Shrieking Gazelles

[Savoia]

The conclusion of Exercise Baccarat 2018



SA342M Viviane 'GAL' blade removal October 2018



SA341G F-GEHB (cn.1099) NFI

[Zishelix]

This F-GEHB photo was taken in June 2016. I'd love to know where's she now.

[Savoia]

Grazie Zis!

There is a 'possibility' that F-GEHB is 'connected' with one of our members. We shall see!

[Jensen Jordan Lubowa]

F-GEHB is now for sale, Here is the link https://www.air-contact.com/annonce-...tiale-sa-341-g

[Savoia]

SA341C G-IBNH (WA1033) as see in the UK during the summer of 2018 (Photo by Jordan Holland)


SA341F2 ZU-RED (cn.1285) as seen over Port Elizabeth in South Africa (Photo by Tod Burns)


SA341B XZ349 (WA1720) as seen with another Gazelle and a Scout at Middle Wallop on 22nd July 1990 (Photo by Graham Tiller)


Unidentified Gaz cab

Zis any clues as to which bird this might be?

[Zishelix]

I guess it's UR-ACCA
http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=1910#post1910

[Savoia]

Bravo Zis, nicely identified!

[Helipixman]

USA Gazelle Updates

N2LN (1310) Cancelled 12.7.17 due to registration expiry
N341GL (1413) Cancelled 22.3.18 due to registration expiry

N383GZ changed owner to Excel Power Ventures Inc, 5.7.18
N419GZ changed owner to Michael Hsing, 16.7.18

Apologies if these have been posted before.....

Helipixman

[Savoia]

Grazie Elipix!

[Savoia]

Serbian Air Force driver Anja grabs a handful of blade!


Serbian Air Force 341's 12806 and 12833


SAF Gaz 'boom shot'

[Zishelix]

One more for Sav's favorite Snow Gazelle section

[Savoia]

Always nice to see, but just to let you know .. the 'Snow Gazelles' (for the past few years) have begun on or around 20th December in the days immediately running-up to Christmas - so hopefully you will still have one or two remaining for then!

[Helipixman]

A couple of shots of E7-VDH Soko Gazelle (060) ex YU-HFL, Jrv12817. NFI

[Savoia]

Lovely shots Elipix, bravo!

[Helipixman]

I-OLLY Here is another shot of this Gazelle in all white complete with Jolly Club titles and Eli Dolomiti on mast housing.

[Savoia]

Ah .. once again .. Elipix pulling rare photos from the depths of his commendable collection!

[Helipixman]

I am currently going through my thousands of Gazelle images and found this interesting equipment, it's on both sides of the Gazelle and what seems to be a control box inside - any ideas what it is ?

Its on an ALAT Gazelle FM-BSI c/n 1285







Helipixman Collection

[Savoia]

Having enquired, one suggestion is that it is a tactical simulation kit which you shoot at with a laser. When it is shot at, the light on top of the unit illuminates and the light circle indicates which aperture was hit, revealing the relative direction of the hit.

[Zishelix]

Hopefuly someday our French friends will 'discover' this thread and help us to solve this and other Gazelle mysteries

[Savoia]

Zis, this must surely be connected with some sort of testing for the missile sight.

[Zishelix]

Since it's too early for posting Snow Gazelles, here's another one of Sav's favourite themes - Yellow Gaz!


SA341G F-GEHE s/n. 1170


One more pic of the same machine here

[Savoia]

And there's even a light dusting of snow on the hills!

Any idea of the name beneath the 'Rotor Club' wording?

[Zishelix]

Rotor Club Alpin

[Helipixman]

Its third owner was Association Rotor Club Alpin 8.3.90

[Helipixman]

It's amazing the lengths some people will go to for a Gazelle flight !



Photo: Helipixman Collection

[Zishelix]

Many thanks for this photo, Helipix! I saw many pics of other helicopters with trapeze artists and wondered how come nobody got idea to use Gazelle for such performance. Now I see F-GFEB did it

[Savoia]

Ha ha, what a great photo Elipix, bravo!

