The Rotary Nostalgia Thread
Thread Starter
Receiving some messages in response to Zishelix's 'Bristow Gazelle'. The first comment highlights what should have been obvious (but I somehow managed to miss) .. the photo from Zishelix shows a standard Gazelle whereas HB-XMU is a stretched version! As I say .. I should have seen that. 
This means C16 is absolutely correct in his theory about the aircraft being s/n: 1566 .. ie. N9003A.
However, there is also speculation that N9000A also flew offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and was a stablemate of N9003A?
Taking another look at Ken Knight's photo:
What were Bristow doing in this area, Port Arthur in Texas, in the early-to-mid-80's and from where did they 'collect' these light singles?
This means C16 is absolutely correct in his theory about the aircraft being s/n: 1566 .. ie. N9003A.
However, there is also speculation that N9000A also flew offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and was a stablemate of N9003A?
Taking another look at Ken Knight's photo:
What were Bristow doing in this area, Port Arthur in Texas, in the early-to-mid-80's and from where did they 'collect' these light singles?
Neither of these Gazelles wereactually Bristow owned I Think.Both were with Vought Helicopters,the US agent as demo aircraft to begin with..1566 was built in 1978 and sold to Govmt of Trinidad and Tobago two years later with Bristow supporting training and maintenance .It is feasible it was leased though?
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Hi guys, sorry for took me so long to join you on this interesting theme 
Re N9000A/HB-XMU stretched or not... it was born as standard SA.341G but upgraded to SA.342J during 1982 and probably "stretched" during the process as well.
For both N9000A & N9003A I have: regd 4/78 to UCB Leasing Corporation; leased to Sabine Offshore Service Inc. (operated by Bristow Offshore Helicopters, Inc.)
I also have these Gazelle regs as once operated by Bristow: N3593B, N18842, N47315, N69506 & N9002Z ... but need confirmation of these data!
Re N9000A/HB-XMU stretched or not... it was born as standard SA.341G but upgraded to SA.342J during 1982 and probably "stretched" during the process as well.
For both N9000A & N9003A I have: regd 4/78 to UCB Leasing Corporation; leased to Sabine Offshore Service Inc. (operated by Bristow Offshore Helicopters, Inc.)
I also have these Gazelle regs as once operated by Bristow: N3593B, N18842, N47315, N69506 & N9002Z ... but need confirmation of these data!
Last edited by Zishelix; 8th Nov 2013 at 17:54.
Thread Starter
Zis: I have now come across this ..
History of Bristow Helicopters Ltd. – FundingUniverse
Never heard of Offshore Helicopters Inc. before. It would be interesting to learn something more about them.
I don't suppose Bob Suggs took kindly to Alan's presence in the Gulf in the late 70's!
The Gulf of Mexico operations were started in 1979 with Bristow's acquisition of Texas-based Offshore Helicopters Inc. Renamed Bristow Offshore Helicopters Inc. (BOHI), the operation closed down within two years, however.
Never heard of Offshore Helicopters Inc. before. It would be interesting to learn something more about them.
I don't suppose Bob Suggs took kindly to Alan's presence in the Gulf in the late 70's!
Thread Starter
Depending on whether or not this post is transferred to Nostalgia, we shall on this page have a record of the three aircraft, spanning four decades, which have served on Brecqhou Island.
The current Barclaycraft (atop), the first Barlclaycraft (G-BVNH above) and Leonard Matchan's Gazelle (below):
SA341G Westland Gazelle G-BBHU as seen at Jersey Airport in 1983 (Photo: Anton Heumann)
The ensign carried on BBHU's tail was a device designed by Leonard Matchan which is essentially the flag of Sark Island with Matchan's Coat of Arms appended to one of the quarters (below).
The personal ensign (or standard) used by Leonard Matchan and which became a defacto 'Brecqhou Island flag' during his tenure of the isle
There is a contemporary flag available, following Matchan's example, where his Arms have been replaced by those of the Barclay brothers.
Approximate periods that the cited aircraft have served the isle:
G-BBHU from 1974-1985
G-BVNH from 1994-1998
G-BYDF from 1998 to date
The current Barclaycraft (atop), the first Barlclaycraft (G-BVNH above) and Leonard Matchan's Gazelle (below):
SA341G Westland Gazelle G-BBHU as seen at Jersey Airport in 1983 (Photo: Anton Heumann)
The ensign carried on BBHU's tail was a device designed by Leonard Matchan which is essentially the flag of Sark Island with Matchan's Coat of Arms appended to one of the quarters (below).
The personal ensign (or standard) used by Leonard Matchan and which became a defacto 'Brecqhou Island flag' during his tenure of the isle
There is a contemporary flag available, following Matchan's example, where his Arms have been replaced by those of the Barclay brothers.
