The Rotary Nostalgia Thread
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I will dig out some pics and put them up, also looking for pics found
G-LILA
G-KATG
EI-HXM
G-BOTM used to belong to Ian Botham, I bought it from a builder in Wales re furbished her and sold her on.
G-LILA
G-KATG
EI-HXM
G-BOTM used to belong to Ian Botham, I bought it from a builder in Wales re furbished her and sold her on.
Thread Starter
JetRanger : The Genesis
On the previous page we touched upon the origins of the 206 and it seemed only right therefore to give this a little more treatment.
The Bell 206: From Ugly Duckling to Sleek Cygnet
For two decades the Bell 206 JetRanger headlined civilian helicopter sales around the globe and flew in every environment from the Sahara Desert to Antarctica and was employed in (and in many cases pioneered) a diversity of operations .. anything and everything from magnetic surveys to fighting fires.
Here's a summary of the 206's development timeline:
Early Spring 1965: Bell is conscious that its contestant for the US Army's Light Observation Helicopter contract (LOH) is not the favourite and begins considering 'alternatives' for the YOH-4 in the event that it is not selected.
May 1965: The Hughes OH-6 is selected as winner of the US Army's LOH contract.
May 1965: Bell hire's industrial designer Charles Butler to give the YOH-4 a complete make-over. Butler designs what is now the 206.
July 1965: Construction begins on the first Bell 206 prototype, s/n 001 N8560F
Fall 1965: Bell President Edwin Ducayet names the 206 .. the "JetRanger"
Fall 1965: Bell signs an agreement with Costruzioni Aeronautiche Giovanni Agusta SpA (aka Agusta) to manufacture and distribute the 206 in Europe.
12th October 1965: A full-scale mock-up of the JetRanger is presented at America's NBAA meeting. At this meeting Bell receives its first orders for the 206.
10th January 1966: The 206 prototype s/n 001 N8560F makes it first test flight.
23rd January 1966: The 206 is exhibited at Helicopter Association of America convention in Arlington Texas. More orders for the type are received.
February 1966: Construction begins on prototypes s/n 002 N8590F and s/n 003 N1300X
20th October 1966: The Bell 206A JetRanger receives FAA type certification.
November 1966: One of Bell's JetRanger prototypes is shipped to Italy and conducts demonstration/publicity flights in Milan and Rome with Bell pilot Joe Mashmann. European orders are received.
13th January 1967: Bell delivers its first JetRanger to customer Harry Holly, President of Hollymatic Corporation of Illinois.
February 1967: JetRanger s/n 006 is sent to Agusta to serve as a European demonstrator.
March 1967: Agusta delivers the UK's first JetRanger c/n 8004 to Bristow Helicopters G-AVIG. Two additional JetRangers are delivered at the same time (also to Bristow): c/n 8007 G-AVIH and c/n 8011 G-AVII.
July 1967: Agusta delivers the UK's fourth JetRanger (and the first non-Bristow 206 in the UK) c/n 8008 G-AVSN to Ferranti Helicopters. (Well I had to put that in!)
The JetRanger's origins .. the Bell D-250 YOH-4 developed as a contestant for the US Army's Light Observation Helicopter contract which in May 1965 was awarded to the Hughes Aircraft Company. The failure of the YOH-4 is what gave birth to the development of the JetRanger
During the evaluation between the final three contenders for the LOH contract, the US Army nicknamed Bell's YOH-4 entrant the 'Ugly Duckling' .. citing that it was the worst looking of the three contenders.
After doing his 'magic' .. Charles Butler's re-worked version of Bell's D-250 looked like this ..
Full-scale mock-up of the 206 as presented at the NBAA meeting on 12th October 1965 (Note the drop-down baggage door)
Bell 206 prototype s/n 001 N8560F
Bell 206 prototype s/n 002 N8590F (Spring 1966)
Bell 206 prototype s/n 003 N1300X (Note the 206's very first cargo sling)
Bell Helicopter publicity on the JetRanger as made available in Milan and Rome in November 1966
Related Posts:
JetRanger Origins
Bell Helicopter: A Potted History
The Bell 206: From Ugly Duckling to Sleek Cygnet
For two decades the Bell 206 JetRanger headlined civilian helicopter sales around the globe and flew in every environment from the Sahara Desert to Antarctica and was employed in (and in many cases pioneered) a diversity of operations .. anything and everything from magnetic surveys to fighting fires.
