D-HJFF - The "Barons" Helicopter
 

I have been immensely impressed by this thread and agree with many other comments that it has to be one of the best ever on PPRune. So I thought it was time to add to it do some digging.

I reckon the registration of the Jet Ranger mentioned in Savoia's last post was D-HJFF and was re-registered G-BTWA in 1978 in the name of Charles Hughesdon (of helicopter garden party fame) - source G-INFO. In 1985 it was old to a Greek buyer and registered SX-HBV and the website "Greek Helicopters" lists its subsequent registrations as N74EA and N624K. The FAA version of G-INFO lists N624K as a current registration, though Greek Helicopters also indicates that it may have returned to Europe as SX-HBV. As N624K it looks like it may have been in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Hope this helps others to perhaps provide more up to date or more detailed information for Savoia and perhaps some photos.

PS Got all this info from a Google search...amazing. Keep up the good work.

Alo's in the Uk
 

EofR here's a vid including some early shots of 47's? carry mail around a busy US city.


There still are a few Alo's flying in europe specifically the UK, where there are roughly only 5 left. :sad:

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/1226/1762424.jpg
This machine represents a fleet of about 12~ which were flown by the Army Air Corps as trainers in Cyprus for many years. It was a serious competitor to the Westland Scout.
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3289/1062086.jpg

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1...5698xw7vxl.jpg

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/2...ettev54arp.jpg

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/4010/1161tm.jpg

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6640/dscf0005g.jpg
The only Alo III flying in the Uk right now.

Such an amazing machine to both fly and work on!

That would be B.E.A.S. :ok:

(British Executive Air Services)

RBA Helicopters nr Reading used to operate an alo II back in the late 60's.

I believe my dad used to fly it and did some unique (at the time) ads for british Rail. :ok:

This looks like the one: G-AVEE............

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-AVEE.pdf

Planemike

Spirited Llamas!
 

Great to see these UK based Alouette II's and also to see Jeacott's legs! :{ :ok:

A Nigerian registered Alouette - was that the only one in the country or did they have a respectable population of this type?

Seeing as we are touching the Alouettes this is close enough (I think) to throw in some colourful images of its cousin the Lama (although to be honest .. any excuse will do!).

Spirited Llamas!
http://www.planetdan.net/pics/misc/dali_llama.jpg

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../2/0885260.jpg

Going up!

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../3/0885342.jpg

Coming down!

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../3/0496322.jpg

Now you see me!

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../0/0385059.jpg

Now you don't!

Selected scenes from Switzerland's celebrated Lama operator - Air Glaciers - flying the SA315B.

Well done to the Air Glaciers team for the rescue work they regularly perform! :D

http://www.heliblog.ch/homepage_en/b...r-Glaciers.jpg

Earl

Just another titbit for we older guys ... anyone know the whereabouts of the 1970s business guy - Don Donelly. I had some dealings with him going back to the very late 1960s at his riverside business near Ripley Surrey.

Dennis K

Well well ..
 

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Dennisimo! The last time I saw Don Donnelly was at Cranfield in the mid-to-late 70's when he was proudly displaying Heliwork's B47 Soloy conversion. My guess is that he remained with Heliwork for a while longer as I recall my godfather meeting up with him on one occasion to discuss purchasing training aircraft. I'm sure there must be PPRuNers who are aware of what happened to him.

Hofmeister: Well well, wonders never cease in the land of PPRuNe!

In my limited free time I enjoy collecting quality photographs of just about anything. The work of George 'Slim' Aarons is just one of many portfolio's I thoroughly enjoy. It includes priceless images such as this one featuring Clark Gable, Van Heflin, Gary Cooper and James Stewart on New Year's Eve 1957 at Romanoff's Restaurant in Hollywood:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6oxx_tG-VHQ/S_...jpg?imgmax=800

This and other images can be seen at Bluetramontana Style: Slim Aarons where I was browsing when I came upon the image of Heinrich von Furstenberg's Bell 206 photographed in 1977:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6oxx_tG-VHQ/S_...jpg?imgmax=800

A couple of days after first seeing this image, in the midnight hours and in a scenario not too dissimiliar to Plank Cap's recollection of a bee on the nose of the Alouette, I recalled seeing a 206 making regular visits into Brooklands in the early 80's and which, if memory served, had similar markings.

