Whirlwind thread perhaps like the Wessex
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Great to see this thread and to hear from others of their experiences good and bad of the Whirlwinds various.
I don't think that the Whirlwind will ever engender the affection that the Wessex managed to do - it was just not such a nice and friendly beast.
Having to go out every so often in all weathers to start the engine of the SAR 7 to keep the oil temperature up so that we could engage if there was a scramble was frankly boring! The lack of power in the 7 when full of SAR gear and a diver and crewman was quite interesting on a warm calm day over a yacht. Ones nether regions clasping the buttocks together as you made the irreversible decision to continue the approach..................usually however SAR callouts were in poor weather with plenty of wind so no problem, apart from if the call was upwind of your base it took forever to get there.
EOLs were so simple - especially in the 9 - even with the full SAR fit on board. I used to EOL onto the spot in dispersal and the sight of the marshaller starting to retreat always amused us! Bent the hockey stick one day as the engineers had set the auto rrpm too low and I ran out of ideas a bit late in the day
As others have said, the 9s and 10s were a delight. Having taken nearly a ton of 750hp Leonides out and popped in 328lbs of Gnome with 1200hp and making the limit one could pull to a red mark on the fuel flow guage made for effortless flying, especially if one did not look at the fuel flow guage too often.
Fun it definitely was, even hot and high in the Fareast, but for me the Wessex holds my undying affection for it's ability to look after you when things went pearshaped and being such FUN to fly.
I don't think that the Whirlwind will ever engender the affection that the Wessex managed to do - it was just not such a nice and friendly beast.
Having to go out every so often in all weathers to start the engine of the SAR 7 to keep the oil temperature up so that we could engage if there was a scramble was frankly boring! The lack of power in the 7 when full of SAR gear and a diver and crewman was quite interesting on a warm calm day over a yacht. Ones nether regions clasping the buttocks together as you made the irreversible decision to continue the approach..................usually however SAR callouts were in poor weather with plenty of wind so no problem, apart from if the call was upwind of your base it took forever to get there.
EOLs were so simple - especially in the 9 - even with the full SAR fit on board. I used to EOL onto the spot in dispersal and the sight of the marshaller starting to retreat always amused us! Bent the hockey stick one day as the engineers had set the auto rrpm too low and I ran out of ideas a bit late in the day
As others have said, the 9s and 10s were a delight. Having taken nearly a ton of 750hp Leonides out and popped in 328lbs of Gnome with 1200hp and making the limit one could pull to a red mark on the fuel flow guage made for effortless flying, especially if one did not look at the fuel flow guage too often.
Fun it definitely was, even hot and high in the Fareast, but for me the Wessex holds my undying affection for it's ability to look after you when things went pearshaped and being such FUN to fly.
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Rotorfossil,
I was very sad to see the last airworthy Mk 7 has been mothballed, I was hoping to track you down in bonny Scotland and fix a nostalgic charter for my 60th, just to celebrate old times. Looks like I will have to settle for a Hiller 12E but I believe they are fairly rare now in UK.
...And you must all have heard the story of the Mk.7 that ditched off Portland one day and how they sent down a diver when considering salvage.
Apparently he came back to the surface and asked " Which one ? "
Such was the reliability of the early Leonides in the hover at full power !
Apparently he came back to the surface and asked " Which one ? "
Such was the reliability of the early Leonides in the hover at full power !
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Those flying RN Whirlwinds (and Wessex) will remember the superb cartoons of Ron Gent in which he made both types come to life. He has updated the black and white line drawings of that era with colour versions and at my request has kindly sent me a couple to include here - the second in due course as I'm not sure how the 850 pixel width limit will affect clarity.
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
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Only ever flew the WS55 Series 3 civil version with the Gnome, on floats. Based in Abu Dhabi it was a bit of a struggle to get eight or nine big Americans off the ground sometimes in summer! We flew with the fuel computer out most of the time, there had been a few 'freezes' followed by at least two 'mis-matches' when selecting manual, possibly a rogue batch or just a transient fault. These days computers are so much more reliable!
Gave me high tone deafness too, not the engine but the gear box!
Gave me high tone deafness too, not the engine but the gear box!
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C16
Where's Ron these days? He was supposed to come back to Oz after we fareweled him many moons ago!
I think the 7 may have had more clutch/freewheel problems than engine even when our CO topped up with avtur! In my time in 847 & 848, I don't think any one had a failure but there was one in 705 into Falmouth harbour while winch training; no injuries.
Where's Ron these days? He was supposed to come back to Oz after we fareweled him many moons ago!