Here's a summary of the 206's development timeline:
Early Spring 1965: Bell is conscious that its contestant for the US Army's Light Observation Helicopter contract (LOH) is not the favourite and begins considering 'alternatives' for the YOH-4 in the event that it is not selected.
May 1965: The Hughes OH-6 is selected as winner of the US Army's LOH contract.
May 1965: Bell hire's industrial designer Charles Butler to give the YOH-4 a complete make-over. Butler designs what is now the 206.
July 1965: Construction begins on the first Bell 206 prototype, s/n 001 N8560F
Fall 1965: Bell President Edwin Ducayet names the 206 .. the "JetRanger"
Fall 1965: Bell signs an agreement with Costruzioni Aeronautiche Giovanni Agusta SpA (aka Agusta) to manufacture and distribute the 206 in Europe.
12th October 1965: A full-scale mock-up of the JetRanger is presented at America's NBAA meeting. At this meeting Bell receives its first orders for the 206.
10th January 1966: The 206 prototype s/n 001 N8560F makes it first test flight.
23rd January 1966: The 206 is exhibited at Helicopter Association of America convention in Arlington Texas. More orders for the type are received.
February 1966: Construction begins on prototypes s/n 002 N8590F and s/n 003 N1300X
20th October 1966: The Bell 206A JetRanger receives FAA type certification.
November 1966: One of Bell's JetRanger prototypes is shipped to Italy and conducts demonstration/publicity flights in Milan and Rome with Bell pilot Joe Mashmann. European orders are received.
13th January 1967: Bell delivers its first JetRanger to customer Harry Holly, President of Hollymatic Corporation of Illinois.
February 1967: JetRanger s/n 006 is sent to Agusta to serve as a European demonstrator.
March 1967: Agusta delivers the UK's first JetRanger c/n 8004 to Bristow Helicopters G-AVIG. Two additional JetRangers are delivered at the same time (also to Bristow): c/n 8007 G-AVIH and c/n 8011 G-AVII.
July 1967: Agusta delivers the UK's fourth JetRanger (and the first non-Bristow 206 in the UK) c/n 8008 G-AVSN to Ferranti Helicopters. (Well I had to put that in!)
The JetRanger's origins .. the Bell D-250 YOH-4 developed as a contestant for the US Army's Light Observation Helicopter contract which in May 1965 was awarded to the Hughes Aircraft Company. The failure of the YOH-4 is what gave birth to the development of the JetRanger
During the evaluation between the final three contenders for the LOH contract, the US Army nicknamed Bell's YOH-4 entrant the 'Ugly Duckling' .. citing that it was the worst looking of the three contenders.
After doing his 'magic' .. Charles Butler's re-worked version of Bell's D-250 looked like this ..
Full-scale mock-up of the 206 as presented at the NBAA meeting on 12th October 1965 (Note the drop-down baggage door)
In November 1966 Bell sent one of their prototypes (there were three) along with their pilot Joe Mashmann here to Milan where the aircraft was demonstrated to various prospective customers ..
Bell 206 prototype s/n 001 N8560F
Bell 206 prototype s/n 002 N8590F (Spring 1966)
Bell 206 prototype s/n 003 N1300X (Note the 206's very first cargo sling)
Upon returning to the UK my godfather showed Sebastian de Ferranti the publicity material distributed by Bell.
Bell Helicopter publicity on the JetRanger as made available in Milan and Rome in November 1966
Related Posts:
JetRanger Origins
Bell Helicopter: A Potted History
Thread Starter
Following on from Ambidextrous' Brantly 305 photo taken at Middle Wallop on page 105 ..
More 305 in the UK ..