Enter Hofmeister :D with the revelation that Von Furstenberg's 206 was D-HJFF which became G-BTWA below:

http://www.jparkin.net/brooklands/photos/gbtwa1.jpg

Bell 206B Jet Ranger II G-BTWA (formerly D-HJFF) belonging to Charles Hughesdon operated by Tradewinds Helicopters (a subsidiary of Hughesdon's Tradewinds Airways) arriving at Battersea c. 1983

I scarcely dared believe that HJFF was one and the same aircraft as that belonging to Charles Hughesdon who was a close friend of my godfather (but whom, sadly, I never met) and was astonished that Charles had kept the Baron's original tail markings.

I did meet his pilot however, on several occasions at Brooklands. I recall he was a slightly tall and slender chap, politely spoken and in the early 80's was starting to grey.

Of Charles Hughesdon here is the synopsis tendered at the launch of his book entitled "Flying Made It Happen.":

"Charles Hughesdon is the epitome of a self-made man; a hunter-down of business and a pursuer of pleasure. In A Flying Life he tells his remarkable life story for the first time; a leader and innovator in the field of insurance brokerage, a talented pilot and head of the hugely successful Tradewinds air-cargo company.

As a top business man he mixed with John Paul Getty, Robert Maxwell and Margaret Thatcher. Hughesdon's marriage to film star Florence Desmond in 1937 brought him into contact with all the stars of the day and the couple's home Dunsborough Park in Surrey, became a regular retreat for the celebrity set of the day. David Niven, Jack Hawkins, Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey and Elizabeth Taylor all feature in this frank and revealing biography.

Hughesdon's relationship with ballerina Margot Fonteyn - an affair that lasted for fifteen years - illustrates his lifelong passion for beautiful women. A Flying Life is the story of an entrepreneur whose passion for his work is matched only by his passion for life."

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...VL._SS500_.jpg

Now for some joining-the-dots which, I know, is usually Earl's preserve but perhaps you can do that next time friend!

D-HJFF was owned by a continental contemporary of the Duke of Westminster, Baron Heinrich von Furstenberg making the two of them among the few helicopter-owning (both of them had Bell 206's) noblemen in Europe. One could therefore consider HJFF a cousin of TALY's!

The image (the only one available as far as I am aware) of HJFF under Von Furstenberg's ownership is part of the Getty Images stock. John Paul Getty was a freind of Charles Hughesdon who knew both my godfather and Ava Gardner who was a friend to my grandfather!

And .. seeing as Dennis the Menace has become connected to practically every story on this entire thread there seems no point in stopping now. Dennis queried the whereabouts of Donald Donnelly citing his location as Ripley in Surrey which of course was the location of Charles Hughesdon's home, Dunsborough, the venue for his noteable 'fly-in' garden parties which were attended by a colourful assortment of military and civilian guests and, on several occasions, by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

Perhaps it is pushing it to expect that there is someone who can respond but .. I would be immensely grateful for any information about D-HJFF while it was in the Von Furstenberg stable.

Grazie Mille!

S.

Dennis

Sadly Don passed away in the early nineties. He was JG-S right hand man at Heliwork in the late 70's and early eighties. A very dapper character..reminded me a bit of Roger Moore

Helicopter Garden Parties
 

Found this link on the "Pathe News" archive detailing one of the legendary helicopter garden parties hosted by Charles Hughesdon. Might be of interest to some..............hope it hasn't been linked before.

Regards

Hofmeister

HELICOPTER PARTY - British Pathe

Pathe film - a SKEETER!
 

