Savoia

Shane: Great to see these shots from Hughesdon's garden party and, in particular, Peter Wilson.

Pete Wilson visited our family home numerous times in the company of my godfather and was a likeable man. Always friendly, engaging and highly accommodating of youngsters continually peppering him with questions about flying.

Together with my godfather, Peter was one of six pilots selected from the Army to learn to fly helicopters and their careers were closely intertwined with Peter joining my godfather at the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment at RAF Beaulieu in 1946 and similarly, after the disbanding of the AFEE, moving on to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down. Thereafter they both went on to join the Bristol Aeroplane Company where my godfather was project pilot on the Bristol Sycamore and in which programme Peter was also involved.

I should love to hear from anyone who knows a little about Peter's post-military career.


The late Peter Wilson (1920-2010)

I should not like to disappoint my late godfather, having posted RAF and Navy Gazelles, by failing to present an Army offering and which, in this case, comes with the courtesy (again) of Martin Pole:


Army SA341B Gazelle AH1 XW885 as seen at Knook Camp, Wiltshire in 1982 (Photo: Martin Pole)

Also present were; XZ313, XZ338, XX403, XZ333 and XZ318.

Shane101

I knew you would be able to fill in the details.

Savoia

Brantly B-2B G-WASP as seen at Cranfield on 5th July 1987 (Photo: Stephen Duquemin)

This craft began life as G-ASXE being delivered to BEAS in 1964. From there she went to Freeman's of Bewdley Aviation in Stourport-on-Severn (1968 to 1976) after which she headed northwards to 'Wiggy's world' where she was registered to Sims Automatics of Glasgow. Sims then listed her under the name of Western Air Scotland and gave her a new registration .. G-WASP.

At the time of this photo she belonged jointly to William Evans and Maxwell Morris. She was finally returned to her land of origin in 2002.

gsa

When I was working at a hotel in Dollar, Central Scotland between leaving school and joining the AAC in 77 that landed in the garden and the guy went off with toolbox in hand to fix all the fruit machines.

vfr440

Yes, I too remember him (I think) Was he Don McGilveray? And I've a mind he subsequently owned a J/R, which has been the subject of a post or two. I dunno, but Sav will! -VFR
PS could it have been G-WOSP??

fairchim

In response to Monkeyboy post and CB helis, believe Annette, (mentioned in article) was in fact Roger Daltrey's cousin. I used to do occasional work for them back in the mid '80s at events such as GP and Derby

wiganairways

Hi Sav, Glad your back,
June 1985 and the 2 Jet Ranger's, (WOSP and BAKT), are now with Gleneagles ex Burnthill's, here G-WOSP doing pleasure flights in the Strathclyde Park, with Captain George Muir and his wife Maira, WOSP is now brown or should I say 'coffee' in colour for the Radio Clyde traffic reports sponsor Maxwell House, I think she still flys in Sweden as SE-JIP.


in 'coffee' livery

ericferret

I seem to remember Don McGilveray being killed in the crash of G-CHIC a WASP helicopters 269C in North Wales 1980.

Savoia

GSA: Your memory serves you well! See additional comments below from Wiganairways.

VFR: You may well remember G-BUZZ which was delivered to Western Air in 1978 by Mann's. I've posted a poor quality image (the only one available) of BUZZ from 1980 wearing a red and blue scheme (below).

Fairchim: Please feel free to post any photos from your time with CB.

Ciao Wiggy! Grazie mille!

Eric the Ferret: See comments below from Ahh de Havilland.


Agusta-Bell 206B JetRanger II G-BUZZ on location in Scotland during the filming of the movie 'Death Watch' in 1980

(My apologies for the atrocious quality of the above image). G-BUZZ was delivered by Alan Mann to Western Air in April of 1978. In November of the same year they took delivery of a new Bell-built 206 (probably from CSE) G-WOSP.


Bell 206B JetRanger III G-WOSP at Glasgow c. 1980's (Photo: David Whitworth)

As mentioned above, what became WASP Helicopters seems to have begun as a helicopter supporting a business called 'Sims Automatics' which evidently distributed slot machines. This business appears to have been developed by Donald and Elizabeth McGillivray who then cultivated charter work for their helicopter (initially the Brantly B2 G-ASXE).

This charter business then began trading as Western Air (Scotland) Partners (from where the WASP acronym was derived) along with a Walter Glen.

Quite what happened to WASP I am not sure but one or more of their aircraft (as mentioned by Wiggy) went on to Burnthills.

If I remember correctly then Paco flew WOSP while she was with Burnthills.