A Brantly 305 (wearing the BEAS emblem on the upper fuselage) delivers Labour MP and Minister for Transport, Barbara Castle, to the Rover factory in Pengham, Wales in 1967
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Sikorsky S-55 Survey Aircraft
I am sure this must look like a very unglamorous contraption to some of you corporate pilots but sometimes we did a LOT to make a buck back in the day.
S55 N753A on survey at Southern Lake 175nm north of Eskimo Point, Canada
S55 N753A on survey at Southern Lake 175nm north of Eskimo Point, Canada
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When to endeavour is not Endeavour (Aviation)
Hi Savoia
Hate to correct your normally impecable information but Brantly G-ASXF pictured at Middle Wallop in 1968 doesn't have Endeavour titles... they looks to me like "Everards Brewery Ltd". Although my eyesight may be failing
Tommy Sopwith had already replaced his Brantly 305 with JetRanger G-AVZG which can be seen parked behind G-ASXF. Tommy's 305 was G-ATSJ.
Everards using G-ASXF makes sense as Tony Everard (mentioned earlier in this magnificent thread) had sold his B2 G-ARZI in 1967 and didn't buy his Enstrom G-BALE until 1973.
I had always wondered why there was a gap in his helicopter ownership and Rotary Nostalgia has once again plugged the gap.
All the best
Aah de Havilland
Hate to correct your normally impecable information but Brantly G-ASXF pictured at Middle Wallop in 1968 doesn't have Endeavour titles... they looks to me like "Everards Brewery Ltd". Although my eyesight may be failing
Tommy Sopwith had already replaced his Brantly 305 with JetRanger G-AVZG which can be seen parked behind G-ASXF. Tommy's 305 was G-ATSJ.
Everards using G-ASXF makes sense as Tony Everard (mentioned earlier in this magnificent thread) had sold his B2 G-ARZI in 1967 and didn't buy his Enstrom G-BALE until 1973.
I had always wondered why there was a gap in his helicopter ownership and Rotary Nostalgia has once again plugged the gap.
All the best
Aah de Havilland
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Rotor engagement on a windy day must have been fun with that contraption out front. Has anyone got the photo from the early 60's of a RN Whirlwind (S55) engaging on a carrier and the main rotor has flexed down right to the deck - it was in a Flight Safety poster of the time or in "Cockpit" - thought I had a copy but can't find it.
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It’s great to see all the memories of helicopter owners ofthe past, but I wonder if anyone can shed any light on a name that has beenmentioned in passing in this thread, but who seems to have been a long termoperator: A Smith (Culcheth) Ltd.
Over a twenty year period, running 1968 to 1978, his company had successively: G-AWDU Brantly B2B, G-AVTE & G-AZVN JetRangers andfinally G-BBHV Gazelle.
My guess is that the company was a nominee and not the actualowner. Interestingly there have been 3attempts by the authorities to strike the company from the Companies House registerbut three times it has been reinstated even though there are no directors etc. The address in G-INFO doesn’t help either; it was originally a brewerybut that closed in the 1950s.
Surely the owner of these a/c must have been someone notableand a real enthusiast for helicopter flight, but who?
Over a twenty year period, running 1968 to 1978, his company had successively: G-AWDU Brantly B2B, G-AVTE & G-AZVN JetRangers andfinally G-BBHV Gazelle.
My guess is that the company was a nominee and not the actualowner. Interestingly there have been 3attempts by the authorities to strike the company from the Companies House registerbut three times it has been reinstated even though there are no directors etc. The address in G-INFO doesn’t help either; it was originally a brewerybut that closed in the 1950s.
Surely the owner of these a/c must have been someone notableand a real enthusiast for helicopter flight, but who?
Thread Starter
Ahh .. de Havilland .. you are absolutely correct. Someone buy that man a beer!
I'm not worried about getting it wrong .. so long as we eventually get it right .. and which, thanks to your eagle-eyed observations .. we have done! 
I think that with you and Heli1 we must have the keenest eyes on the thread!