Hey H
What iinvaluable footage! The more so that I could strangle some of the mightier-than-thou within the CAA in about 19-mid seventies. Separate thread about Skeeters (now grounded) refers on the disposal of spares (HUGE quantities LOL) from the late Francis Chamberlain's estate; the point is this. Francis and I had worked together in and out of the Army, Middle East, Africa and Scotland over a period of many years. He bought a Skeeter Mk12 and registered it G-SARO as befits its heritage. I attended to the total strip and rebuild - and the 'negotiations', in themselves pretty strenuous conversations as I recall, with the Counter Aviation Authority to try and secure a Private Category C of A. Pushing water uphill would have been easier. In the end, if we were EVER to fly this machine we would have to settle for a Permit - NOT the original intention at all. :sad:

The reason? CAA refused to countenance an application for a C of A on the grounds that one had never been issued and that the aircraft would have to have a full Type-Certificate appraisal (which would have cost ££££1000s and taken me to an early grave, if not retirement). And then here you come, 35 years later, with all the evidence I need to commit legal homicide whilst under the influence of severe provocation and frustration in equal measure. :D

I am enormously grateful. The stumbling block with whom I had to deal was a real :mad:ole . It appears that I may well beat him to that big bar in the sky, in which I shall run up the biggest tab imagineable. Then St Peter can ask him to get his BIG cheque book out at the entrance gates :ok:

Since he is still around, living in happy retirement in Sussex somewhere I understand, I intend to secure his e-mail address and wreck his sublime smugness once and for all by clipping this Pathe film, and requesting an apology. Then I can get on with packing for that great journey happy in the knowledge that 'every LAE will have his day', if you will forgive the adaption of an old adage. :)

Earl, Savoia, Dennis et all sorry for a bit of 'Fred Slippage' here, but I just had to comment. Made my day, I'll have another VERY LARGE glass of red wine then............ hic! Cheers ~ VFR

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Hofmeister: That was an excellent discovery and the perfect accompaniment to my mentionings above, well done!

I am very keen to hear if there are any PPRuNers who can identify some of the characters in this truly nostalgic clip. A bit before my time but brought some solid emotions nonetheless given how close Charles was to my godfather who, among other things, was a test pilot on the Belvedere and I am now wondering if he was the one flying the type 192 to that event.

I am especially curious to discover the identity of the Sycamore pilot in the grey coveralls with the tache (moustache) at 1:16 in the clip. There is something vaguely familiar about him!

VFR: No need for apologies. I think we all share your frustration. Forgive me if I didn't read your post correctly but .. didn't G-SARO make the air display circuit across the UK for a bit?

German PPRuNers: Any German PPRuNers (or any PPRuNers at all for that matter) with information about the helicopter belonging to Baron von Furstenburg, a Bell 206 Jet Ranger D-HJFF, are very welcome to respond. Any photos or stories about this aircraft's service while with the Baron would be most appreciated.

S.

Air Displays?
 

S
Yes, I think Francis visited a great many of them whenever he could. Based in Inverness it was either a delightful or 'exciting' ferry to the show. I was CE at Manns on one occasion when he appeared, unannounced, rumpled but with a case of Scotch (:ok:) strapped in to the P2 seat, having left a slick of W80 from Birmingham, South to Fairoaks. Yet ANOTHER clutch/primary g'box seal change - overnight; free-hangarage, wash and polish. Ground run and a short air-test and off he went again. What was left of the case of whisky residing with me (how very kind, and typical of him).

It was a good machine. I lightened it by 60lbs it had all O/H components and a zero-time Bristol-Siddley O/H engine; completely recovered blades (another strenuous discussion with CAA, since the Vol 6 MM only allowed patches. I won that one though, since, as they wouldn't give me a C of A , I argued, convincingly, that I wasn't obliged to follow chapter and verse of the MM) :cool:

I went to see this twit at Brabazon House as it was then, and was required to deposit my chain-saw at the desk at reception (I'd just collected it from repair). Security considered it a potential fire-risk; they don't know to this day that it was much more likely to be life threatening. Anyway, from then onwards for several years I would call and announce who I was and someone would mutter "Oh yes, you're the stroppy LAE with the difficult questions - and a chainsaw":)

I think the Americans call this 'leverage'?

Happy days Cheers again.! ~ VFR

Ripley garden parties
 

Hi again all nostalgia fans,

Just another snippet or two to add to the party.

I used to play weekend cricket with the Ripley club. The ground sits squarely alongside the Honourable C S Hughesdon's (as he I think he was) impressive house and the other side of the long wall you can see in the Pathe film clip.
In 1965 I recall how I was struggling to make a batting fifty while a string of rotaries passed over our ground on the approach to one of his pleasant little helicopter gatherings, but I was a confirmed fixed winger in those days.

