vague. If only aircraft were racehorses, then it would all be razor sharp in his brain
Perhaps some of you might remember this event and/or know the participants that could shed some light on this mystery memory. I would imagine that it involved Bell JetRangers, as these were the cool steeds of the time.
Regards
SHJ
My father seems to remember back in the 70s an evening, possibly summer, where there was a succession of fast flying helicopters over southwest London, almost as though there was a chase going on. He thinks that he remembers reading in the papers that one had been stolen and the others were giving chase, but as it's a while back, his memory is vague. If only aircraft were racehorses, then it would all be razor sharp in his brain
Perhaps some of you might remember this event and/or know the participants that could shed some light on this mystery memory. I would imagine that it involved Bell JetRangers, as these were the cool steeds of the time.
Regards
SHJ
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Gosport, UK
Age: 71
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In the early seventies the Met Police helicopters were supplied by Twyford Moors Helicopters of Southampton, using Hughes 269B's or 300's and normally only one at a time, based at Battersea, later on they were replaced by thye first civil registered Aerospat Gazelle, but sorry don't remember 'the chase'.
S
S
Thread Starter
Thanks for the reply stacey_s.
Further interrogation of my father has uncovered the possibility of it being either a stolen helicopter or a jailbreak ???? He looked at the photos of the Hughes 300 and Bell JetRanger and said that the aircraft that he saw were all more like the Bell and not with a bubble canopy....
Apparently the helicopters seemed to come from Battersea Heliport direction (my guess) and heading south (of London) at much greater speed than normal, much lower than normal, perhaps up to 5 in number....
Any help to alleviate a father/son argument appreciated.
Regards
SHJ
Further interrogation of my father has uncovered the possibility of it being either a stolen helicopter or a jailbreak ???? He looked at the photos of the Hughes 300 and Bell JetRanger and said that the aircraft that he saw were all more like the Bell and not with a bubble canopy....
Apparently the helicopters seemed to come from Battersea Heliport direction (my guess) and heading south (of London) at much greater speed than normal, much lower than normal, perhaps up to 5 in number....
Any help to alleviate a father/son argument appreciated.Regards
SHJ
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: In my head
Posts: 694
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I vaguely recall some incident where I think an errant low flying Gazelle or two were chased down by military Lynx but that was probably early 90s, and not being a rotors type I would have to look up the max cruise speeds of each to see if it added up!
PS My book says it doesn't add up ... but not everything is in the book of course
PS My book says it doesn't add up ... but not everything is in the book of course
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: In my head
Posts: 694
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ah yes, that'd add up in my book, the Puma to chase and the Lynx to cut him of at the pass 
, but as I said, that'd be early 90s, that one, and something in the deepest reaches of my suspect memory tells me there might have been two Gazelles ?
, but as I said, that'd be early 90s, that one, and something in the deepest reaches of my suspect memory tells me there might have been two Gazelles ?
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Kings Caple, Ross-on-Wye.orPiccots End. Hertfordshire
Posts: 458
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Heli chase
The 'customs' chase was poor pilot 'JP' who was probably the fall guy for the adjacent big drugs run.
He got five years.
DRK
He got five years.
DRK
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: South of the North Pole
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
that would have been G BAGL being chased by customs using a puma and a lynx if memory served me correct i will check
Thread Starter
When did this customs chase take place ?
By the sounds of it though, geographically it wasn't the one that me old man was wondering about, as that was in the 70s. I have found little or nothing using google, the only vague mention (undated) was of a woman who flew a helicopter into a prison (Brixton,Wandsworth,Wormwoodscrubbs ???) and 'sprung' her man, but of a stolen whirlybird, nada.... Maybe it was one of our lady whirlybirds
The flightpath took the gaggle of aircraft over Wimbledon towards the south if that helps at all
Regards
SHJ
Btw, can someone fill me in on the 'customs chase' event please, sounds interesting.
By the sounds of it though, geographically it wasn't the one that me old man was wondering about, as that was in the 70s. I have found little or nothing using google, the only vague mention (undated) was of a woman who flew a helicopter into a prison (Brixton,Wandsworth,Wormwoodscrubbs ???) and 'sprung' her man, but of a stolen whirlybird, nada.... Maybe it was one of our lady whirlybirds
The flightpath took the gaggle of aircraft over Wimbledon towards the south if that helps at all
Regards
SHJ
Btw, can someone fill me in on the 'customs chase' event please, sounds interesting.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Yorks
Age: 64
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Gazzelle / Puma job was late 80's as I joined in the late 80's. Mostly centred around the near Continent and kent, with frequent forrays into the weedosphere. My memories are of tales of hot refuels at Manston, when the Bowser driver came up on the wrong side of the A/c, and the PIC said "leave it there", and lifted over to the other side, to make it quicker and easier than moving the boswer round.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,576
Received 433 Likes
on
228 Posts
I think ppheli has the most correct facts; they fit in with the story I was told by one of the crew members; at a slightly later time he and I flew together quite often.
According to him, the Gazelle pilot was so desperate to avoid capture, at one stage he tried to mid-air with the Puma.
Knowing the Puma pilot as I do, the errant Gazelle pilot was lucky they locked him up as he might otherwise have been sorted personally with a baseball bat.
According to him, the Gazelle pilot was so desperate to avoid capture, at one stage he tried to mid-air with the Puma.
Knowing the Puma pilot as I do, the errant Gazelle pilot was lucky they locked him up as he might otherwise have been sorted personally with a baseball bat.
The blue-and-white Gazelle most certainly did not make it to Hurn. It was inspected by I** D in the field within a very few hours of the occurrence, assessed as fit for one trip and flown back to a secret airbase in East Hants where it remained for some time. Eventually disposed of as scrap I believe; completely unfit for further aviation use.
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Escrick York england
Posts: 1,676
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
tezzer /blud and thunder
do any of you know the registration of the gaz for definate if it was grale it didnt end up scrap it been flying some years now as g gaza
do any of you know the registration of the gaz for definate if it was grale it didnt end up scrap it been flying some years now as g gaza
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Aporto
Age: 72
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If my memory serves correct the Gazelle in question was registered G-RALE previously owned by Malcom Wilson (Malcom Wilson Motor Sport) based initially at Carlisle Airport. This machine was one of the rebuilt aircraft imported from the States by John and Lyne Davies of Specialist Flying Training. The original G-RALY was a Robinson R22 also owned by Malcom Wilson this aircraft was written off on the field second solo by Malcom. I remember two guys arriving one friday to purchase the aircraft which subsequently was involved in the drug run. The pilot was more concerned about his type rating than the condition of the aircraft. Paid for the helicopter in cash.