Hi Gents.
This helicopter G-BAGJ, is a bit like the broom Trigger owned in the TV programme ‘Fools and Horses.’ He had the same broom for twenty years; however in that time he wore out fifteen heads and ten handles. Was it the original broom one has to ask?
This helicopter may have the original certification for G-BAGJ , but has had so many military parts fitted to it that it no longer resembles the civil Gazelle it once was. This is a great shame as the helicopter in its original livery of blue and white was very pretty. I do hope it is returned to its original livery sometime soon, but I’m acutely aware money is tight for everyone these days.
If I remember correctly, the upholstery was originally blue and white leather. A blue carpet with white piping and the flimsy fibre-glass instrument cowling was covered in blue leather. In fact the interior was very plush with non military leather low back seats. The upholstery work was carried out by a company based in the Bournemouth area: it may have been Jecco, or the fore runner of Jecco. I believe they did the upholstery on all 12 civil Gazelles that Westland Manufactured. The thirteenth civil build was never sold and was eventually converted into a training aid for the RAF.
Originally the tail cone had one antenna underneath and a small white arial poking out of the fibre-glass ‘Top Hat’ fairing. It had ‘Towel Rail’ antenna, either side of the tail cone and both skids were enclosed in fibreglass fairings. Also the lower Perspex section of both pilots and co pilot’s door were painted.
However studying the photo above, now in a military trim, if the canopy section is original, (back to Triggers broom again) I note there appear to be no IFF antenna in the centre of the roof section. This would indicate a civil version. None of the civil Gazelles had canopy IFF antennas fitted.
G-BAGJ was manufactured in 1973 I think for a customer called ‘Point to Point Helicopters Ltd’ and this was the second or third civil Gazelle to be manufactured by Westland. The first civil Gazelle manufactured was G-BAGL, again full leather upholstery and blue and white in colour, and easily confused with G-BAGJ. G-BAGL was manufactured in 1972 and was owned and used by Westland Helicopters for Corporate transportation, eventually replacing the aging Westland Widgeon.
The memory is fading a bit but I was one of a small team of fitters at Westland who assembled this helicopter way back in the ‘Seventies’. It was also the very first helicopter I flew in, so I do have a soft spot for this particular helicopter. As I have said, it would be so nice to see it back in its original livery.
I had all my own teeth and hair and a year out of my apprenticeship when I first went to the Gazelle assembly line. Working on the two gazelles that were supplied to Westland in kit form from Eurocopter and continuing to work on over 200 gazelles until the assembly line was transferred to Weston Super Mare. I have to say it is one of the best helicopters I have ever worked on.

Reggie W.