Actually its just a matter of laziness on my part for I did not cross-reference with earlier posts to verify the registration of the 305 to check that it tallied with that previously mentioned for Tommy and when I saw that it was registered to BEAS simply assumed it was on lease to Endeavour. The 'E' at the start of the titles completed the illusion!
Ah de Havilland's detective work is proved correct as the titles on G-ASXF (once sufficiently magnified) are indeed those belonging to Everards Brewery Ltd.
Would be nice to learn more about Tony Everard. Though my godfather knew him and the name was mentioned (I think in relation to the HCGB?) I know nothing more but .. I think Denissimo knew him fairly well.
Similarly, it would be great to discover (as you say) a little more about Smith/Culcheth.
In the meantime ..
Bell 206A G-AVTE owned by BSR Limited of Staffordshire as seen at it Birmingham International Airport c. 1968
G-AVTE at Birmingham c. 1968 - Lockheed C130 Hercules sharing the ramp
G-AVTE was delivered to BSR in August 1967. She was the 10th JetRanger registered in the UK, was the second non-Bristow JetRanger to be delivered and was the first Bell-built JetRanger in Britain.
In 1970 she was purchased (according to the record) by A. Smith (Culcheth) Ltd. of 38 Bond Street, Leigh, Lancashire. Does anyone know who Smith/Culcheth was/were?
Hate to correct your normally impeccable information ..
I think that with you and Heli1 we must have the keenest eyes on the thread!
Actually its just a matter of laziness on my part for I did not cross-reference with earlier posts to verify the registration of the 305 to check that it tallied with that previously mentioned for Tommy and when I saw that it was registered to BEAS simply assumed it was on lease to Endeavour. The 'E' at the start of the titles completed the illusion!
Ah de Havilland's detective work is proved correct as the titles on G-ASXF (once sufficiently magnified) are indeed those belonging to Everards Brewery Ltd.
Would be nice to learn more about Tony Everard. Though my godfather knew him and the name was mentioned (I think in relation to the HCGB?) I know nothing more but .. I think Denissimo knew him fairly well.
Similarly, it would be great to discover (as you say) a little more about Smith/Culcheth.
In the meantime ..
Bell 206A G-AVTE owned by BSR Limited of Staffordshire as seen at it Birmingham International Airport c. 1968
G-AVTE at Birmingham c. 1968 - Lockheed C130 Hercules sharing the ramp
G-AVTE was delivered to BSR in August 1967. She was the 10th JetRanger registered in the UK, was the second non-Bristow JetRanger to be delivered and was the first Bell-built JetRanger in Britain.
In 1970 she was purchased (according to the record) by A. Smith (Culcheth) Ltd. of 38 Bond Street, Leigh, Lancashire. Does anyone know who Smith/Culcheth was/were?
Savoia......Tony Everard was the founder of the HCGB circa 1966 and of course owner of Everards Brewery,a family business. He was an enthusiastic helicopter owner and pilot,very supportive of the club activities throughout his life and a real gent........sadly missed by the club.
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One Dead on The Beach
We were about 75 km north of the beach when the helicopter my friend was flying started losing oil pressure. By the time he reached the beach at Ameland the old girl was ready to quit. We changed the engine on the beach by slinging another one out and the engineers wrestled it into place in the blasting sand and wind created by the hovering helicopter.
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Thread Starter
.. the engineers wrestled it into place in the blasting sand and wind created by the hovering helicopter.
More Bell & Brantly
Agusta-Bell 206A JetRanger OO-COP as seen in Belgium c. mid-70's
Some of the early 'A' model 206's were delivered with a uniquely shaped upper cowling (as per the above) which accommodated a centrally positioned ventilation 'hole'. Additionally, the lower portion of the cowling sported a half-moon shaped 'grilled' vent.
Ferranti's first JetRanger (G-AVSN) was delivered looking like this until about 1968-9 when the 'standard' one-piece upper cowling was installed.
Brantly 305 TF-DIV as seen in Reykjavik, Iceland in June 1972
Surely something of a rarity .. not only an Icelandic Brantly 305, but one wearing floats! The record states that she was bought by an Andre Heioberg in December 1966.
