Lol, okay thanks.

Well didn't this name crop-up before somewhere in the context of him driving with Mann's for a bit?

No, he was never involved with AMH, in my time at least.
He was Macs, or European - or both, can't remember. I know who it is for sure.

Makes sense as I believe Tommy was involved with European Helicopters also.

Technical question; the Alouette II in the first photo on this thread wears a painted exhaust. Presumably this isn't painted directly onto the exhaust - is this then some sort of muffler or other attachment to the exhaust?

It's the cabin heater heat collector, IIRC.

G-FILM had a white one.

TRC thanks for that :ok: and yes, I see that yours was white!

I am sure that this device must have collected heat very well (and sometimes wonder how the paint stayed on). Just never recall seeing this on the Lamas we had in Papua New Guinea. Anyway, cabin heat wasn't really required there, despite the high altitudes.

Buonanotte

Hi Sav.,

G-OJCB may have been leased in by somebody, never registered to a Scottish address, but G-ODIL, in the same colours, owned by the Yorkshire Helicopter Centre, as was G-OJCB, had a name on it , don't know when, McKenair, seen a photo of it, name was on the nearside front door.

McKenair is a charter broker run by an ex-AMH ops person. They specialise in things like moving lots of people in and out of Silverstone, etc.

As far as I know they sub-charter rather than lease. Might well be wrong though..

Classic Alouette
 

Thanks for that Wigan. Keep posting any additional info you have on interesting Scottish copters from times past. :ok:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z...%252520Hel.jpg
SE3130 Alouette II G-AVEE at Plymouth Roborough Airport on 28th May 1967 (Photo: Chris England)

Another fabulous image from the celebrated Air-Britain photographer Chris England (Chris - thanks for the many permissions you've given to post on PPRuNe :ok:) seen here at Plymouth's Roborough Airport in 1967. At the time AVEE was registered to RBA Helicopters of Reading, Berkshire.

I'm not entirely sure but ... I think this was the craft used during the production of the 60's series 'The Prisoner'. The Prisoner was first broadcast on 29th September 1967 so the timeline fits (just) presuming they conducted filming earlier the same year.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x...ner%252527.jpg
G-AVEE (to be confirmed) during the filming of The Prisoner which starred Patrick McGoohan who is seen above (right)

From RBA AVEE was sold to Gregorious (Air Gregory) and then to Medminster (the same company Ahh de Havilland mentioned on the previous page in relation to another Alouette II G-BBJE).

I do miss the days of hearing the wonderful acoustics of the Artouste spooling into life .. simply delightful!

The old Renault 10 in the background completes the picture's charm!

Sav,

My mum has confirmed that my father was the pilot of G-AVEE for the filming of the prisoner in PM, Wales. She mentioned that he came back to the hotel dressed in the same clothes as Patrick M was wearing for the scene where he tries to fly the Alouette of the beach.

Wow, I would have been about 9 then! :ok:

The Prisoner
 

Sav,

A link to a site on the helicopters used in The Prisoner,

The Prisoner - classic TV series with helicopters review for Rotary Action at rotaryaction.com

seems a French registered Alouette II was used as well, the one with the floats, also mentions John Crewsdon as well.

WA

EHL > Lynton > PremiAir
 

Robin Keith was the first MD of McAlpine Helicopters and went on (in 1987) to form European Helicopters in partnership with Tommy Sopwith and Lynton Group Ltd (headed by Christopher Tennant). Lynton owned 40% of EHL and the other two shareholders 30% each.

The company was formed to carry out corporate helicopter rebuilding, maintenance, sales and consultancy but there was some controversy when it sought to win the Aerospatiale helicopter distributorship away from McAlpine Helicopters. McAlpine sued and won damages and an injunction preventing European Helicopters from approaching Aerospatiale.

In August 1990 Lynton Group acquired remaining 60% of EHL's equity from the other partners and EHL was absorbed into Lynton along with Air Hanson and Magec Aviation. Later Lynton sold the combined helicopter operations and maintenance business to Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons and merged with the operating arm of McAlpine Helicopters (McAlpine Aviation Services formerly OSS) to form PremiAir.

McAlpine Helis carried on as the Eurocopter distributor until it was purchased by Eurocopter in 2007 and became Eurocopter UK.

Incidentally Lynton was/is also a major shareholder in PDG Helicopters when its subsidiary Dollar Helis merged with PLM Helis. Do they still have an interest?

