Dennis Kenyon

Oh dear Savoia ... how well I can see why this thread is name "Nostalgia. ... all so true for me. You post a pic of Enstrom 280C the infamous G-BENO at Shoreham, and being an ex 'Anorak' my log book tells me she was serial 1024. (the 28A series started at 001 followed by the 280 'Shark Shape' series at 1000.) The second Enstrom 28A, G-BALT in the pic was serial 123 being the machine on which I made my first helicopter solo. (1973!) ... me standing alongside, and with a full head of hair aged a mere 44!

Yes, G-KENY (280C) serial 1221 was sold to Ken Stokes and I see I made the the first UK C of A air test on her on 2nd March 1982 at Shoreham. Ken made his living with office stationary forms. The second 280C was G-HOVA, one of Spooner Aviation's first ever nut & bolt 'rebuilds' from scratch where a new machine appeared from a few others and parts from the stores. She was sold to a firm called Supaglide who made posh windows in the early 1980s. I think the owners were Les Briggs and Eddy Coventry of the BAC window firm. Eddy later switched to an AS350 and flew it around the UK for charity. (My best wishes if you are out there Eddy)

G-OMCP was probably Jimmy Meyer's business of Federated Homes, (G-OFED) and Meyer's Commercial Properties and yes I bought her and re-sold as SHUU, but this time for Starline Helicopters, being the 16th Helicopter in the SH series. Tony Pond, God now bless him, was a BL Rally driver and good client of my Skyline firm. In those days we seemed to have an inside track on the racing men. Tony Pond, Alan Jones, Ari Vatanen, Jonathon Palmer and even Mark Thatcher who raced a few saloons from time to time. Around 1983, I recall flying him up to Didcot to be fitted in a single-seater. Mark purchased the last in the SH series being B206 G-SHZZ.

Finally just a recollection regarding the Colonel's effort to clear snow. In the 1954 big freeze, the CO at RAF Weston Zoyland ordered we trainee pilot to fire up the school's Meteors and taxi up and down the iced up runway. You don't need to know the result! More tittle-tattle on request ....

Dennis Kenyon.

,

wiganairways

Hi Sav,

Even in the Clyde days the army used to land for a visit, the Lynx and maybe a Gazelle, the odd civil would call in too, A109's and most notable for me was P & O's 365 G-POAV, a posh visitor, the good old days.

Wiggy

Savoia

Ah POAV yes, spent some time with her and her driver .. one David Sale .. c. 1990 at McAlpine's Heli-Centre in Hayes.

The Dauphin is incredibly pleasant to fly and .. with a good load and with good speed .. is right up there with the S76 in terms of the amount external noise she thumps out - lol!


AS365N1 G-POAV at Hayes heliport on 21st August 1989 (Photo: Derek Heley)

Wiggy, they say you've already had snowfall up there!

ps: The highlight of my visit to McAlpine's that day (other than meeting the charming Mr Sale) was to observe his co-pilot carrying around what looked like a car battery with a telephone stuck on top. It was (apparently) an early version of the mobile phone.

wiganairways

Hi Sav,

Like the photo of the P & O 365 , nice big and shiny, just how I remember her.

As for the weather, I too have heard it has been snowing, mostly up north and east, so Aberdeen will be having it, but as I am in the Channel Island of Jersey just now, so wet and windy.

Wiggy

Savoia

Kaman HH-43 'Huskie' as seen during a fire control and pilot rescue exercise at Bien Hoa Airfield, Vietnam in 1966

Shane101

Shane101

Shane101

Shane101

Shane101

Savoia

Much of my time visiting my godfather in Ireland involved staying at the Cashel Palace Hotel, which was owned by Vincent O’Brien until about 1980-1 whereafter Vincent accommodated the Colonel in a guest house next door to the main house at Ballydoyle.

But, for several school holidays the Cashel Palace was where I would stay and I have many fond memories of the place.

Now, admittedly, among Irish country houses the Cashel Palace is somewhat modest and there are undeniably many more impressive buildings scattered about Southern Ireland, some of them with truly stunning vistas. But the ‘Palace’ had character, made so by its friendly staff.

The Cashel Palace Hotel was built in 1730 by Archbishop Theophilus Bolton. It was designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce who was also the Architect of the Old Parliament House in Dublin, which is now the Bank of Ireland on College Green. In style it can be placed between Queen Anne and Early Georgian.

A crowned harp can be seen over the entrance. This is a ‘fire mark’ issued by the Hibernian insurance Company of Dublin who were in business from 1771 to 1839. They were the first company in Ireland to transact Fire Insurance.

Some of these rooms were damaged during the Wolf Tone Rebellion of 1798. They were remodelled after 1800 in the Regency Style by the 1st Earl of Normanton, then Archbishop of Cashel.

Following a decision by Archbishop Richard Lawrence to transfer the Diocesan headquarters to Waterford in 1833 the Palace was divided for use by the Dean of Cashel and a Canon of the Church of Ireland. The decision was made by the Church to sell the property in 1959 and in May 1962 it was first opened as a Luxury Hotel by Lord Brockett, who also owned the Wicklow Hotel in Dublin and Benner’s Hotel in Tralee at that time.

The gardens contain the descendants of the original hop plants used by Richard Guinis (an agent for Archbishop Price of Cashel in the 1740’s) to brew the first “Wine of Ireland”. Mr Guinis and his son Arthur went on to brew this beer in Dublin and to found the famous Guinness Brewery at St. James’ Gate. The garden also contains a private walk (The Bishops Walk) to the Rock of Cashel upon which was built the 13th Century Cathedral which served as the ancient seat of the Kings of Munster.