Francecopter? I think this may be the first time for this title to appear on the thread, not sure, never heard of Francecopter before.

One observes that they are using a strap across the cabin floor to secure the trapeze. Bell employed a similar arrangement with their very first lifting strop for the 206. Only problem is .. it can send the CofG uncomfortably forward (especially on a stretched bird) and which is probably why there is someone seated behind the driver. It think I would have been inclined to remove the rear doors and put the lifting strap across the cabin floor as far aft as it would go (so that the lifting strop hung down aft of the front skids) - better still would have been something below the mast, but .. the craft doesn't appear to have been fitted with a hook.

See page 94 via the link below for a photo of this craft when she flew in the UK as G-SKUL:
http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=8192#post8192

[Zishelix]

Flashback on the Gazelle 50th Anniversary Commemorative Fly-in at Middle Wallop April 7th, 2017 (Photo: Paul Longshaw)

[Savoia]

Lovely shot Zis!

[Savoia]

SA341B RA-05709 (WA1184) on the Angara River 150kms SE of Bratsk in Russia on 17th October 2018 (Photos by Kirill)

On Wednesday 17th October, Avia member Kirill took the Cyrilcraft (aka '709') 150 kms southeast of Bratsk in the province of Irkutsk in Russia, for the purpose of dropping-off a spare part required for a logging operation.

In these photos, 709 is seen having landed on a barge in the Angara River while delivering the part.

With our thanks to Kirill for these photos!

[Savoia]

BosPol

SA341H E7-AAB (cn.037) engaged in police diver-drop operations in Banja Luka, Bosnia, October 2018

[md600driver]

One observes that they are using a strap across the cabin floor to secure the trapeze. Bell employed a similar arrangement with their very first lifting strop for the 206. Only problem is .. it can send the CofG uncomfortably forward (especially on a stretched bird) and which is probably why there is someone seated behind the driver. It think I would have been inclined to remove the rear doors and put the lifting strap across the cabin floor as far aft as it would go (so that the lifting strop hung down aft of the front skids) - better still would have been something below the mast, but .. the craft doesn't appear to have been fitted with a hook.

I would have thought that would damage the side of the helicopter if it was a simple strap, I think it must have been a more substantial rigging.

Surprisingly, the C o G does move that much.

[Savoia]

It's difficult to see exactly what kind of set-up they are using, but I am sure you are right Stefano.

Speaking of damage to the fuselage, this bird 'also' seems to have a dent on the rear pax door. I say 'also' because I seem to remember one or more Gazelles in past posts having a dent in the same area.

In Italy we have a dent repair service 'Levabolli' which is good a repairing such things without paint or filler! https://www.levabolliebattilastra.com/

[Zishelix]

Interesting patch from Cyprus, commemorating 30 Yrs of Gazelle in their military forces



Speaking of Cyprus Gaz, in November last year there was announcement of obtaining four more machines for National Guard
https://cyprus-mail.com/2017/11/28/h...ational-guard/

Didn't notice the plans come true so far...

[Savoia]

Also reported on Shrieking Gazelles:
http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=8522#post8522

[Savoia]

Gazelle over Skegness, Lincolnshire in October 2018 (Photo by Sean Scott)

But which Gaz?


SA341C G-ZZLE (WA1402) ex-XX436 with Westland Wasp as seen at Kemble Airfield on 30th September 2018 (Photo by Bob Symes)


SA341F2 'BDK' (Photo by Ad Vercruijsse)


SA342J YU-HES (cn.1057) NFI


Gazelles over HMS Hermes

[Zishelix]

Thanks for this last photo, Sav. I was looking for some similar pic http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=4747#post4747

[Zishelix]

Non-Flying UK Gazelle Airframes

I found these Gazelles airframes in preservation, either in museums or as 'Gate Guards' at various facilities in the UK:

