771 NAS Disbands
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If you have been to Cornwall on holiday, the chances are you would have seen 771 Naval Air Squadron’s unmissable red and grey Sea King HU5’s flying along the coastline.
They have become part of the furniture in Cornwall and it was no surprise to see so much support for them during the Squadron’s wind-down.
I spent their final 6 years of operations, covering their work and seeing how they kept their skills for rescuing people so sharp.
End of RAF SAR
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On the 4th October 2015, Royal Air Force Search and Rescue finally came to an end after more than 74 years of continuous SAR cover. At 1300hrs the final SAR flight to stand down, ‘A Flight’ of 22 Squadron based at RMB Chivenor, handed over to the new Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) unit based at St Athan in Wales. It was to be a symbolic day that proved just how important SAR is, with the RAF Sea King being scrambled on it’s last day and it’s successor being called upon almost immediately after assuming SAR responsibility.
UK's Upgraded Helicopters
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The Ministry of Defence has showcased its fleet of newly upgraded helicopters at an event at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire. Over the last 12 months, Puma HC2, Merlin HM2, Chinook HC6, and Wildcat AH1 and HMA2 have all been certified ready for operational duties.
Wiltshire Air Ambulance
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Wiltshire’s Air Ambulance was the result of an agreement in 1990 between Wiltshire Police and the Great Western Ambulance Service as a way for medical assistance to come faster in rural areas by sharing a helicopter. The annual operating cost of £1.5 Million was provided by 66% of funding by Wiltshire Police and 33% by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Charitable Trust. This 33% worked out to be around £700,000 required each year which came completely from public donations.
Whirlwind XJ729
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Whirlwind’s story began in America when the Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw made it’s maiden flight on 10th November 1949. The aircraft entered service a year later with the US Army and Air Force which took delivery of more than 1000 airframes and later saw action in Vietnam.
RAF's New Chinook HC6
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Defence minister Philip Hammond today unveiled the first of 14 brand new Boeing Chinook HC6’s for the Royal Air Force. 12 of the 14 are to replace the Westland Merlin’s when they transfer to the Royal Navy and 2 to replace airframes lost in Afghanistan.
Black Peter
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For 2014, 230 Squadron based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire have painted a Eurocopter Puma HC2 in a special colour scheme to commemorate their 95th anniversary.
Newly upgraded ZJ955 was painted black and Far East Asia Command roundel and markings applied, similar to a Shorts Sunderland named ‘Black Peter’ from the squadron’s past.
RAF's Puma HC2 Upgrade
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During the 1960’s, the French Army (Armée de Terre) released a requirement for an all-weather day/night battlefield helicopter. French manufacturer Aérospatiale (Created from a merger of Sud aviation and Nord) proposed the SA330 Puma. The Puma fitted the criteria perfectly, with it’s two large sliding side-doors, narrow streamed line body and retracting undercarriage, it was built for speed and agility in mind.
Whilst the project was working up, the United Kingdom entered talks with Aérospatiale about acquiring a helicopter to fit their requirements for a medium, all weather, battlefield helicopter.
HH-101A Caesar
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On 23rd January 2014, the first Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) AW101 for Italy made it’s maiden flight at AgustaWestland’s factory in Yeovil, Somerset. Officially named the AgustaWestland HH-101A Caesar, the Italian Air Force has ordered 15 examples to replace the Sikorsky HH-3 Pelican for personnel recovery and special forces operations.
The first aircraft’s UK test registration is ZR352 and it’s sister aircraft shortly to begin test flying will wear ZR353. These first two are set for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Canberra PR9 XH134
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On Monday 31st July 2006, Canberra PR.9’s XH134 and XH135 arrived at Kemble Airfield to their new owners and at exactly 11:58hrs, XH131 followed them into Kemble, making it the final flight of the type in RAF service. XH131 and XH135 were both initially purchased by Nigel Spurr who shortly after sold them to XH134’s owner, Mike Davis and were looked after by Delta Jets.
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