Approximate periods that the cited aircraft have served the isle:
G-BBHU from 1974-1985
G-BVNH from 1994-1998
G-BYDF from 1998 to date
Thread Starter
Earl Mountbatten visiting the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook, Suffolk in 1960
Is anyone able to identify the 'box' (for want of a better phrase) mounted below the engine bay doors just for'ard and above the front landing gear?
I'm assuming that 'Lord Louis' was delivered courtesy of a Queen's Flight Whirlwind.
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WW memories
In 1977 (possibly 78) AMH asked GS and I to attend the British Helicopter Championships with our B47G5A. The presenter of prizes was to be Prince Charles who had been delivered to the Epsom Racecourse (the avenue for the championships) by Royal Flt Wessex.
The RAF entry was a WW10 from CFS which was parked just across the way from us. Whilst PC was inspecting the WW and it's crew I decided that there would be 'action this day'.
As was my duty I snuck up on the blind side of the WW10 and carefully placed a Fly NAVY sticker on the roundel. Unfortunately I was filmed by the BBC who included it in their evening news - I've been running ever since.
G.
PS. SAV - I think that lump is an oil cooler.
The RAF entry was a WW10 from CFS which was parked just across the way from us. Whilst PC was inspecting the WW and it's crew I decided that there would be 'action this day'.
As was my duty I snuck up on the blind side of the WW10 and carefully placed a Fly NAVY sticker on the roundel. Unfortunately I was filmed by the BBC who included it in their evening news - I've been running ever since.
G.
PS. SAV - I think that lump is an oil cooler.
Thread Starter
Baston: Thanks for the clarification on Westland's ingenious snow-and-water-scoop-cum-air-intake!
Managed to get this Queen's Flight Whirlwind image from a fellow collector today, taken a couple of years after Mountbatten's visit to the Royal Hospital School (I imagine you and Geoffer's probably both went to RHS in any case
) and by which time it seems the flight may have up-graded to a Mk 8 (if indeed this is the significance of the HHC8 designation?).
Queen's Flight Westland Whirlwind HCC.8 XN127 in 1963, no location given (Photo: Marcus Carruthers Collection)
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SAVOIA - I do recall Steve Borrowdale Jr. telling me that the Gazelle was replaced around 1985 by an AS350B G-BMAV and was maintained by McAlpine out of Hayes.
Inspection of G-INFO supports this, as G-BMAV and G-BBHU were owned consecutively by Solaria Investments, which I believe was one of Leonard Matchan's organisations.
When Leonard died the aircraft I think G-BMAV was sold via RCR and Heli Trans to PLM Dollar Group Ltd in Inverness then Ireland
Coincidentally, G-BMAV's previous owner after selling G-BMAV to Leonard bought an AS355F1 G-OMAV and that became G-NEXT which I flew for a while upon leaving Bristow.
If someone can post a picture of G-BMAV then I think we may have the whole picture.
Be careful, it may not end there.
Mark Harrisson and I had heard that an Auster had operated on Brecqhou and before full development of the gardens and grounds, Mark and I used to pace out where we think this could have occurred. With a stall speed of 28mph it would not be difficult. I can vouch for the wind on Brecqhou.
How do I know it was 28mph stall ? Well Mark and I used to fly the Bristow Auster G-APOA together, when we were working in the hangars waiting to start helicopter flying - so we really are closet plank pilots.
Although Mark is rather fond of AutoGyros now.
What a small world this business is !
Inspection of G-INFO supports this, as G-BMAV and G-BBHU were owned consecutively by Solaria Investments, which I believe was one of Leonard Matchan's organisations.
When Leonard died the aircraft I think G-BMAV was sold via RCR and Heli Trans to PLM Dollar Group Ltd in Inverness then Ireland
Coincidentally, G-BMAV's previous owner after selling G-BMAV to Leonard bought an AS355F1 G-OMAV and that became G-NEXT which I flew for a while upon leaving Bristow.
If someone can post a picture of G-BMAV then I think we may have the whole picture.
Be careful, it may not end there.
Mark Harrisson and I had heard that an Auster had operated on Brecqhou and before full development of the gardens and grounds, Mark and I used to pace out where we think this could have occurred. With a stall speed of 28mph it would not be difficult. I can vouch for the wind on Brecqhou.
How do I know it was 28mph stall ? Well Mark and I used to fly the Bristow Auster G-APOA together, when we were working in the hangars waiting to start helicopter flying - so we really are closet plank pilots.
Although Mark is rather fond of AutoGyros now.
What a small world this business is !
Last edited by Delta Fox Driver; 9th Nov 2013 at 20:59.
