Westland Wessex to NZ

Congratulations on the new addition to the family

I had a look at the frame when I was down there in April last year.
It’s great to hear that it has been removed from the car park, with all the damage that appeared to be happening to it.
Was there anything left up in the cockpit?

I think it was heli logging that brought the wessex’s and parts, Taranaki(?) based, I can recall that they were having trouble getting the approval to commercially fly them, as ex mil airframes, the CAA didn’t to be keen on them plying a trade…..

I also have some merlin no.s to email you to…must do that before I lose them.:) 😎

We took the old girl for a cross-town truck ride yesterday poor old thing has been a doss-house for street kids in recent times and the interior is none too inviting! However overall she’s in better shape than many other aircraft restorations have started with.

Wessex at Shawbury

Here are a list of those which went to NZ:

WA136 XR511 Wessex HC2 L Private
WA121 XR588 Wessex HC2 Heart Private
WA178 XS509 Wessex HU5 to New Zealand as ZK-HVK 05/1998, w/o 12/02/2001
WA194 XS675 Wessex HC2 Spade Private
WA196 XS677 Wessex HC2 WK, ZK-HBE Private
WA533 XT606 Wessex HC2 WL, ZK-HBF Private
WA548 XT680 Wessex HC2 Diamond Private
WA625 XV730 Wessex HC2 Club Private

The WA number is the Con number of the frame, so if its one of those it should be traceable from this.

Others were purchased with the intention of being shipped but only ever got as far as Hixon in the UK when the helilogging company using them was grounded due to ‘irregularities’ in operating the Wessex in the role, unearthed after the incident with XS509/ZK-HVK.

The S-58’s used in ‘Full Metal jacket were ex Bristows Helicopters turbine S-58’s I believe and were civil registered and never operated by the UK services.

Wessexboy might remember XS677 – I flew in it numerous times between Jul & Dec 87 when it was on the strength of 2 Sqn ,2 FTS at Shawbury coded ‘WK’ – brings back memories of my introduction to the mighty Wessex! Ah!:D

Thanks for the inputs guys and it seems that the beast is G-AZBY as that id has now been found stenciled on a component. The maker’s plate has long since vanished unfortunately.

We’re in the market for parts so if you’ve leads please PM me.

thanks again

Agreed, they were civil Wessex’s not S-58s.
The turbine S-58s (all conversions) have dual PW Canada PT6s in “Twin Pack” configuration….and an entirely different nose profile from US military piston H-34s or the turbine Wessex.

To a helicopter fan, marking Wessex’s up as Vietnam-era H-34s is as bad as the Merlin powered “Bf 109″s in the “Battle of Britain” film.
Really more so…since there are piston H-34s still around and flying.

Not very pretty to look at and not popular I believe. Bristows had two flying from North Denes in the 70’s – G-BCLN/LO. Coincidentally, I remember G-AZBY at North Denes, along with G-ATBZ and G-ASWI (sadly lost in a fatal crash in the North Sea in August 1981 I think) amongst others.

Agreed, they were civil Wessex’s not S-58s.
The turbine S-58s (all conversions) have dual PW Canada PT6s in “Twin Pack” configuration….and an entirely different nose profile from US military piston H-34s or the turbine Wessex.

To a helicopter fan, marking Wessex’s up as Vietnam-era H-34s is as bad as the Merlin powered “Bf 109″s in the “Battle of Britain” film.
Really more so…since there are piston H-34s still around and flying.

The Liquor store Wessex was on the back page of a FlyPast issue a couple of years ago – I think Air-Britain is wrong as her nose cowl is distinctly HC.2 and not Series 60. One way you can identify her is to remove a easily removable panel and look for her serial which should be stencilled.

Presumably this is ‘ZK-IDL’?

Air Britain suggests this may be G-AZBY. If this is so then Airliners has a picture at the International Helicopter Museum painted for Full Metal Jacket and identified as c/n WA740

Tony Andrews

As far as I can recall there was only one flyable Wessex used in the filming of Full Metal Jacket, the other 2 were static only (watch the flight path of the Wessex flying overhead in the vietnam scenes and you will see what I mean!)
It was filmed partly at Bassingbourn Barracks, just outside Royston, where I was an Air Cadet in 2484 Sqn.
Our Cadet hut was the old Dispersals hut (as seen in use in the original Memphis Belle) and the parade ground scenes were filmed just in front. In fact I interrupted filming by arriving a bit too exuberently on my Motorbike…..

After cadets we would take a ride around the peri track to have a look at the film sets, the assault course looked impressive but was rubbish compared to the existing infantry training ones, all the palm trees were planted in skips to aid quick changes, and the static Wessex looked a little worse for wear upon close inspection.

I agree that the aircraft used as props in the film ‘Full Metal Jacket’ were ex Bristows, but they were civil spec Wessex Mk.60’s, and had been used by Bristows to supply oil rigs etc. Some were stored at Hurn a few years back, but I didn’t know that any had gone to NZ.

The WA.. number should be on the main cabin door frame, if I recall.

New Zealand Wessex

Here are a list of those which went to NZ:

WA136 XR511 Wessex HC2 L Private
WA121 XR588 Wessex HC2 Heart Private
WA178 XS509 Wessex HU5 to New Zealand as ZK-HVK 05/1998, w/o 12/02/2001
WA194 XS675 Wessex HC2 Spade Private
WA196 XS677 Wessex HC2 WK, ZK-HBE Private
WA533 XT606 Wessex HC2 WL, ZK-HBF Private
WA548 XT680 Wessex HC2 Diamond Private
WA625 XV730 Wessex HC2 Club Private

The WA number is the Con number of the frame, so if its one of those it should be traceable from this.

Others were purchased with the intention of being shipped but only ever got as far as Hixon in the UK when the helilogging company using them was grounded due to ‘irregularities’ in operating the Wessex in the role, unearthed after the incident with XS509/ZK-HVK.

The S-58’s used in ‘Full Metal jacket were ex Bristows Helicopters turbine S-58’s I believe and were civil registered and never operated by the UK services.

Denys, I cannot help you myself but I have added a link to this post on the Wings Over New Zealand Forum as it may generate the info you need

http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=civil&thread=1168325818