Savoia

This is a little before your time but .. in case you worked with Scouts:



My godfather flew the prototype of the Scout (the P531):


Saunders-Roe P531 prototype of the Scout which was developed from the Skeeter


British Army Scout XR604 over a Kampong, Malaya in 1968 (Photo: Mike Edwards)


2 Flight Army Air Corps in Seremban, Malaya, 1968. A regretfully incomplete list of those photographed includes: Sgt John Smith, Cpl Nigel Tindale, Cpl Graham Kennedy, Cpl Stu Read, Cpl Len Allison, Cpl Froggy Keep (Photo: Mike Edwards)


A while back on this thread we saw a Navy 'Wasp' fitted with skids and no flotation gear .. well .. here's an Army Scout with flotation gear .. over Hong Kong!

The Scout was by all counts a study craft for I recall in the early 80's an incident at Wallop where a certain Bristow 47 took a 'liking' to a Scout by trying to land on top of it! The Scout flew again (IIRC) but the 47 was consigned to the scrap heap!


British Army Alouette II during the AAC Golden Jubilee seen with an AAC pilot on 25th May 2007

I was initially flummoxed by the medal worn by the driver in this photo being reminded of the Hong Kong Service Medal (which also had a blue and yellow ribbon) but .. after closer inspection the lass's version depicted a circle of stars around the medal's circumference and which was definitely not the case with the HKSM. It turns out instead to be the 'Common Security and Defence Policy Service Medal' awarded for participation in Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina!

Ericferret: Did you work on the AAC Alo II's?

wiganairways

Also from the BBC Four 'Britain on Film' programme, G-ASEH, Brantly B-2A flying out of the 'London Heliport on a self drive hire', also Gregory Air Taxi service with a PA23.

Wiggy

Savoia

Wiggy! Many thanks for these 'screen shots' along with those contributed to the Ferranti thread!

I think this is the first mentioning of G-ASEH on 'Nostalgia' so this is a great find. Great too to see the 'Air Gregorius' offices at Denham as well as the colourful shots of ASEH both at Denham and at Battersea. As it happens, in the 70's, Battersea had similar buildings to those seen at Denham.

Air Gregory .. 60's .. I think this was the 'era' when Gay Absolosm flew with them.

G-ASEH ended-up in the hands of Roger Hans Everett of Romsey, Hampshire, although it is a 'Major Roger Cyril Hans Sloane Stanley' who is shown in some records as being the owner of the Paultons Estate to where the craft was registered. Prior to Everett, G-ASEH was listed with BEAS (from 1963-66).

Keeping step with the recent Brantly/Alouette offerings ..


Sud-Est SE3130 Alouette II F-BNKZ in the company of Brantly B-2B G-ASHD as seen at White Waltham on 13th August 1966 (Photo: RA Scholefield)

Both F-BNKZ and G-ASHD have featured previously on Nostalgia .. "KZ" being the 'well known' Alouette from the 60's TV series 'The Prisoner' (see page 44) and ASHD having belonged to Pontin's (see page 43).

A year after RA Scholefield's photo (above) .. F-BKNZ became G-AVEE and was registered (as can be seen from the logo on the craft's fuselage) to RBA Helicopters of 'St, Mary's Butts' (yes, St. Mary's Butts!) of Berkshire. Well .. I too was somewhat surprised at this questionable place name .. especially on a Sabbath .. until I discovered that: "In the Middle Ages, Edward IV made it compulsory for all yeomen in England to learn archery. Archery butts were set up on the land in front of the Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin. It was used by the adult males of Reading to practice on Sundays. The archers who used St Mary's Butts were amongst the English bowmen who fought at Battle of Agincourt. In 1631 the town paid £3 to stop the practising of archery in the town."

Oh .. and an 'archery butt'? 'Tis "an archery practice field, with mounds of earth used for the targets. The name originally referred to the targets themselves, but over time came to mean the platforms that held the targets as well. For instance, in Shakespeare's Othello, V,ii, 267 mentions "Here is my journey's end, here is my butt".

(At least when the missus complains that you spend too much time on PPRuNe, you can genuinely inform her that it is .. 'educational'!).

And .. (not that one should normally commence a sentence such) to bring the discourse full-circle .. subsequent to her time with RBA Helicopters, G-AVEE moved on to Air Gregory where she remained until 1973.

Savoia

Royal Navy Westland Wasp '84' from HMS Penelope lands aboard HMS Tiger mid-Atlantic between the UK and the West Indies in 1964. (Photo: David Ayres)

Evidently (and in order to accommodate the landing) 'Tiger's' rear guns had to be rotated. Later the ship would have a 'hangar' installed.

Savoia

Royal Naval personnel from 845 Naval Air Squadron normally based at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset have been deployed to Aqaba, Jordan to conduct Environmental Training (ET) and Pre-Deployment Training (PDT) during Exercise Pashtun Commando 2013.


Westland Sea King of 845 Naval Air Squadron overflies the Jordanian desert during Exercise Pashtun Commando 2013

Based at King Hussein International Air Base, the squadron (which spent four years in Afghanistan with its sister Commando Helicopter Force unit, 846 Naval Air Squadron) utilises the desert regions surrounding Aqaba and provides helicopter aircrews and ground crews with essential training in preparation for future operations.