Another rare Brantly would have been the Tanzanian registered 5H-MNJ, also a 305 model. Quite how the 305 would have performed in such an environment one can only speculate but, suffice it to say .. it is doubtful whether the craft would have had an excess of power. How a 305 even ended-up in East Africa I am not sure but am guessing it may have been an initiative of the late Freddie Wilcox.
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J/Rs and such
Sav,
The very early Agusta J/Rs had the forward cowling originally installed with 'hundreds' of 10/32 screws into anchor nuts (what an absolute pain in the
) instead of the later more sensibly designed dzus fasteners and ejectors around the periphery. MUCH better 
I worked for Freddie in East Africa, and yes I believe there had been a Brantley based out there before I arrived. In the event my sojourn in the various countries around that part of the Continent was with and on-board a lovely old girl, Agusta 47J2, 5Y-AKD...... my, there are some stories to tell in my dotage (if anyone would have the patience to listen)
And Freddie was a natural and damn good pilot, never had a problem flying with him. I believe he was the Queen Mum's pilot at one stage, so you don't get to do that if you are just the average line driver.
Happy memories (when I had hair LOL) - VFR
The very early Agusta J/Rs had the forward cowling originally installed with 'hundreds' of 10/32 screws into anchor nuts (what an absolute pain in the
) instead of the later more sensibly designed dzus fasteners and ejectors around the periphery. MUCH better I worked for Freddie in East Africa, and yes I believe there had been a Brantley based out there before I arrived. In the event my sojourn in the various countries around that part of the Continent was with and on-board a lovely old girl, Agusta 47J2, 5Y-AKD...... my, there are some stories to tell in my dotage (if anyone would have the patience to listen)
And Freddie was a natural and damn good pilot, never had a problem flying with him. I believe he was the Queen Mum's pilot at one stage, so you don't get to do that if you are just the average line driver.
Happy memories (when I had hair LOL) - VFR
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You like the first jet ranger? we have in france in 1970s
Bell 206A F-BSUY est à Aérodrome de Guyancourt dans l'année 1978.
à l'arrière plus loin ce trouve SOCATA Rallye
Bell 206A F-BSUY est à Aérodrome de Guyancourt dans l'année 1978.
à l'arrière plus loin ce trouve SOCATA Rallye
Sav, that intake cowling you talk about is just the original snow baffle for the 206A. Pretty, ain't it? You can see the original intake openings exposed on the sides, which they are in case the forward intake gets clogged. The later snow kit baffles also allowed for this but were much smaller and simpler in execution.
And btw, what a flashback! I clearly remember seeing that very Bell ad you posted - the one with those five guys heading out to the JetRanger with their briefcases/suitcases/sales bags (two apiece!). Man I had to be, like, 11 or 12. Can't remember which magazine though. Sexy then, and sexy now, that 206.
And now, after a lifetime of flying a later version of that model, I wonder what they thought they were going to do with the leftover bags that wouldn't fit into the boot...leave them behind? The baggage extender hadn't even been invented yet! And I do hope they weren't expecting to fly for more than 15 minutes with all that load in the ship. Still fun to see again and reminisce about what got me into this crazy industry.
And btw, what a flashback! I clearly remember seeing that very Bell ad you posted - the one with those five guys heading out to the JetRanger with their briefcases/suitcases/sales bags (two apiece!). Man I had to be, like, 11 or 12. Can't remember which magazine though. Sexy then, and sexy now, that 206.
And now, after a lifetime of flying a later version of that model, I wonder what they thought they were going to do with the leftover bags that wouldn't fit into the boot...leave them behind? The baggage extender hadn't even been invented yet! And I do hope they weren't expecting to fly for more than 15 minutes with all that load in the ship. Still fun to see again and reminisce about what got me into this crazy industry.
Thread Starter
VFR wrote:
The very early Agusta J/R's had the forward cowling originally installed with 'hundreds' of 10/32 screws into anchor nuts ..
The very early Agusta J/R's had the forward cowling originally installed with 'hundreds' of 10/32 screws into anchor nuts ..
