655 Sqn NI Gazelle Swansong announced
 

Dates announced, but no info re the tour before they arrive at Fleetlands for disposal.

See

https://www.scramble.nl/military-new...dron-swan-song

It'll be a shame to see them go but the type hasn't done badly; the OSD has been moving to the right for the past 20 years.

Gazelle was just into army service when I joined my first squadron in 1975, goes into retirement 5 months after me.
Both of us having spent a lifetime in aviation.
I suspect they have worn better than I have.
Wonder what their final life expectancy will be, there are over 40 ex military Gazelles on the civil register.
Probably longer than mine.

Shame a really good aircraft, taught me to fly in the1980's and so much better than its replacement also retired the EC 120

Likewise, great aircraft, easy to fly and felt like a sports car at low level. The REME blokes liked it too as almost everything was accessible. Never flew the EC120 but the feedback I got from people who did echoes your judgement.

NEO

I've read tonight that the planned flypast has been pushed back a week due to the poor weather forecast ?
Confirmation appreciated if possible as I was going to watch them fly through Dishforth ?

I couldn’t find anything about the route.

Will be interesting to see when they go up for sale

It has been posted on the AACV site on Facebook

From the Barton page...

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....059e88ab40.jpg


Due to weather, word is now delayed until Monday (16th).

Looking at G-INFO it reveals that one of our squadron Gazelles from 1975 is still flying G-CGJX, XW892.
Also still flying G-CIEY XW851. This was a demonstration and trials squadron aircraft.
This aircraft sticks in my mind as we found a serious defect with the cyclic flying controls in 1976 while on a major inspection.
This was probably the true cause of the fatal accident to XW850 in 1973 which was attributed to jack stall.

Feb.16,1971,birthday present,CEV Bretigny,SA-341-01,F-ZWRH,Check-out,by Cptne de Charre,Castres,ALAT...and over the next few days,we explored the `envelope`.Over the next few weeks we flew other development `Gazelles`,-002-ZWRA,ZWRL-02,ZWRK-04,even height climbs to FL200/6000M.(French civil certification rqmts).Then at B-Down we got XW276/03 to continue flight testing,although the aircraft was not production standard,it was useful for the `basic stuff,load-lifting,winching,radios,etc,until I had a transmission failure in the hover,fortunately,which delayed our progress`at home`.,but plenty of trips to Marignane to fly the different updates to the rotor-head,fenestron blades,fuselage re-jig of tailboom,..I was posted to Bedford in `72,then in `73 we got XW845/852 fo MADGE TAC Trials ..
Back to B-D `75,and more Gazelles to play with`842-846,849,851,853,866,905,xx370,434; Then we did icing/snow/freezing rain/skis in March`76 in Ottawa...Spent most of it `in manual`,measuring control forces in really `crappy `weather..Last flight in a Gazelle 23/12/`76,for fun..
...A `great helicopter`that I enjoyed flying over 380 hrs;you really did `wear` the Gazelle,and could see the world from different `angles`,some inadvertently/inconvenient,but as long as you had your`dancing shoes on`,it was great `fun...
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c9a7a42ade.jpg
Here`s `846 in Ottawa,looking more like an `iced lolly` than a KFC Chicken leg``

If I were in the market for a personal helicopter, it would have to be a Gazelle.

I trained on the Whirlwind 10, the Wessex and flew the good old Puma for my first tour. On being posted kicking and screaming to instruct at Shawbury, I found the Gazelle relatively delightful to fly. However after only a year on 1 Sqn the RAF in its “wisdom” / “exigences of the service” decided I was desperately needed back to instruct on the Puma OCU and all that entailed.

Still regret having to leave!

Here you go, 204 plus pages of Gazelles.

Shrieking Gazelles - Aviafora

Details have been released confirming the flypast next week commencing on Monday 16th with locations and timings remaining the same as already published .
Barton Aerodrome Facebook page has gen on its part in the flypast including the serial numbers of the Gazelles taking part .

If you didn't know. I'm told by an insider that Middle Wallop ceases flying the Gazelle on 31st Oct. Employees are there until Mar 24 to wind the operation down before re-employment or not.

Can anyone confirm if this flypast is still due to take place today ? Thank you .

Barton's facebook page says it's visit is cancelled...no reason given....

Thank you Brewster Buffalo .

I'd like to think postponed rather than cancelled, unless of course the service end date has changed.

Is there is an official source for info on the Gazelle's Swan-song flight(s)? Barton Aerodrome Spotters (that's what they call themselves) https://www.facebook.com/groups/4141...ibextid=oMANbw seems to be the only source trying to keep all updated at the mo.

Hoping to see them depart from one of the stop offs, rather than just see a flyover, so any updates or official sources would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks 🙏🏼