Sea Kings in Falkland

Yes, I’m sure it is possible; I did some quick calculations after I’d posted based on the, often quoted, distance to the Falklands of 8000 (statute) miles that worked out at 18.5 mph so it sounded about right.

Talking of the distance to the Falklands I remember a story being told on TV where (I think) First Sea Lord (Sir) Henry Leach told Prime Minister Thatcher that it would take the Task Force three weeks to even reach the Falklands; Thatcher replied ‘you mean three days’, no replied Leach ‘three weeks!’ Still, I think Thatcher had a better grasp of military matters than any Prime Minister since! :rolleyes:

WA$,
Just as a matter of interest Contender Bezant is quoted (Wiki, I’m afraid!!) as being capable of 18 kts. That’s 432 nm per day. For 18 days that’s 7776 nm (ignoring the odd bit of land, other ships, etc, etc). Southampton to Stanley is (as measured on GE) around 6745 nm! So could be done (provided they had all the knobs turned fully clockwise, and nothing broke!!)
Some of the Directional Consultants (i.e. Navs) may care to comment!
Resmoroh

I’m not sure a Belfast would even catch a Hercules; maybe from a dive! :diablo:

WA$, Hi,
Mni tks yr swift reply – much appreciated.
I’m in the process of putting together a “potted” history of RAF Stanley for submission to another Forum.
I well remember those Sea Kings!! At the end of a 24-hr working shift up on the airfield they would lift us back to Rangatira. And I remember not having the strength to make the sill of the Sea King from standing. A vast Loadie would reach down and haul me in by my Bergen!!
When I was doing the Ascension bit of that unpleasantness there was some talk of fitting the Belfasts with AAR prods/plumbing, etc. But (I suspect) it was like many of the other S Atlantic ‘blue sky’ ideas – ended up in File 13. I must admit, though, I would have liked to have seen a fuel transfer from either a Herc, or a Victor, to a Belfast! But only from a distance -not actually involved you understand!!!
Tks again.
Resmoroh

According to ‘Falklands – The Air War’ 202 Squadron C-Flight Sea King HAR3 XZ591, XZ592 and ZA105 left RAF Finningley (after a Dark Sea Grey respray) on 04/08/1982 to embark on merchant ship ‘Contender Bezant’ (later converted to be the aviation training ship RFA Argus). Contender Bezant left Southampton on 07/08/1982 and arrived in the Falkland Islands on 25/08/1982; although that sounds an awfully quick passage to me? :confused:

Apparently these aircraft were rotated with others from the UK before 1564 Flight formed but I do not know how these transfers were accomplished; previously Sea Kings had been flown to Ascension Island aboard Heavylift Short Belfast but I’m guessing with the amount of kit being transported south the replacement aircraft would have arrived by merchant (or Royal Navy) ship. I don’t know if a Short Belfast ever made a flight direct to the Falklands; I’m guessing not as it probably wouldn’t have the range and the Stanley runway wouldn’t have coped with one in 1983?