The Cashel Palace Hotel as seen from the gardens where begins the 'Bishop's Walk' to the 'Rock' (see below)


The Colonel raising a glass with receptionist Mary and chef Conner c.1980


Barman Dennis who had a full-time job looking after the Colonel's imbibing

No story about Cashel would be complete without mentioning 'The Rock'.

From the Cashel Palace (so named as it was a Bishop’s Palace) could be seen the 'Rock of Cashel'.

According to local mythology, the Rock of Cashel originated in the Devil's Bit (a mountain 20 miles north of Cashel) when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in the Rock landing in Cashel. Cashel is reputed to be the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century.

The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years prior to the Norman invasion. In 1101, the King of Munster, Muirchertach Ua Briain, donated his fortress on the Rock to the Church. The ruins are one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic and medieval architecture to be found anywhere in Europe. Few remnants of the early structures survive; the majority of buildings on the current site date from the 12th and 13th centuries.


The 'Rock' of Cashel


Some may recall HM's visit to Cashel, together with the Duke of Edinburgh, on 20th May 2011 - courtesy of 'Rainbow'

Geoffersincornwall

In an idle moment I looked through my log books at the JetRangers I have flown. Some registrations that I'm sure had interesting histories before and after my time.

G.

Bell 206 A/B
G-BCWN
G-BCVZ
G-BEHG
G-BCWM
G-BBEU
G-BBUX
G-CHOC
G-WIZZ
G-BFGT
G-AZAG
G-BCYP
G-BFND
G-OIML
G-AYTF
G-BGGY
G-BGGX
G-TALY
G-WILL
G-AZZB
G-AWJW
G-TPTR
G-BHXU
G-SPEY
G-BIZB
G-BLJE
G-BASE
G-BTWA
G-OJCB
G-BFTR
G-DOFY
G-BWVE
G-OCAP
G-UNIK
G-BTWW
G-BOUY
G-BRDL
G-GOBP

TRC

G-AZYB was/is a B47H.
I remember us doing a compass swing on a hot calm day, you tended to land it a lot.

Geoffersincornwall

thanks TRC! Yes I remember it well. These are the other 47s you may remember.

Bell 47
G-BBRG
G-BBRI
G-BHAR
G-BJAM
G-LIFT
G-AZYB

and while we are about it the Longrangers

Bell 206 L/L1/L3
G-LRII
G-LONG
G-CJGB
G-RASS
G-GWIN


G.

wiganairways

G-BOUY at Clyde

Savoia

Geoffers: A few nostalgic registrations there .. most of which have featured on this thread!

While flying G-CHOC did you happen upon Peter 'The Cad' Cadbury? I am still trying to verify the story about him taking a bishop for a spin in CHOC and scaring him half-to-death after receving the bishop's admonishions to steer clear of his daughter!

I have been hunting for an image of G-BFGT because she was something of a rare bird. From CSE (which was odd at the time because she was an Agusta) she went to Mann's in June of '78 and then to McAlpine's the following year. She seems only to have been in the UK for a couple of years before being shipped-off to Sweden.

Another one of your conquests, G-BWVE, was after my time as she came to the UK in '88. However, in 2000 she ended-up down here with Elialfa where she became I-CMLC (below) and which was also odd because she was a Bell!


Bell 206B JetRanger III I-CMLC Ozzano dell'Emilia on 5th June 2010 (Photo: Varani Ennio)

Savoia

'The Don' has kindly donated this photo of Karl 'Charly' Zimmerman's Bo105 to the thread:


German Air Force MBB Bo105M 8054 (as flown by Karl Zimmerman) attending the World Helicopter Championships at Castle Ashby on 26th June 1986 (Photo: Don Hewins)

Also at the '86 WHC was this Gazelle:


Roger Savage with Ray Dewhurst at the 1986 WHC at Castle Ashby

(Zis, I am sorry but I've been unable to trace the registration of this Gazelle. Hopefully over time we will get it).

Zishelix

Malcolm Wilson Motorsport's G-RALE leased to Air Cumbria, I'd say

check

Geoff, just checked my logbook and found that G-AZYB was the first Bell 47 I flew after leaving the Army, it was on the 11 Jan 73, I also flew G-AYOE, G-AYOF, G-AYOG, G-ATZX, G-ASLR (Bell 47J2). I can't remember which but one of them was a D model with wooden blades, got jack stall avoiding a low flying fighter and needed both hands on the cyclic to recover. All at Twyford Moors Helicopters no doubt JimL will remember them too.

Savoia

Well done Zis. Never even heard of an 'Air Cumbria' before but, there we are, that's what this is all about .. uncovering the past!


Westland Gazelle SA341 AH1 (with skis and skid-mounted float bags) sitting on the 'Relief Landing Platform' (aka the hangar roof) aboard the RFA Fort Austin during exercise 'Cold Winter' in northern Norway in March 1989 (Photo: Kevin Slade)

Kevin says: "I should think the RLP was being used to allow the main flight deck to be used by the Sea Kings. The Gazelle was visiting for a liaison meeting as we had a large Marine detachment aboard. Pretty sure it was Exercise Cold Winter and we were in northern Norway. I remember we stopped in Altafjord as a task group and we were off the Lofoton Islands a few times. Just a shame I couldn't get the registration for the Gazelle."


The RFA Fort Austin seen with a Sea King utilising the RLP