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Savoia and bastOn,
A short input from a long-retired Crab, who just might be acceptable to bastOn since I was on 705 for 3 yrs '63 to '66, remembering many happy Sundays out on (in?) Seahawk's whaler from Falmouth to many different pubs up many local creeks, skippered by the bearded Dave T - who IIRC hung on too long to the skids of a Hiller when the little old lady took off on one Air Day and was well bruised.
Anyway, to the point - yes that HCC8 was indeed the RAF's VVIP version of the RN Mk7. There were just the 2 on The Queen's Flight.
All RAF Whirlwinds, and Wessex, always had an even Mark number - RN always odd numbered. Our Whirlwind Mk4, which I was lucky enough to operate in Malaya (before your Borneo days bastOn) was same airframe as the RN Mk3, but we had a smooth 9-cyl P & W Wasp instead of that thumping 7-cyl Wright Cyclone. There were also 2 HCC12s (VVIP version of the Gnome turbine-engined Mk10) which replaced the 8s on TQF, until one crashed after main shaft failure in Dec '67. They in turn were replaced by 2 Wessex HCC4s (ok you're way ahead of me now, they were the VVIP version of the RAF Wessex 2s), and these did sterling and very safe service for nearly 20 years.
Enough.
A short input from a long-retired Crab, who just might be acceptable to bastOn since I was on 705 for 3 yrs '63 to '66, remembering many happy Sundays out on (in?) Seahawk's whaler from Falmouth to many different pubs up many local creeks, skippered by the bearded Dave T - who IIRC hung on too long to the skids of a Hiller when the little old lady took off on one Air Day and was well bruised.
Anyway, to the point - yes that HCC8 was indeed the RAF's VVIP version of the RN Mk7. There were just the 2 on The Queen's Flight.
All RAF Whirlwinds, and Wessex, always had an even Mark number - RN always odd numbered. Our Whirlwind Mk4, which I was lucky enough to operate in Malaya (before your Borneo days bastOn) was same airframe as the RN Mk3, but we had a smooth 9-cyl P & W Wasp instead of that thumping 7-cyl Wright Cyclone. There were also 2 HCC12s (VVIP version of the Gnome turbine-engined Mk10) which replaced the 8s on TQF, until one crashed after main shaft failure in Dec '67. They in turn were replaced by 2 Wessex HCC4s (ok you're way ahead of me now, they were the VVIP version of the RAF Wessex 2s), and these did sterling and very safe service for nearly 20 years.
Enough.
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deltahot - good pseudonym - you feature in my logbook on one or two occasions in '64 when I was a 705 stude - probably when BB got fed up with me and wanted a break!
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Glad you survived that experience then C15. I remember Bill B very well and many others. So many studes went through 705 in those 3 years that I knew more RN heli pilots than RAF for many years after re-joining the Crabs. Others seconded to 705 in my time and good friends were a couple of Aussies from the RAN - there was a Lt Roly W-W who I believe went back to become quite senior in the RAN, and PAT V who I'm fairly sure was killed in that b....y Vietnam.
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Yes, Pat was killed in Vietnam. This article will be of interest: Biography - Patrick John Vickers - Australian Dictionary of Biography
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Pat was the first OZ pilot killed in Vietnam when a stray shot entered the Huey & hit him in the head & the co-pilot flew it back to base. His sister wrote a book about him recently.
Bill B! What happened to him, went to his wedding in Canturbury & met the girl who became my wife!!
Bill B! What happened to him, went to his wedding in Canturbury & met the girl who became my wife!!
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Thanks for that C16 and Nigel O. This nostalgia business is getting very emotional ... what an amazing site this is. Bill B gave me my very first flight on 705 in June '63 - just 10 mins famil in the little Hiller 12E.
Couple of random memories: Predannack grew lovely mushrooms ... hovering practice was popular ... Left 3...2 ...1... steady...down10. Open door, lean out, pick m'room. Up 10... forward 10 ....
My most disliked sortie was the height climb. Stagger up to 10000ft, always on a nice day, none of that IMC stuff. Unnatural environment even if you could see from Lands End to Portsmouth. Stagger about nibbling at retreating blade stall for 2 minutes then get back down again. Had the Mk3 on one of those ... just passing 8000ft or thereabouts on the way up when the Cyclone gave a bloody great bang and a twitch - frightened the life out of me but still running fine so went back to Culdrose sharpish. No fault found! Took it up again - same deal, less fright. Turned out to be loose carb buftterfly only apparent when above full throttle height, which only happened once per course.
Here's another. Hiller - Practice engine failure in the hover. Wise laid back instructor now - hand under lever for split second just in case stude drops it instantly, then elbow above lever in case he heaves it up in next instant. Wrong ... elbow now above and THEN he drops it. Real heavy t/d, everything flexed so much that both floors flew open, v noisy but no damage except pride.
