PHOTO: again a flying Bristol Sycamore helicopter, now in Austria…

buzzer is right, the Austrian Sycamore is one of a batch of 50 Mark 52s built at The Helicopter Division of Bristol Aircraft at Oldmixon.” Weston super Mare and the Aeroplane ” lists Serial No 13475 as G-18-148/CA+328

Is a nice museum M-Shed

Wonderful to hear this ex German Sycamore is once again airworthy. The last time I saw one in action was when an RAF example visited a Shuttleworth flying day many years back – have some slides – must dig them out.

On the topic of Sycamores, I visited the helicopter museum at Weston a week back and noticed that an example had moved there from an industrial museum in Bristol. I then came across this video of that example being craned out of its prior exhibition space at Bristol ….looks like there was a heart stopping moment during the process, which can be seen at at 0.44 in the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTypmDy90YE

Tim

A fitting country for it to fly in considering the designs Austrian heritage.

Really amazed to hear this excellent news! Isn’t this the very same ex-Torbay machine?

although its got the same Reg as the ex Torbay machine, its not the same one. The real XG544 ended up at a Private location in cornwall(and i have a photo of it there back in the 90s) Not sure where it ended its days,but its ment to be somewere in wales??!

the above machine is in fact an ex German air force Mk52!

Really amazed to hear this excellent news! Isn’t this the very same ex-Torbay machine?

Very pleased to read this news. There is a real lack of historic helicopters in airworthy condition so very well done to the restoration team.

I thought one was operated by the FAA historic flight…or am I thinking of the Skeeter?

Yes you are and it was the AAC (Army Air Corps).

No Sycamores have operated in the U.K in private hands as ‘historic’ machines. The last flyer in the U.K was flown to the Torbay Aircraft Museum in the early 1970’s.

Weren’t the UK examples Grounded by the CAA…or was it that they just reached the end of their component hours? I thought one was operated by the FAA historic flight…or am I thinking of the Skeeter?

Unbeknownst to many historic aviation fans, many famous helicopter types are extinct (or very nearly so) as far as flying examples go.

Excellent news. Always good when a new type takes to the skies.

Rob