Savoia

Bell 47J Ranger seen at Blackbushe on 5th March 1972 (Photo: Trevor Davies) This craft experienced quite an assortment of owners including BEA and Autair. At the time the photo was taken APTH was registered to David George (he of Sloane fame). The craft was eventually sold to Germany in 1992.


AgustaBell 47J Ranger I-MINR seen at the Volandia Aviation Museum at Milan's Malpensa airport. (Photo: Stefano R) This craft was operated by Agip Mineraria throughout the 1960's.

S.

Savoia

I've put out feelers in the past for the late great John Dicken but have so far only encountered moderate success.

John was a good friend to Col. Bob Smith (Ferranti) and had the rare privilege of flying one of the UK's few bank-owned-and-operated corporate helicopters, the fourth Bell (as opposed to AgustaBell) 206 to be registered in the UK.


John's corporate mount from the late 60's G-AWOM belonging to Queen's bankers Hambros. Photo courtesy of PPRuNer Helipixman and the Helipixman Collection

John was a keen Ferranti fan and, according to Bob, would have joined the Ferranti team had he not been caught up elsewhere. He took quite a bit of flack (as did the Ferranti pilots) for wearing white gloves when he flew!


During the 1980's John could often be seen flying 'Gone Drinking With My In-laws' and I recall, on numerous occasions, his visits into Brooklands c.1982-84. (G-DWMI at Farnborough on 5th September 1990. Photo: Don Hewins)

There were rumours about John dressed in a nun's outfit for a filming job he did and I am keen to verify this, better still to obtain a copy of the image!

Any information at all about John's career would be gratefully appreciated.

S.

helisdw

Wandering through an innocuous corridor of Leeds General Infirmary recently, I happened to spy some more rotary nostalgia embedded in a mural.





I'm presuming this is a Whirlwind enacting the rescue at Leeds Town Hall, but I'm afraid I don't have any more information. The accompanying newspaper article is only partly reproduced on the mural and doesn't contain the date of the rescue (although I'm guessing this must of been during the 1960s or 1970s?).





I'd be all the more supportive of hospital art projects if a reference to local rotary activities was seen to be a ubiquitous requirement!

Simon

wiganairways

On ITV4 today was an episode of The Saint, and my attention was drawn to G-AWJL, Bell 206A S/N 181, New 16/05/68 to Point to Point Helicopters Ltd, Watford, but destroyed 22/07/69, managed to get a couple of 'snaps' from the telly, looks like the Captain is wearing white gloves!



managed to get a couple of decent, well from a telly, shots.

WA

helipixman

G-AZAG as requested by Savoia in post No.433
Photo from Helipixman collection

helipixman

This colour scheme was for a Noel Edmonds heli fest (for Mr Blobby !!) Note the British Gas titles (bet they were happy)

wiganairways

Did Mr Blobby put the registration on with felt tipped pen?

WA

helipixman

This scheme was done in washable paint for a film in Ireland ? Anyone know what film ? Photo taken by Helipixman at RAF Finningley Air Show 17.9.94 after flying in from the Yorkshire Helicopter Centre pad in Doncaster. Used for pleasure flying then departed for its filming sortie.

I flew in this helicopter just over 30 times during its ownership by Yorkshire Helicopter Centre and use by Lothian Helicopters (happy memories)

It is still in the UK now registered as G-BZEE.....

Helipixman

TRC

It was called "The Run of the Country"

I remember it well. We had to fly up and down just inside the Irish border painted to look like a British Army helicopter. Not ideal really.....

We were delayed leaving Ireland by a day, so to get the machine back in time for its next job we went direct Dundalk Bay to Wallasey - 120 nm. At 61 miles to run, the ENG CHIP light came on. Floats fitted but no bottles installed. Me and him in immersion suits, five-man dinghy, flares, etc.. Conversation was a little stilted.