Look forward to catching-up with you and learning a little more about your days with Freddie!
FH1100 wrote:
Sav, that intake cowling you talk about is just the original snow baffle for the 206A.
Sav, that intake cowling you talk about is just the original snow baffle for the 206A.
Industry Insider wrote:
G-AVZG in Post 2097 would have the the predecessor of G-BASE, both being Endeavour Motors aircraft ..
G-AVZG in Post 2097 would have the the predecessor of G-BASE, both being Endeavour Motors aircraft ..
Tommy's aircraft line-up (the one's we know about) go something like this:
Brantly 305 G-ATSJ, purchased in May 1966
Bell 206A G-AVZG, purchased in December 1967 (Photo: Ambidextrous)
Bell 206B G-BASE, purchased in May 1973 (Photo: Peter Nicholson)
AS350B G-GINA, purchased in May 1978 (Photo: Adrian Batchelor)
AS350B G-IINA, purchased in December 1990 (Photo: Helipixman)
~ ~ ~
The Crewdson Files:
From the UK's 'Indy' newspaper, an article about 'Forts Roughs' which makes reference to the use of a helicopter (and pilot) which I am fairly certain was the late great John Crewdson:
They lured Roy to a meeting in Austria, and meanwhile, sent a helicopter to the fort. The sole occupant, Michael, was suspicious. But he let them land, only to find himself taken prisoner for several days. After his release, he was reunited with his father, by then furious that his son had let the interlopers outwit him. His mother was just as harsh. "You've thrown away our life's work," she hissed. Once everyone had calmed down, they discussed what should be done.
"We were going to go out in an inflatable, and scale [Sealand] using ladders," Michael told me, in his characteristically matter-of-fact tone. Instead, the Bateses persuaded a friend who had worked as a stunt pilot in a couple of James Bond films to fly them and two mates out in his helicopter. They arrived at dawn, approaching into the wind so the bad guys wouldn't hear the hum of the rotors.
Michael had a sawn-off shotgun. The others had pistols. They couldn't land the helicopter, so the pilot held the machine in a hover 40 foot up, while Michael and his dad shinned down ropes they had tied to the seats. The enemy emerged to see what the noise was. As Michael hit the deck, the butt of his gun smacked against it, and the thing fired, almost blowing his head off. Terrified, the Dutch and German heavies surrendered. The battle was over.
The unwanted guests were sent packing, with the exception of a German lawyer named Gernot Putz. As the weeks went by, the German authorities became concerned about Putz's fate. Finally, they sent out a diplomat from their embassy in London to sue for his release. Which brings us to the third FCO observation: that Sealand lacks "the ability to conduct international relations". Clearly this wasn't the case back in 1978.
"We were going to go out in an inflatable, and scale [Sealand] using ladders," Michael told me, in his characteristically matter-of-fact tone. Instead, the Bateses persuaded a friend who had worked as a stunt pilot in a couple of James Bond films to fly them and two mates out in his helicopter. They arrived at dawn, approaching into the wind so the bad guys wouldn't hear the hum of the rotors.
Michael had a sawn-off shotgun. The others had pistols. They couldn't land the helicopter, so the pilot held the machine in a hover 40 foot up, while Michael and his dad shinned down ropes they had tied to the seats. The enemy emerged to see what the noise was. As Michael hit the deck, the butt of his gun smacked against it, and the thing fired, almost blowing his head off. Terrified, the Dutch and German heavies surrendered. The battle was over.
The unwanted guests were sent packing, with the exception of a German lawyer named Gernot Putz. As the weeks went by, the German authorities became concerned about Putz's fate. Finally, they sent out a diplomat from their embassy in London to sue for his release. Which brings us to the third FCO observation: that Sealand lacks "the ability to conduct international relations". Clearly this wasn't the case back in 1978.
FH1100 wrote:
Sexy then, and sexy now, that 206.
Sexy then, and sexy now, that 206.
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The Flying Absalom's
To pick up on a previous topic, here are a few snippets of information on Gay Absalom’s family and their rotary exploits.