It's amazing how few degrees of separation lie between all those famous names of the UK Heli industry?

The Lama helicopter F-BNKZ AND G-AVEE are one and the same machine S/N 1203


Tarman

I.I. Brilliant, I was wondering which vehicle it was!

Griffo that's great, especially if you are able to elaborate a little more on who RBA Helicopters were - another company I've never heard of before.

Well done Wigan, quite right, all the filming which took place for The Prisoner was done using a French-registered Alouette II F-BNKZ as the image below depicts:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-r...720/525224.jpg
Alouette II F-BNKZ during the filming of The Prisoner in 1967

But .. as Tarman has discovered, BNKZ is one and the same as our beloved AVEE both of them carrying the same construction no. 1203 as confirmed below:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-X...720/525236.jpg
Patrick McGoohan stands next to F-BNKZ at the very place where her construction no. (1203) is conveniently painted on the canopy

Now for another Nostalgia Thread conundrum. G-AVEE flew as F-BNKZ (the registration of c/n: 1203 while with her former owners Heli Union). Presumably shortly after the filming she went onto the "G" register.

However, a shot taken of BNKZ's panel during the filming of The Prisoner reveals the application of a diligently placed Dymo label advertising G-AVEE. So, one wonders which registration did she actually fly under!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7...720/525233.jpg
F-BNKZ's panel revealing the G-AVEE call sign

Regarding John Crewdson, perhaps he also flew with RBA at that time?

Ahh de Havilland, thank you for your summary. Somewhere in there Hansons became Signature Aviation for a while - I recall because I dropped-in to Blackbushe around 1990-ish with a client and in those days they were trading under such a name.

RBA HELICOPTERS
 

Sav,

I only know that back then heli jobs were as rare as hens teeth, and this was one of several jobs dad had after leaving the navy before he got a real job with Bristow circa 1968.
Previous to that he was with Twyford moors.

RBA was the first company to bring in the Alouette to the british register, but the director of the firm, John somebody went bust after a few years.

Keep the thread going, its excellent :ok:

Griffo, great stuff!

When you get back to Blighty perhaps you might rummage around and see whether you have any photos from your Dad's flying days as I am sure they would be mighty interesting!

I'll do my best but .. I'm conscious that there are plently of PPRuNers out there with access to family photos which would be fascinating to many. Furthermore there are several lifetimes of aviation related stories and anecdotes waiting to be told - so, anyone reading this who has been sitting on the fence with regard to posting some history .. please get off and begin posting. Then perhaps one morning over breakfast (when I most frequently browse PPRuNe) maybe I will be able to sit back and read some interesting helicopter nostalgia for a change, lol!

More Floating Alouettes!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S...640/OH-HIS.jpg
Alouette II OH-HIS at Inari in Finland in 1968 (Photo: Antti Pesonen)

In 1968 this Finnish Alouette II was positioned to the lakeside village of Inari in Finland from where the craft would uplift Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands to facilitate their visit to the Lemmenjoki goldfields.

The photo was taken by the pilot, Antti Pesonen who credits the chap on the float as being the copters mechanic (although to me he seems to be wearing what appears to be a military uniform, while the craft is clearly on the civil register) another conundrum no doubt.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-t...520Airport.jpg
President and Mrs Truman welcoming Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and her husband Prince Bernhard (in Naval uniform) at Washington National Airport on 2nd April 1952

In The Hills

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-i...0-%2525202.jpg
The French aviator Jean Moire lands his Bell 47 G2 F-BHGJ atop Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) at 4,807 metres (15,772 feet) on 6th June 1955

Of course Monte Bianco properly belongs to Italy but, I shan't get into that now.

We've been enjoying some great views of Nepal courtesy of Vertical Freedom on the RATW Thread and here is some Nepalese nostalgia:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-O...25205N-ABE.jpg
Agusta-Bell 206 JetRanger 9N-ABE of Royal Nepal Airlines high in the Himalayas

Anyone with further details of this craft and when she flew for Royal Nepal would be appreciated.

The Kenyon Files: Special Edition
 

Tanti Auguri Dennisimo!

The Maestro turns 49 today! (Well okay, a number which rhymes with 49).