We turned towards Valley where the Sea King lives. When asked to continue not above something uncomfortably low for the last few miles, they kindly raised the circuit height of the swarm of Hawks and we landed to the massed blue lights of the airfield fire service.

The chip was, of course, a whisker - but as far as we were concerned it might have had a full part number on it. The last Eng Chip that he had resulted in he engine stopping 15 seconds later.

We had to night stop at Valley because they couldn't raise even a RAF plod to do the necessary Special Branch stuff.

A stimulating few days.

Savoia

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HeliSDW: Great Stuff! One has to admit that happening upon rotary nostalgia in an hospital is something of a rarity. One wonders whether there would be milage in helicopter SAR crews befriending their local hostelries and perhaps donating a couple of scrap parts (tail rotors etc.) along with a couple of framed photos of their craft. Presumably this does already happen among some of the pubs closest to SAR bases? At on-base flying clubs/watering holes this sort of memorabilia is almost taken for granted but it would be great to see more aviation nostalgia out in the 'ordinary' places. (Still can't believe the UK gave in to a no smoking ban in pubs!).

Wigan: Great Stuff Too! Earlier in this thread there was mention of a 500C belonging to PPRuNer Palma which appeared in an episode of the Avengers. Always great to see these 'helicopter TV stars' from the 60's. Given the slightly broader dimensions of the 206 you posted I'm assuming you have a wide-screen set!

I will match your red low-skid 206 (G-AWJL) screen appearance with one of my own .. G-BAKS (also mentioned earlier in this thread) and which appeared in a Bond film. Can't recall if John Crewdson flew her or whether it was someone else! Either way I think that BAKS may have shared a similar fate to that of AWJL.


BAKS getting ready to uplift 007!

Helipix: What can I say? I am in admiration, and immensely thankful for your comprehensive collection of UK registered helicopter images - in particular 206's. Brilliant! Your contribution towards our efforts on the Ferranti site are deeply appreciated.

Re: AZAG: In your image she wears the name 'MBJ Cadogan' on the forward door and which doubtless reflects her ownership by Cadogan Foamwork and Reinforcing between 1975-78.

However, prior to 1975 she was owned by Lord Dulverton of Batsford Park in Gloucestershire (from June '71 to October '75). Dulverton was of course the President of the Imperial Tobacco Company which in the 1980's sponsored a couple of aircraft which have previously been mentioned on this thread; Colin Chapman's Bell 206 'The Dancer' (G-AYTF) wearing the John Player livery and Noel Edmond's AS350B (G-NOEI) sporting Marlboro's red and white motif.

It would be most interesting if there was anyone who remembers flying Lord Dulverton around in the early 70's.


Lord Dulverton's AB206A which he owned between 1971-75. (Photo: Helipixman)

Equally nostalgic of course is 'Chalky' White's AB206B G-OJCB. I find it impossible to look upon this craft without remembering Chalky. His spirited flying was always fun to watch (especially as a youngster) and, well, he was just one heck of a nice guy.

I remember visiting an Italian restaurant (I wish I could remember the name) near Brooklands (a couple of times) with my godfather and Pat McHaffey and being flown there in Chalky's craft. My godfather and Pat had some sort of friendly rivalry between them. Bob drove a Rolls, Pat a Ferrari. Bob's pilots wore white gloves, Pat's wore black. Ferranti flew Agustas, Hanson flew Bells .. and so it went on. Of course being of Italian origin it was hard for me to begrudge Pat's appreciation of Italian food and cars and which sympathy was met by protestations from my godfather over issues of 'loyalty' lol!

Back to Chalky, and what I believe was JCB's first helicopter, delivered in April of '78 - presumably via Mann's as she was an Agusta. 'CB' had a bespoke interior (seats and side trimming) in which the initials 'JCB' were woven into the fabric. She was fitted with Ferranti's Stability Augmentation System and carried a Decca DANAC navigator. Chalky loved the Ferranti SAS!