Thanks for the note on Don Donnelly and I see he worked with John Gordon Stables at Heliwork. Sadly both now gone. JGS was, as many will know, a confimed but successful gambler. He was my Chief Engineer at Starline Helicopters in the period 1988 to the mid 1990s when he once told me he wasn't always clad in engineering overalls and I should see him when he was dressed posh in horse racing attire ... grey mack and wide belt of course plus stylish highly polished gambling shoes. As a thank you for his loyal service I promptly offered to be his personal pilot on Gold Cup day at Cheltenham.

A great day even after I placed a losing £50 on every horse he tipped. The weather closed in for the last race so having kissed goodbye to a final £50 on the tote, we made it to the B206, (G-SHZZ) to watch in the gloom. With rain obscuring the windscreen, John said he thought our horse was in the lead on the run in, but there was no waiting if we wanted to beat the weather home. John called me later to say the teletext said our dobbin had won and we shared £1300 !!!

Happy memories.

Dennis Kenyon

Farmer's friend.......
 

After you'd dealt with spraying those pesky weeds, obviously the rabbit population were next on the farm back in the late 50's. It would appear as difficult to hit anything from the air with a shotgun as it would be to make a commercial success out of the star of this early film clip. Particularly like some of the 'a la mode' moustaches on display!

Click on the photo below after it opens to play the film.


"British Pathe; NEW JET HELICOPTER"

G-CHOC phot
 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5311/...092a1c91_b.jpg

G-CHOC Taken at Blackbushe in 1978

from my extensive collection of just about 80% of UK registered helicopters.

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Helipix: Outstanding dear friend! :D

What a pleasant turn of events to see Peter Cadbury's helicopter again after all these years.

Yes, this indeed was Cadbury's personal mount (it also went out for charter under the auspices of Air Westward for a while). This is the same aircraft which 'burnt' a mechanic (oops, sorry engineer in the UK) who was working on the starboard side of the craft when Peter decided he was getting cold! The aircraft had the early model cabin heater with the exhaust located on the outer fuselage below the engine bay.

Again well done Helipix, you have truly made my day!

Quote:

---

Well, how about a link between ‘Cadbury’s mount’ CHOC, and TALY? If I remember rightly Cadbury’s copter wore the same colours as TALY, navy and gold. I think she also used to sport a small golden Pegasus aft of the passenger cabin.

---

Earl: This is your quote from way back on page 2, post #38. You were right .. the Pegasus (not so small) was indeed aft of the passenger cabin.

There is another story about Peter Cadbury involving the disgruntled father of one of his 'acquaintences' who happened to be a Prelate. Evidently Peter took the clergyman for a spin, scared him half to death, then sought his assurances that the matter was put to bed (so to speak) as a veiled condition of returning to terra firma! What a chap he was!

Any further contribution of stories, photos or information from Peter Cadbury's helicopter days is keenly welcome.

S.

I have follow this thread with a lot of interest and give it the gold star rating and say well done to everyone making the contributions.

I would like to see a garden party in Sweden like the one for Mr Hughesdon which really looks fantastic. I think those early helicopters had a lot of character.

Savoia - you mention quite a lot your godfather. Do you mind to say who he is?

YBB
http://www.icelandexpress.is/is/uplo...h-flag-67x.jpg

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YBB: I am sure it would be possible for you to arrange a garden party in Sweden if you solicit the support of some private helicopter owners (you could ask Michael Savback to help you find them SAVBACK Helicopters - Eurocopter Helicopter sales) and perhaps the involvement of the military. Having one or two well known guests always helps to secure attendance.

My godfather was Lt. Col. Bob Smith and you may read something about him on post #20 of the http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/417...licopters.html thread.

S.

Re G-CHOC SN 1125. Here is a photo of her on the German register as D-HMAC.
D-HMAC | TransportPhotos.com

http://www.transportphotos.com/image...r/AGc11044.jpg

She also carried the South African Reg ZS-HJH. I don't know if she is still flying today, the South African Reg in now allocated to a R22

Tarman