2-Ship Helicopters landing in SW1 ?

[SpringHeeledJack]

A friend mentioned that whilst they were visiting the South Bank area of central London today (Saturday) around 2pm and 2 military helicopters flying down the Thames corridor seemed to 'land' in the Westminster/Charing Cross area. Probably not the case, but it made me curious. Any ideas ?

[treadigraph]

While I was in London a month or two back a civvy AW139 landed at Wellington Barracks - though it could have been at Her Maj's pad. Got a brief glimpse of it departing as I walked down Queen Anne's Gate and identified it off FR24.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I wasn't aware that Wellington Barracks still existed, thought it had been sold off to the Qataris for a huge development. Friend has since said one of the helicopters had 'two lots of rotors' and the other one 'normal'.....But that they were flying in close formation.

[treadigraph]

For a second there I thought I didn't know my barracks from my elbow! Wellington Barracks definitely still there and there was a soldier on duty at the barrier when I walked past. Apparently there was a plan to sell off Hyde Park Barracks but that threat seems to have gone away.

[Big Eric]

They were a Chinook and an Apache of the US Army (based in Germany) that visited Northolt and then landed at the ExCel Centre in London.

[SpringHeeledJack]

For a second there I thought I didn't know my barracks from my elbow! Wellington Barracks definitely still there and there was a soldier on duty at the barrier when I walked past. Apparently there was a plan to sell off Hyde Park Barracks but that threat seems to have gone away.

Apologies Mr Tredigraph, I was talking barracks. I mixed up Chelsea Barracks on Chelsea Bridge Rd, which is now a huuuuuuge building site bought by the Qataris (luxury everything...) with Wellington Barracks. I used to see regular Puma, Lynx and Gazelle landing there, or parked back in the day when that was my stomping ground.

Thank you Big Eric, as usual, your information is impeccable. Any idea as to why US Army aircraft were here and headed to the ExCel ? My friend who saw them must have seen them retreating from their position and it looked like they were landing near Charing Cross heading East down the river.

[G-ARZG]

Here's a possible clue...'Defence & Security Equipment International' opens at Excel tomorrow
https://www.dsei.co.uk/
(but you didn't get that from me, right?)

[SpringHeeledJack]

Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more guv!

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by G-ARZG

Here's a possible clue...'Defence & Security Equipment International' opens at Excel tomorrow
https://www.dsei.co.uk/
(but you didn't get that from me, right?)

I suppose that'll bring all the 'anti war' demonstrators out of the woodwork; bet Corbyn will be there 'cos parliament isn't sitting so he's got nothing else to do.
I remember one year we had its predecessor, the 'Royal Navy and British Army Equipment Exhibition' (RNBAEE) at Farnborough using the airshow exhibition site (no flying demonstrations); the demonstrators collected outside the airfield gate right under final approach for the main runway (used to be known as 'South Gate' for those familiar) and started letting off helium balloons with some sort of slogan on them.
MOD test flying had moved out so there were only civil bizjets using the airfield, hence the police were able to charge the offenders with 'knowingly or recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft'.
Then they let them off!