Chalky White's runabout. Great memories of a thoroughly great guy. (Photo: Helipixman)

Moving on, have you noticed how given the right promptings [images] (Helihub's Anglian Windows A109 on the Alan Mann thread and Helipix's camouflaged G-OJCB on this page) it is possible to uncover vital nostalgic reminiscences from both VFR440 and TRC!!!

I hope during my next visit to the UK, with the help of the appropriate lubricants, to get the memorgy cogs of both sufficiently turning so that the site we are working on will contain a good number of interesting stories!

Am still searching for any information about John Dicken's career.



S.

Saint Jack

I remember John Dicken from 1965/6 when he was a Flight Lieutenant on 66 Squadron at RAF Seletar flying Belvederes. I recall he was a very jovial and well-liked person who, along with a small handful of other squadron pilots, (a Flt. Lt. Langwothy rings a faint bell) would frequently call airmen (‘enlisted men’ to some of you) by their Christian names. Though I doubt that the squadron commander at the time, Sqdn. Ldr. ‘Bunny’ Austin (whose death was recently posted on PPrune) would have been happy to hear it.

treadigraph

Savoia, I think it was Marc Wolf who flew G-BAKS in "For Your Eyes Only". John Crewdson and Nigel Brendish were also involved in the filming.

Excellent thread this, even for a fixed wing aficionado!

Anyone remember a Bell 47H G-AZYB that used to live in a shed by a road in Bordon? Came across it on a school trip back in about 1975... G-INFO says "Destroyed" with the owners address at the same location, wondered what happened to it.

Savoia

Treadigraph: You are always welcome in helicopter nostalgia territory and you've struck luck with GAZY-B in that she still 'lives' (albeit in static form) at the helicopter museum at Weston-super-de-la-Mare!

The story of her restoration can be found here: Restoring the Bell 47H-1

At the museum she wears a predominantly red scheme based on the colours she wore when she was sent to Antarctica between 1957-59 where she flew from the support ship the MV Polarhav and the King Baudoin Station in support of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition.

After her polar expedition she remained in the cooler climes being sold to Norway then Sweden prior to arriving in the UK in June 1972 where she became the possession of Tywford Moors Helicopters until she was bought by your friend George Watt of Olivers Farm in Lindford, Hampshire in February 1973.

This is probably how you remember her though:


Bell 47H-1 G-AZYB at RAF Greenham Common on 7th July 1974. The craft was destroyed ten years later on 21st April 1984 at St. Mary Bourne near Thruxton.

S.

treadigraph

Cor, she has a interesting history, thanks Savoia! Memory is a bit vague, though the reg stuck in my mind for some reason. Hopefully I shall be reunited with her later this year as I am planning to visit the musuem at WSM after the Bristol Balloon Fiesta in August.

Very first aviation memories were of helicopters rather than fixed wing - lived in Penzance under the flight path of the Scilly Isles S-61N and can also recall, aged perhaps three, being scared in the garden by a loud and penetrating drone - it turned out to be a helicopter and probably a Wasp out of Culdrose.

I still want to do the Scilly Isles flight before the S-61Ns are retired, will try and get it sorted this year.

NJT

There I was yesterday googling to see if my old employer was still with us and I arrive here. The first page I looked at mentioned me ! It has taken an age to read the whole thing, but very interesting and nostalgic.

I was deputy CE at AMH 1977-79. I remember most of these aircraft. I came out of a/c engineering straight after that so my memories have not been smudged by years of different aircraft.

G-AZYB belonged to George ? who owned the Mazda dealership in Bordon. Broxford motors I belive. It was one of the first tasks I was given as the new and only A/B 47 licenced engineer in 77. It was in a bit of a sad state with the old 200hp Franklyn engine's hours having been extended for the last time. I told Roy (chief) that we had to source a new donkey from America. Mark (salesmanager) was delighted and decided that this would be a great time to talk George into upgrading. This was a waste of time as he loved the machine.