Canterbury was a long way from Culdrose for a wedding ....
Couple of random memories: Predannack grew lovely mushrooms ... hovering practice was popular ... Left 3...2 ...1... steady...down10. Open door, lean out, pick m'room. Up 10... forward 10 ....
My most disliked sortie was the height climb. Stagger up to 10000ft, always on a nice day, none of that IMC stuff. Unnatural environment even if you could see from Lands End to Portsmouth. Stagger about nibbling at retreating blade stall for 2 minutes then get back down again. Had the Mk3 on one of those ... just passing 8000ft or thereabouts on the way up when the Cyclone gave a bloody great bang and a twitch - frightened the life out of me but still running fine so went back to Culdrose sharpish. No fault found! Took it up again - same deal, less fright. Turned out to be loose carb buftterfly only apparent when above full throttle height, which only happened once per course.
Here's another. Hiller - Practice engine failure in the hover. Wise laid back instructor now - hand under lever for split second just in case stude drops it instantly, then elbow above lever in case he heaves it up in next instant. Wrong ... elbow now above and THEN he drops it. Real heavy t/d, everything flexed so much that both floors flew open, v noisy but no damage except pride.
Canterbury was a long way from Culdrose for a wedding ....
Thread Starter
VFR: Good to see you!
DFD: I failed to mention in my initial response my great admiration for your 'breed'. I have always held a great fascination for rotary-wing engineering and have several times wished that I had gained greater exposure to the practice. I believe that possessing an understanding of both disciplines can be of enormous benefit in numerous applications both operationally and from a management perspective. So, to you and to the other 'Bristowers' who made the transition (and to all dual-qualified pilots/engineers) my sincere congratulations.
Many thanks for the additional information on 'Brecqhou's blitterblats', fantastic!
Did you know that Leonard Matchan also owned a B206?
Yes .. a Beagle 206 Basset registered G-AVAM.
Here's BMAV when she was with Heli-Trans:
Heli-Trans AS350B G-BMAV as seen at the Cametringane Hotel in Castletown Bearhaven on 31st March 1998 (Photo: Bram Risseeuw)
I'm not sure if this is how she looked under Matchan's stewardship, what I can say is that most of the Ecureuil's delivered from Aerospatiale in the year of BMAV's arrival in the UK (1979) looked like this:
Lord Glendyne's AS350B Ecureuil G-BGIM as seen at Cranfield on 5th September 1981 (Photo: Alan Mosiezny)
DFD: I failed to mention in my initial response my great admiration for your 'breed'. I have always held a great fascination for rotary-wing engineering and have several times wished that I had gained greater exposure to the practice. I believe that possessing an understanding of both disciplines can be of enormous benefit in numerous applications both operationally and from a management perspective. So, to you and to the other 'Bristowers' who made the transition (and to all dual-qualified pilots/engineers) my sincere congratulations.
Many thanks for the additional information on 'Brecqhou's blitterblats', fantastic!
Did you know that Leonard Matchan also owned a B206?
Yes .. a Beagle 206 Basset registered G-AVAM.
Here's BMAV when she was with Heli-Trans:
Heli-Trans AS350B G-BMAV as seen at the Cametringane Hotel in Castletown Bearhaven on 31st March 1998 (Photo: Bram Risseeuw)
I'm not sure if this is how she looked under Matchan's stewardship, what I can say is that most of the Ecureuil's delivered from Aerospatiale in the year of BMAV's arrival in the UK (1979) looked like this:
Lord Glendyne's AS350B Ecureuil G-BGIM as seen at Cranfield on 5th September 1981 (Photo: Alan Mosiezny)
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I always thought Bill B's wife Val was gorgeous! Last I heard of him was many many years ago when I think he was Naval Attache in somewhere like Oman.
I did the Whirlwind height climb to 10000ft with Bill and at the end of the auto on the way down I managed to miss the field he had chosen....
My third solo on the Hiller. Facing 705 offices. Thumbs up, pressed the tit, ground crew disappear as do the Squadron buildings - now looking at the bomb dump having done a 180 - funny smell of burnt clutch linings - Bill not best pleased with me.....requests that I don't start with full throttle in future.
I did the Whirlwind height climb to 10000ft with Bill and at the end of the auto on the way down I managed to miss the field he had chosen....
My third solo on the Hiller. Facing 705 offices. Thumbs up, pressed the tit, ground crew disappear as do the Squadron buildings - now looking at the bomb dump having done a 180 - funny smell of burnt clutch linings - Bill not best pleased with me.....requests that I don't start with full throttle in future.