Airworthy Whirlwind HAR.10-Have I missed something?

I would also love to see a Whirlwind display, when did they leave RAF service? I suppose a Whirlwind, Wessex, Sea King trio is a possibility….

It would be great to see it display in future years-the owner just needs to get his DA before all the RAF Sea Kings are retired! A pairs display would be quite a sight!
They did tow it all the way across the runway (my second pic) to the jet pan near where XH558 was sat before starting up.
Really chuffed to hear that a Wessex is (possibly) on the way too, spares issues notwithstanding. For those of us too young to have actually seen any of these types in service, it’s quite a thrill to catch up with them now 🙂

The owner of this whirlwnd was speaking to a colleague of mine at Waddo and this ‘sudden appearance’ at Weston and now Waddington was very much part of the mater plan for the owner! Sneaking in under the radar wasn’t easy when you keep a bright yellow helicopter at home, but the reaction has proved worth it! There are plans afoot to get a Display Autrhorisation on it too, so we could see a nice SAR demo carried out next season if it all goes to plan….
Personally I’ll be glad when they get a third man on the crew to be ‘winchman’, as watching the video on youtube of it departing made me wince when the co-pilot climbed in with rotors running 😮

Nice.
Apparently they towed it elsewhere for take off. I remember one year at Gaydon you could walk right up to the static aircraft included a Whirlwind. Shortly after the display the Whirlwind departed. They just got some service personnel to clear the crowd from an area not much bigger than the rotor diameter and the helicopter lifted off right there. I was at the front. Noisy and very windy, but interesting. I can’t see anything like that happening nowadays.

No nor me, H&S would have a hairy fit.

The CAA is totally opposed to approving the Wessex ,blaming this on the unexplained fatal North Sea crash of a Bristow machine in circa 1980 and the consequent grounding of all civil examples plus the absence of support from the manufacturer etc. ,the availability of coupling gearboxes and any other excuse .that is why the only Wessex currently flying is on a Ghanian certificate ( The owner has business interest there and previously flew Wessex in Ghana transporting gold bullion.

Lol. I think the piston S.55s had cartridge start, but Wessex were always electric start (unless those weird Gazelle-engined contraptions were different?)

Turbine Wessex don’t have starter cartridges – spares for the type in general was probably more pertinent.

Thought that the Wessex had a supply problem, something like a utter lack of starter cartridges or something similar, which is why the Uruguay navy dropped their HC2’s…

I understand (possibly wrongly) that otherwise flyable Wessex helicopters are not certifiable due to lack of Design Authority support, is the Whirlwind still being supported by Westland?

Nice.
Apparently they towed it elsewhere for take off. I remember one year at Gaydon you could walk right up to the static aircraft included a Whirlwind. Shortly after the display the Whirlwind departed. They just got some service personnel to clear the crowd from an area not much bigger than the rotor diameter and the helicopter lifted off right there. I was at the front. Noisy and very windy, but interesting. I can’t see anything like that happening nowadays.

It is a delight to see her. It is amazing that in the last 2 or so decades, Service helios have been worth their weight in gold for what they do for the forces – replenishment, evacuation, insertion/extraction, MERT, humanitarian etc. There are several very historic/worthy helios still in service (Don’t worry, I wont harp on about ZA718 BN again!) that should be preserved – but they are too useful.
The only aircraft in the Duxford AAM that could still do a useful job and be current is the Huey.

I love warbirds – especially Hurricanes Spits and Mustangs – but helios will always have a place in my heart

Tony Nash of our Shack team at Coventry was heavily involved with XJ729’s restoration to flight some years ago. It was fantastic to see it flying at Waddington!

Lovely to see one flying I hope Kennet push on with their hope of finding and returning a Wessex to the air would great to see the 2 of them fly together

Brilliant! Great pics, TT.

This Whirlwind is indeed based at Crewkerne with the owner on his farm.It made its 2014 debut at the Weston Air Fesival last month ,flying in on both days. Meanwhile you’ve missed the Wessex. That flew at Biggin Hill earlier this year but has now gone overseas…but don’t worry,there’s another on its way.

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?125976-Whirlwind-(helicopter)-G-BVGE&highlight=Helicopter+Museum

For those asleep at the back of the class, here is the up to date and running thread!!

G-BKHC – that’s the one. Saw it years ago at Manston but didn’t realise there was a ‘new’ Whirlwind around. I see the owner of G-BVGE is registered at Crewkerne, Soms. Anyone know where this beauty is based?

Great to see! Any airworthy Wessex out there?

The machine you refer to is very likely G-BKHC. It was damaged and never flew again. Last reported stored at Tattershall Thorpe.

it’s a wonderful sight to behold.
A pity vintage helicopters don’t get the respect they deserve.

Amen.
Pity so many “enthusiasts” have blinkers…if it doesn’t start with Spit and end in Fire it’s seen as not worthy. 🙂

IN the late 80s, there was one owned by an American at one of the large airbases, the manager of a base Aero Club.
I got a chance to climb into the cockpit (not without drawing blood from overhear switches).
A year or so later it was damaged in a tip over accident.
Pity it was never repaired.

Looks fantastic. 😎