TRC, Dave Hessey and myself set about the 1200hr check and fitting a (£7000) new engine. All went well and George was delighted.

How are you Tom? That is me watching you playing with G-Tally pedals. I've still got all my hair (not quite the same colour)

How are you Geoff, remember across London on 5 cyls in G-Lift?

And yes it was my bloody coat !! more about that later!

Senior Pilot

NJT,

Welcome: no doubt you can straighten out a few of the stories here

Savoia

NJT: A very warm welcome to the nostalgia thread on Rotorheads and bravo on trawling through twenty odd pages of blitter-blat trivia!

It was my godfther, Col. Bob Smith (Ferranti Helicopters), who told me about the espisode when Peter the Cad wanted to warm himself up and decided to select the cabin heat while his trusty engineer was round the side with the cowlings up. I hope he bought you a beer .. and a new coat!

Now of course, thanks to PPRuNers such as Helipixman and FAStoat (the latter from the stiff-wing nostalgia thread), I have no clue as to whether this incident happened with BAKU, BUX or CHOC!

Planning to be in the UK later in the year and to meet up with TRC and VRF440 and it would be good if you could also make this shindig!

There's also an http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/443...licopters.html thread (some have asked why) but I believe once sufficient nostalgic evidence has been collected the reason will become clear.

Again welcome, and we look forward to your reminicences from those days when things were, well let's just say .. different.

Best

S.

NJT

G-CHOC .
Mark Langford had been desperately trying to put together a deal selling one of our fleet machines, probably G-BCWM or G-BCEU (Glendyne ). However, another machine was bought by Cadbury instead, at a lesser price. This was to prove false economy as there were numerous problems with the C of A and the additional work was far more than the saving. This did not help with the relationship .
G-CHOC was one of those machines that always managed to leak a small amount of oil and would be messy and very difficult to identify the source. Clean it all, ground run, all ok. 1 hour flight all clean. 2 hours and all oily again!
One Friday afternoon Roy said Cadbury had been on the blower and would like me to check out CHOC on my way home. I was commuting from Salisbury daily and could call in on my way. I duly arrived at Cadbury’s bungalow in Preston Condover about 6:30pm on a dark windy, wet evening. I knocked the door and we went up to the hangar. We Pulled Choc out past an Islander onto the hardstanding and were getting ready when a sleek piston twin gave a low pass and all the runway lights in the hillside came on. Very impressive, he said who it was (his son I think) in their plane, but he was landing somewhere else and was just buzzing.
Anyway we got CHOC running and I was torch in hand, ear defenders on panels open having a look to see where the oil was coming from. She was on low skids so not too difficult to have a good shifty. After a couple of minutes I started to smell burning and was looking for smoke when I looked down and saw the janitrol heater had been fired up and had been torching its way through my clothing. Coat,pullover,shirt only my vest to go!
I was tired wet and cold so when I opened the pax door and told him it was a bad idea lighting up the heater (I can’t remember my exact words)he got the message. He was nearly apologetic and after we put CHOC back in the hangar he proudly presented me with an old well worn Lillywhites jacket 2 sizes too small and called it quits.
About 2 weeks later John Akkers came visiting and said that Mr Cadbury had decided he would give me £20 instead and he wanted his jacket back. No point arguing.
Our fleet machines all used to sustain regular damage from seat belts being shut out of the passenger side where they would hammer against the honeycombe tub and dent it. G-CHOC was the only aircraft where we repaired damage from seat belts sustained on the pilot’s door side !!!

Newforest2

Back in 1982/3, I was looking to buy a Jetranger and visited Alan Mann and was interested in a nice machine painted a dark green with a gold stripe. I was told this was painted in the colours of the owners Rolls Royce, anyone recall this machine as I cannot remember it being discussed here?

DennisK

Newforest ... probably G-TREE (I seem to remember her being in that paint scheme in her early days.)

DRK