Dennis, many happy returns and all good wishes for the coming year!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X...%252520WHC.jpg
The Maestro in Austria during the World Helicopter Championships

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2...ter%252529.jpg
Dennisimo displaying G-BYKF at North Weald on 23rd May 2004 (Photo: Jo Hunter)

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Z...121_110328.jpg
The Maestro with scholarship winner Georgie Dixon

Two Jags Dezza! :E

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-q...121_110328.jpg
Dennisimo's Jaguars

“I acquired 1 DRK through a private advert in the Sunday Telegraph in 1972,” says Dennis. “I bought it from a lovely blonde lady in Ilfracombe for £250. I always have a little smile when I think back on that special occasion!”

"The striking combination of great registration and E-Type Jaguar has even caught the eye of the boys in blue. One Sunday afternoon, I was driving past Kenley Airfield in Surrey, when a police car coming the other way stopped me. I wondered what on earth I'd done. The police driver wound down his window and called out, ‘Excuse me Sir, I just wanted to have a drool!’"

“I purchased the E-type new in 1970 as an ex-demonstrator. It is a 1969 ‘One and a Half’ convertible model, serial E2054. It is still virtually as new and absolutely original. Many are the times I've been told ‘I bet you’ve pulled some girls in that car’. My standard reply was .. ‘They’re not rust patches down the side of the bonnet: they’re conquest notches!’.”

“I have taught quite a few motoring racers in my time” Dennis recalls. “The late Barry Sheene, God bless him; the 1986 F1 world champion Alan Jones, who I was with when he won the USA Formula One Grand Prix in the car park of Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas! Also Jonathan Palmer and the rally man, Tony Pond. Even Mark Thatcher, who bought his Bell Jet Ranger from my company.”

Dennisimo is keen on the saying "You're as old as the woman you feel" and I'm wondering, with the various references to the opposite sex, whether you have any Italian blood in you Dennis! Lol!

Anyway for your appreciation of the fairer sex and for your spirited flying you may consider yourself an honorary Italian! ;)

Some birthday nostalgia:

Do you remember this ship, G-BALE. First delivered to Patrick Everard of Ratcliffe Hall Leicestershire in January '73 and then onto OATS in October '75. From OATS she went to Reynard Racing Cars prior to ending-up with John Woodhouse under who's patronage she perished.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-i...son%252529.jpg
F28-A G-BALE belonging to OATS at Kidlington as seen on 29th June 1978 (Photo: Peter Nicholson)

Another old flame may have been G-BASV. Bought by Spooner in '73 then on to Michael Hughes of Beaconsfield later the same year. Then she went to Quantel Ltd, next to Margaret Adelaide and finally, as with BALE above, to OATS (CSE) who managed to finish her off!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-t...ton%252529.jpg
F28-A G-BASV at Booker in 1975 (Photo: Peter Ashton)

I have to drop in this image (below) from 1977 at Biggin Hill (taken on the day I first met you) when you were flying the ubiquitous G-BENO from whence the Colonel dervied his 'Dennis the Menace' nickname.

Dennis is observed bowing his head (see below) just prior to commencing his display. Word is that he was reciting one of his pre-display prayers which went something like this: "Dear God please let me perform an outstanding f**king display, one that will attract the attention of the most gorgeous girl in the crowd so that she will feel compelled to come and look me up when I'm done. I'll treat her right - I promise!"

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_...son%252529.jpg
The Menace about to commence his trademark performance at Biggin Hill on 14 May 1977 (Photo: Peter Nicholson) ps: In those days the Kenyon used to pick-up a bucket of water with the left skid prior to performing his pirouettes!

And finally, the Maestro in action in September last year:



Question: The Menace would have been 48 (or a number which rhymes with 48) when performing the above display. How many people do you imagine are delivering such performances at this age? Precious few one imagines. Bravo Dennis! :ok:

Ah Dennis, all the best for a great day.

Brgds

Sav

Bedford Lorry
 

The nostalgic thing about the top picture is the Bedford truck like the one my dear late dad drove in the fifties, sad he did not live to enjoy my heli adventures!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-M...2525201957.jpg
Whirlwind HAS22 (WV222) with Westland Whirlwind HAS3 helicopters (XG580 525, XG576 526 and XG582 529) of 705 Squadron at RNAS Ford in 1957

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-k...ogh%252529.jpg
Westland Dragonfly HR3 (WS-51) B-984 aboard a Royal Navy carrier in Copenhagen harbour in 1950 (Photo: Flemming Fogh)

..... and XG576 became G-AYNP "Cygnus" with Bristow in the early 70's. Photo in Savoia's post #882.