Re the Met Police Air Support Unit & Bell 222

This brings back memories!
My dad - PC Mick Tunnicliffe - was an Observer with the MPASU at this time......and long before......and flew with the 222. Their base was at Lippits Hill in Essex. In fact, he was one of the pioneers of Met Police helicopter use having started the Unit, with others who held PPL's, using hired Air Gregory helicopters out of Denham back in the late 60's/very early 70's. It was a requirement at the time for all observers to hold at least a PPL and the pilots of the helicopters were ex Forces (not regular Police Officers). Because the Observers held PPL's it was the view of the Pilots to train the observers on basic helicopter handing in case of emergencies and all the Observers at the time could fly and land the aircraft if needed.

Re the accident at Hatfield, dad was on duty that day but was not on board. Not that my mother knew that though!!! Panic ensued at our house when she saw on the TV news that the Police helicopter had crashed. We didnt have a phone at the time and no-one contacted her to tell her that dad was safe. She was in a right state until he walked through the door that evening - boy did he get an earful!!!!!!!

I still have a 'crew mug' with my name on it at my parents house. It showed the Bell 222 with my name on it on one side and on the other was the Unit crest with the motto "Above All We Serve". I doubt that it is the same motto today.

Dad retired some 20 years ago now, but he is still pottering about.
Cheers
Carl

Here's a question the more knowledgeable may be able to answer - I recall about 20 years ago seeing a photo of a Bo105 that had been painted to resemble an AAC Lynx (Complete with UK mil serial number) for an Irish TV or Film production. However, I can't find any trace of it!

Anyone got any clues?

It was EI-BLD of Irish Helicopters in April 1997 disguised as British Army XZ170 in a movie called The Boxer. Manufacturer's serial number S-381.

I don't remember seeing a photo.

Thank you! The picture appeared in one of the Aviation magazines (I think Air Pictorial or Aviation News) but I haven't been able to refind it (yet!) I think I was looking too early. Y

Flying / The Boxer / Moving | HD Stock Video 424-929-936 | Framepool & RightSmith Stock Footage

Hi Nigel,
I am Roger Barker's nephew, Matthew Roger Barker, always looking for Roger stories on the internet and have read this now a couple of times.
Great to hear it. I inherited all of his slides and his Antarctic medal. Putting it all together slowly. Great to hear another account of him being a good bloke. If he was anything like his brothers I bet he had a good sense of humour.

Hi Matthew, yes he was a good bloke & extremely brave the way he handled the great pain he was obviously suffering. Before we put him on a stretcher to carry him to the helicopter, he calmly directed the doctor on how much pain killer to inject! Very much in control of the situation! The pain in getting him out of the helicopter onto the ship must have been terrible but he never ever complained. It was a huge surprise to us when we heard that he had died as he was such a positive person who I'm sure is greatly missed by many. His parents were also a lovely couple.

Carl.
Your post #2551. I remember flying with your Dad, "TDQ Mick", from Battersea on Bo 105 in 1980, then B222 from Lippetts. Most of the early observers had a PPL F/W. My mug is still in daily use. Say Hi to your Dad and like him most of us are still pottering about after all it was 38 years ago!
Gordon

Back again with another query! Knowing my interest in the Gazelle, a friend sent me the attached photo which he found on the web many years ago - he remembers nothing about it other than it's named 'jim_reluctant.jpg'. What's interesting is it shows one of the ETPS Gazelles but with 'Royal Air Force' titles.

Any info much appreciated!

If my memory is correct (and it might not be, it's forty years since I will have seen him) the chap on the left is Matt Miller, a Canadian who was later at Shawbury working at RAF CFSH.
He told me a tale of test flying the then brand new Gazelle over Salisbury Plain one night, hovering and shining the landing light on a courting couple's car and causing a "UFO" scare in the local rag, probably because of the Gazelle's unique sound.

Shy,you are correct ; it is MM who was an ETPS QHI; the other guy is Jim Watts-Phillips,ETPS Chief Instructor; the Gaz. could be XZ936,and they are probably fighting with a Westland rep for the keys(to the `Peugeot )door locks...probably early `78 as it was straight off the AW production line......

That reminds me of the time we were trialling the IR cover on the Night Sun. 38 Group chose the middle of summer to carry it out when nobody would need it, but however----------------.

Punched off late at night with RHS and crewman on Cavnavs with LHS safety pilot on eyeballs. Crewman picks up a car parked with something interesting going on nearby. Brings RHS attention to it and the pair of us are going, "Go on, give it stick." Poor bloke in LHS desperately trying to find out what's going on without success.

Meanwhile, down below.

"Stop it, there's a helicopter up there."

"Don't worry, they can't see anything, it's dark."

Thanks Shy and Sycamore, useful info. Delivery scheme would make sense.

Found this in the Sikorsky Archive. If it is the same device it would be something called Ericsson stabilize.
Not very many details, but seems to be sound. Frank Ericsson was an interesting character. First US military helicopter pilot, who earned his license directly was Sikorsky, and later was in charge of the first US military helicopter school.
I don't have enough postings to submit URL, so I try to break it down: (www)sikorskyarchives(.)com(/)S-51-php

Greetings from Berlin

The Blue and White JetRanger 206A (VH-AHV) was operated by Rotorwork and was in Tasmania on a HEC (Hydro) contract near Strathgordon.

The Gazelle pic certainly shows Matt Miller and assuming it was taken at Boscombe, I'm wondering if the tall 'middle man' was Keith Englesman - an Aussie Helo TP who was at D Sqdn when I first arrived. If so, he (Keith) took me on my first famil ride in the 'Jaguar E-Type' of the helo world. An introduction to a new type and the wonders of jack stall! Matt had a store of possible song titles which were doomed to fail ... and quite unsuitable for publication!!

Hate to be pedantic, but it's Matt Millar. Was a great way to wind him up to spell it "normally".

It is rumoured (he was Canadian) that he once saw a sign saying "Drink Canada Dry"....... and he tried!

Lol, reminds me of the time when I was first instructing in the 80s in an R22. None of our aircraft had attitude indicators, no gyros at all. We were returning to home base in the dark, following a highway when we encountered a very intense rainstorm... Between the rain and the darkness there was very little to see out the windshield. Certainly not enough to land anywhere except on the highway and risk getting hit by another vehicle. The only thing I could think of was to follow a car on the highway. The two taillights made a great little attitude cue.

Between the fear of losing sight of his taillights, and knowing that we would be flying under some approx 300 foot high electrical transmission lines, we left the landing light on and followed him at probably 100 feet above and 100 feet behind the car all the way home ( about 5 miles ). Any further away, we would have risked losing sight of his taillights.

I always wondered what he thought was following him that night...

Did a vehicle /helo formation in the 60s in Anglesey. Valley had a weekly 'cash convoy' pickup from Holyhead, guarded by a 'Snowdrop' patrol vehicle. None available one Friday so we (the S&R standby) were tasked to stand in. Not sure what we were supposed to do, other than observe, but duly arrived, in the hover, at the bank, at the appointed time. Watched over the transfer of lolly and kept station as the van headed for Valley. Anglesey at that time boasted only one set of traffic lights - leaving Holyhead - they were at red! We duly came to a hover, recording a possibly unique occasion - helicopter stopped by red light! Proceeded on the green and D.C.O.

Flying out of Teeside in 1978 supporting the Eckofist in it's construction phase. UK contractors were supplying a lot of the labour and one day we got a second trip with just a few boxes to be unloaded at various accommodation rigs.

The bears were paid in cash in those days and we had just taken out some £1.5 million.