As posted by Savoia on page 56, her father Rowland Absalom featured in a 1965 British Pathe news itemabout him commuting by helicopter from home in Hertfordshire to work Sidcup,Kent. Search Results - British Pathé
The featured helicopter was Brantly G-ASXD, registered jointly to United Marine (1939) and Kebell Developments and in the film he can be seen approaching a building with the titles United Marine. Kebbell Developments was founded by Charles Kebbell, who was a Kiwi and a wartime RAF pilot, who had married Meryl Absalom, Rowland’s sister, and went to work for her father’s building firm before setting up on his own.
In an earlier posting by Savoia there was a cutting about the Trophy Championship meeting of the Helicopter Club of Great Britain that was organized by Rowland Absalom and during which the winners of the helicopter treasure hunt were "Charles Kebbell in his Brantly B2B and his navigator-son Nicholas".
Rowland Absalom had a string of helicopters registered to United Marine: G-ASXD, followed by JetRanger G-AYBE, and finally Gazelle G-BAGJ. The Gazelle carried the logo & titles of Point-to-Point Helicopters, which turns out to have the same registered office as United Marine. So it looks like Rowland owned that company, which was formed in 1968 and had JetRanger G-AWJL and Hughes 300 G-BABN & G-BBIP. They were also reported by Flight to have a Hughes 500 but I haven’t been able to identify that one.
Point-to-Point was reported to have purchased the helicopter operation of Air Gregory, but I can’t confirm this. Both United Marine & Point-to Point seem to disappear around 1979 but what happened I don’t know.
It’s interesting how small the rotary world was in the 1960’s. Can anyone add any more to the story?
As posted by Savoia on page 56, her father Rowland Absalom featured in a 1965 British Pathe news itemabout him commuting by helicopter from home in Hertfordshire to work Sidcup,Kent. Search Results - British Pathé
The featured helicopter was Brantly G-ASXD, registered jointly to United Marine (1939) and Kebell Developments and in the film he can be seen approaching a building with the titles United Marine. Kebbell Developments was founded by Charles Kebbell, who was a Kiwi and a wartime RAF pilot, who had married Meryl Absalom, Rowland’s sister, and went to work for her father’s building firm before setting up on his own.
In an earlier posting by Savoia there was a cutting about the Trophy Championship meeting of the Helicopter Club of Great Britain that was organized by Rowland Absalom and during which the winners of the helicopter treasure hunt were "Charles Kebbell in his Brantly B2B and his navigator-son Nicholas".
Rowland Absalom had a string of helicopters registered to United Marine: G-ASXD, followed by JetRanger G-AYBE, and finally Gazelle G-BAGJ. The Gazelle carried the logo & titles of Point-to-Point Helicopters, which turns out to have the same registered office as United Marine. So it looks like Rowland owned that company, which was formed in 1968 and had JetRanger G-AWJL and Hughes 300 G-BABN & G-BBIP. They were also reported by Flight to have a Hughes 500 but I haven’t been able to identify that one.
Point-to-Point was reported to have purchased the helicopter operation of Air Gregory, but I can’t confirm this. Both United Marine & Point-to Point seem to disappear around 1979 but what happened I don’t know.
It’s interesting how small the rotary world was in the 1960’s. Can anyone add any more to the story?
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The Absolums
Not sure this amounts to much but I spoke with Rowland Absolum very many times in the 1970s and early 80s and ditto his super daughter Gay Absolum who later became Gay Barrett of course when she married the AVM. Gay once flew for my company when she piloted Enstrom G-PALS in the "To the Manor Born" TV series.
In 1983, I purchased the final stock of Rowland Absolum's Point to Point's business spares holding for my new business of Skyline Helicopters. A lovely chap who seemed to have time to chat with everyone. Regards to all. Dennis K.
In 1983, I purchased the final stock of Rowland Absolum's Point to Point's business spares holding for my new business of Skyline Helicopters. A lovely chap who seemed to have time to chat with everyone. Regards to all. Dennis K.