I've lost a Bell 47….

Thread drift input cancelled…. 😉

The pedals, etc would be marked ‘Bell’, as they are in fact, Bell parts. Westland would have produced the frames, skins, etc; 😀

Or would they have been imported from Agusta?
The Putnam book, Westland Aircraft since 1915 doesn’t have a chapter on the Sioux, instead lumping with the Gazelle in the appendix: “Production of other manufacturers’ aircraft.” It says it was made under license from Agusta which were in turn built under license from Bell.

I’ve always wonderered how much of the UK Sioux was built by Westland or whether they just did the assembly with parts from Agusta and Bell. There is a photo of the 47 production line in the book and showing stripped bubble-less cabins. So clearly, it was a bit more intense than an Airfix kit.

A related question has always been how many of the critical components: rotor shaft, tranmissions, rotor head, etc were built by Augusta or whether they were imported from the U.S.

Thread drift input cancelled…. 😉

The pedals, etc would be marked ‘Bell’, as they are in fact, Bell parts. Westland would have produced the frames, skins, etc; but hyd valves, pedals, control colums would have been standard parts ordered in from the states.

I think it is clear that G-ASOL was never at NEAM, and its last recorded location was THM… although most likely gone by now, or merged into something else.

On a brighter note, NEAM’s 47 is looking well, and I have bigger Westland / Sikorsky products to play with… 😀

F86

Thread drift set to ‘ON’ 😉

If what you say is true, this is interesting as well as sad, as it probably means this aircraft no longer survives.

Would be nice to have more ex-RAF examples in the UK other than just Cosford!

I think most people have given up looking for the G-ASOL as it doesnt seem clear if it was ever there to begin with ! As for thread drift -there was a report of it (XB733) lurking in one of the Osprey series of glossy books on the F-86 in a desert shot.

You have to feel if the money was there to drive it all the way to Duxford for a sale of world prominence -someone did a deal post auction!

Anyway thread drift set to ‘off’ !

Yes but there was no verification that this example ended up in America. Someone must know I guess. Probably the best people to ask are that at the farm in which this aircraft was stored..

Anyway, slight thread drift – back to the Sioux

You mean the old machine from Lancashire that was in the sale at Duxford at nearly exactly the same time that the U.S drone programme converting F-86s into targets was scouring the world for examples?

Made from bits…?

After looking at NEAM’s mystery Sioux/Bell 47 yesterday I have found that the makers plate has been removed at some point. Does anyone know of any other stamps that could be on the airframe?

The pedels and instrument panel are both Agusta/Bell in origion but these could be off a spare knackered airframe, possibly even ASOL. We need to find some part numbers…

XB733 – I take it this airframe has still kept herself illusive then! Would be nice to find and have her back in 92 Sqn colours…

Still doesn’t answer where G-ASOL ended up though…

Probably in a shed somewhere keeping Sabre XB733 company!

No problem, I’m also investigating where I got the info from in the first place.

Sioux Locations

Looking again, it seems that XT148 came from the IHM at Weston-super-Mare and XT236 came from the Middle Wallop dump.

I’m pretty sure your thoughts on G-ASOL and one of the military Sioux’s are correct Dave. At one point maybe NEAM were to get ASOL but instead got another airframe. Maybe the airframe had already gone somewhere else or maybe the military example was in better condition…

Still doesn’t answer where G-ASOL ended up though…

It will be interesting to find this information out and finally put this one to bed!

Looking at my notes, it seems the spare Sioux that left for Aeroventure was XT236 and not G-ASOL. I always assumed one of these birds, either 148 or 236 was ASOL but it doesn’t seem to be the case. I never recalled ever seeing a third airframe so can only wonder… I will ask a few questions tomorrow!

Maybe all of the confusion stems from what arrived from the IHM.

There are reprts that G-ASOL was at the IHM. At some stage I imagine that there was the thought that what arrived at NEAM was G-ASOL and not XT148.

I will have to check to see which one we picked up from Middle Wallop

XT148 & 236

Looking at my notes, it seems the spare Sioux that left for Aeroventure was XT236 and not G-ASOL. I always assumed one of these birds, either 148 or 236 was ASOL but it doesn’t seem to be the case. I never recalled ever seeing a third airframe so can only wonder… I will ask a few questions tomorrow!

Likewise, Dave. I’m just on the hunt for a helicopter which seems to have vanished…. It also proves the point that t’internet is often wrong….

May be it just simply disapeared up its own G-ASOL 😮

Whoops, maybe I should get my Coat :rolleyes:

that wasnt a dig at you dave, meerly pointing it out to people 🙂

i know how hard you work for NEAM and is not easy with working abroad 🙂

For anyone interested, the website in the stages of a MAJOR update. The info regarding our Bell/Sioux has been corrected (a website is only as good/acurate as the information provided!)

How many airworthy 47’s are in the u.k?

There are 15 registered at the moment on GINFO.

8 have current CoA/Permits.
3 have CoA/Permits that have expired in the last couple of months.
The last 4 have no CoA/Permit for at least a year.

rmr

I think a few but most are now in safe houses or wearing false Hiller UH-12 bodies in case they are accused of being G-ASOL!

How many airworthy 47’s are in the u.k?

Showing my Age here…… One of my ever lasting memories of serving in NI was watching them drag them out in the cold winter mornings and warming them up…… used to make me think of MASH…..