I think the 7 may have had more clutch/freewheel problems than engine even when our CO topped up with avtur! In my time in 847 & 848, I don't think any one had a failure but there was one in 705 into Falmouth harbour while winch training; no injuries.
Last edited by Nigel Osborn; 23rd Nov 2012 at 20:39.
Aaaaahhhhh Whirlwind ... just like DeHavilland - but better!! Still cannot understand the apparent preference for the Wessex - nice old lump but for responsiveness, the Whirly every time!!
Re. the 10 computer out, we had a Master Pilot come through Valley on the 10 who had previously done a tour on the piston version. Computer in, he was all over the place, switch to computer out and you could put him on a sixpence
Nearly nine years with the 10 and wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Some memories ...
Re. the 10 computer out, we had a Master Pilot come through Valley on the 10 who had previously done a tour on the piston version. Computer in, he was all over the place, switch to computer out and you could put him on a sixpence
Nearly nine years with the 10 and wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Some memories ...
Thread Starter
A/SS-11 trials and plans
Happy New Year and very much appreciated for all the contributions to this thread I started,
I had read somewhere, there were plans to arm the RAF SRT Force Whirlwinds with SS-11 missiles and there were trials. But because of decisions at the time in the late 50s early 60s, any arming of the RAF SRT Helicopters with guided munitons didnt take off so to speak. There were various case studies and visits to French Armee de L'air /ALAT/Aeronavale units in Algeria to see how they operated gunships.
Does anyone have any pics of RAF Whirlwind with A/SS-11?
Cheers
I had read somewhere, there were plans to arm the RAF SRT Force Whirlwinds with SS-11 missiles and there were trials. But because of decisions at the time in the late 50s early 60s, any arming of the RAF SRT Helicopters with guided munitons didnt take off so to speak. There were various case studies and visits to French Armee de L'air /ALAT/Aeronavale units in Algeria to see how they operated gunships.
Does anyone have any pics of RAF Whirlwind with A/SS-11?
Cheers
Last edited by chopper2004; 2nd Jan 2013 at 14:54.
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My first two RAF tours were on Whirlwind 10s in the SAR role. The first tour was at Akrotiri and one of our Cyprus Mk 10s is now in the RAF Museum at Hendon!
Seem to remember that the pilots flew wearing a backpack dinghy; I have a photo somewhere that I will post if it turns up. In my day RAF SAR crews had to complete 12 eols each month with the crew on board. The Whirlwind never let me down and I loved it - even the 'floppy' cyclic!!
Seem to remember that the pilots flew wearing a backpack dinghy; I have a photo somewhere that I will post if it turns up. In my day RAF SAR crews had to complete 12 eols each month with the crew on board. The Whirlwind never let me down and I loved it - even the 'floppy' cyclic!!
My only exposure was the HAS7 during 706NAS training. As a lowly young Mid it was a daunting climb up into the cockpit, especially with M'larky Jim (Dave Mallock) in the LH seat as my instructor! A few recollections: M'larky Jim demonstrating an engine off at Predannack and bursting a tyre followed by a return to Culdrose and a hover wheel change. Very impressive to a young sprog!
Starting the Alvis Leonides and hearing each cylinder join in the chorus. George Bedford having an engine failure (as a student on my course) and everyone else thinking the same: at least it wasn't me!
Then there was the matter of power management via a very rudimentary correlated throttle. Solo Sproule net sortie with CPO Paddy Mooney in the back with his strong Irish accent exhorting me to 'go up, sir, me bloody feet are getting wet'. I didn't think I was really that low, but dating his daughter didn't put me too high on his student rating
A few old photos:
The best way to fly a Whirlie 7, slung under a Sea King (no idea why we didn't put the wheels down, don't ask)
706NAS dispersal:
A few of a Bristow Whirlwind when I was flying an Alouette out of Warri, 1976:
Starting the Alvis Leonides and hearing each cylinder join in the chorus. George Bedford having an engine failure (as a student on my course) and everyone else thinking the same: at least it wasn't me!
Then there was the matter of power management via a very rudimentary correlated throttle. Solo Sproule net sortie with CPO Paddy Mooney in the back with his strong Irish accent exhorting me to 'go up, sir, me bloody feet are getting wet'. I didn't think I was really that low, but dating his daughter didn't put me too high on his student rating
A few old photos:
The best way to fly a Whirlie 7, slung under a Sea King (no idea why we didn't put the wheels down, don't ask)
706NAS dispersal:
A few of a Bristow Whirlwind when I was flying an Alouette out of Warri, 1976:
Avoid imitations
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A landaway back to my school circa June 1979:
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Aaaaahhhhh Whirlwind ... just like DeHavilland