"The prospect of losing all visual references during the final approach was a touch unsettling, but, under the watchful eye of experienced instructors, I was able to apply the techniques and get to grips with desert flying."

- Pilot Lieutenant Chris Gayson


A Westland Sea King of 845 Naval Air Squadron practices 'brown out' landings during Exercise Pashtun Commando 2013

"The characteristics of the dust in Jordan really put an extra burden on the aircraft. The teams worked tirelessly to keep up the pace of flying."

- Pilot Lieutenant Chris Gayson


A Westland Sea King of 845 Naval Air Squadron is inspected by one of the squadron's engineers during Exercise Pashtun Commando 2013


The tail rotor belonging to a Westland Sea King of 845 Naval Air Squadron receives attention from one of the squadron's engineers during Exercise Pashtun Commando 2013

"The exercise has proved hugely beneficial for all members of the detachment. Clearly the main aim is to train and refresh aircrew in desert flying techniques – I have never experienced an environment so challenging and similar to that in Afghanistan."

"It is an amazing yet very tough environment to train in, but the members of the Commando Helicopter Force rose to the challenges and produced the goods, training hard so that we can fight easy."

- Lieutenant Commander Edwin Adams,
...Detachment commander


A Westland Sea King of 845 Naval Air Squadron practices load-lifting operations during Exercise Pashtun Commando 2013

All photographs courtesy of Petty Officer Mez Merrill.

More 'Supa Sea Kings' on the following pages:

30 55 58 62 67 76 81

helipixman

While scanning my Gazelle photo collection I noticed a Kangaroo/Wallaby logo on the tail of Pre production Gazelle F-ZWRK construction No 04.

Does anyone know the significance of this.... or did we nearly have either the SA.341 Kangaroo or the SA341 Wallaby ?

Maybe I should have posted on the Gazelle thread but thought it would receive a wider audience here ?

Helipixman

Savoia

Ciao Elipix! Great to see you back on the thread.

I am not sure how relevant this is but .. the French Air Force operated an electronic warfare squadron known as Armée de l'Air SARIGUE-NG standing for Systeme de Recueil d'Informations de Guerre Electronique (Airborne Electronic Warfare Information Gathering System) and the NG standing for 'nouvelle generation' (or new generation) which they added when they re-launched themselves in the 1990's (IIRC). Anyway, their symbol was a possum or 'tree kangaroo' (see patch below).



If is was not associated with this squadron (which I suspect) then it will be something altogether different.

Hopefully someone else may have further revelations. Perhaps if Zishelix is back from his holidays he might be able to assist!

chopper2004

@Savoia

About the Shawbury Gazelle and the USAF exchange Captain, by any chance do you know if he was the exchange officer from Kirtland AFB or from the USAF portion of the US Army's Initial Entry Rotary Wing course at Ft Rucker?

On the same topic, when Helitech first moved up to my neck of the woods at Duxford in 2001, amongst the cadre of DHFS instructors walking around including the then RN CO, was an US Army exchange instructor. He had an interesting patch on his flight suit that read J-CSAR with Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines surrounding the emblem. Turned out by trade he flew CH-47D before going through the Personnel Exchange Program.

Are you attending Helitech in a few weeks time? The second day of the show falls on my birthday, so good time to celebrate as well
Cheers

Savoia

And here is F-BKNZ a year later:


Sud-Est SE3130 Alouette II G-AVEE (cn 1203) in the service of Air Gregory as seen at Plymouth's Roborough Airport on 17th October 1970 (Photo: Chris England)

Chopper: I don't have any further details on Capt. Phil Stinson but, someone who may (if you can get hold of him) is PPRuNer Gazelle2.

Interesting to hear about the exchange driver that you met at Duxford. I'm sure many of them have interesting stories to tell about their various experiences 'on loan' to the UK Forces, as indeed must some British flyers have of their exchanges Stateside!

I won't be a Helitech but otherwise would have unquestionably 'helped' you celebrate your special day. Will in any case raise a glass to your good health on the 25th.

Best regards

Sav

Zishelix

Helipixman,
the Kangaroo logo was added due to demo flights the SA.341-04 performed during 1969 to Australian Government agencies and civil operators. The machine was transported by French AF's Transall on October 20nd and assembled at Fairbairn Airport, Canberra, by Sud-Aviation technicians. The visit, lasting about ten days, was sponsored jointly by Office Francais d'Exportation de Material Aeronautique and Hawker de Havilland Australia. OFEMA and H de H in a joint statement said that "with oil and mineral exploration activities extending over an ever-increasing area throughout Australia and south-east Asia, the civil 'stretch' advantages of the SA.341 are of particular interest“. Demo flights were include high-altitude take-offs and landings in New Guinea. The SA.341-04 mission, led by Sud's helicopter sales engineer Christian Busson, ended November 6th, and the helicopter returned same way back to Marignane, France.

ericferret

Is that Gay Absalom standing by the Brantly? The style looks right.