XW276 at Newark Air Museum
XW844 at Vector Aerospace Fleetlands
XW855 at RAF Museum Hendon
XW863 at Farnborough Air Sciences Trust
XW890 at RNAS Yeovilton
XX380 as a gate guard at Wattisham Airfield
XX381 at Defence Sixth Form College Welbeck
XX392 at AAC Middle Wallop
XX411 at South Yorkshire Air Museum
XX444 at Wattisham Airfield Museum
XX457 at East Midlands Aeropark
XZ337 at MOD Defence Equipment and Support headquarters at Abbey Wood
XZ346 at AAC Middle Wallop
ZA737 at Museum of Army Flying, AAC Middle Wallop
ZB670 at AAC Dishforth
ZB672 at Army Technical Foundation, Winchester
G-SFTA at North East Aircraft Museum
And XZ942 at AAC Suffield, AB Canada

Anyone able to correct or fulfill the above list?

[md600driver]

There is an airframe at South Yorkshire and also one at Weston-super-mare which they take to shows.

[Zishelix]

Thanks! Any info about ID of that two airframes?

[Helipixman]

Elipix will certainly have a look through his records over the next few days and report accordingly

Helipixman

[Savoia]

SA341B XZ334 (WA1673) as seen at RAF Fairford in 2014

[Zishelix]

G-BAZL (WA1073) pictured during a police investigation into the disappearance of haulage contractor George Brett and his son Terry Brett aged 10, who went missing under mysterious circumstances. Shown are two members of the police at Beredens Farm at Upminster in Essex on 7th January 1975. G-BAZL was used for special-branch operations in and around London when TMH Ltd. had the Metropolitan Police contract during 1975.

[Savoia]

Lovely shot Zis!

[Zishelix]

VH-OIZ (XZ338/WA1351) during Jamestown Air Spectacular in October 21st, 2018 (Photo: Sandy Horne)

[Zishelix]

G-OGEO at Southend, London in March 2017 (Photo: Lee Burling)



Depressed on a grey day? When flying a Gazelle - no way!

[Helipixman]

Are we 100% sure about the date this was taken ? The CofA expired on G-OGEO on 13.3.16 and it has been stored at Stapleford Tawney for quite some time. I saw it in September 2017 at Stapleford and it was covered in plastic and had been there for some time before my visit.

[Zishelix]

I might misunderstand the date which was under the image. It was probably when the photo was posted. Thanks for your correction!

[Rotorspot]

Non-Flying UK Gazelle Airframes

In addition I have the following ones, although not all are in the UK:
XW864 Fleet Air Arm Museum
XX384 Pima Air and Space Museum (USA)
XX431 HMS Sultan - Defence School of Maritime Engineering
XZ335 ????

[Helipixman]

Well in zishelix original list he mentions one at Suffield, Canada. Not in the UK so XX384 at Pima is an addition. There are so many non flying Gazelles preserved but still in military service as Ground instructional airframes. Also the Stapleford stored examples. Where are we drawing the line on preserved, do they have to be either in a museum or a gate guardian as per the original post.

[Zishelix]

Thanks for info, Jos!

By 'preserved' I mean on non-fliers, exposed airframes.

[N48284]

XZ335 is at the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum, Aeroventure.

[Helipixman]

More Non-Flying Gazelle airframes

XX443 JHCFS Aldergrove
XX375 Mutate, London (cab preserved as bird sculpture)
XX393 Private, Wellington, Somerset
XX414 Wessex Aviation, Biggin Hill
XZ327 AAC/MPSU travelling exhibit
XZ335 South Yorkshire Museum (last noted under restoration at North East Air Museum using parts of ZB666)
XZ337 Abbey Wood (this was noted at MPSU Middle Wallop June 2018)
XZ930 Gosport (used as travelling exhibit)
ZA804 Amesbury (Dragonfly sculpture)
ZB670 Dishforth (was roaded out on 21.6.16 to ?)
ZB686 Weston Super Mare - Helicopter Museum (Cab used as trailered exhibit)

If we were to include the non flying air frames at military sites in use a instructional frames, this list would be about ten times larger. There are so many

Helipixman

[Zishelix]

Much appreciate, Elipix!

[Zishelix]

Mr. Smedley is advertising his product as a Hungarian registered Aérospatiale Gazelle HA-LFQ (formerly owned by an Aviaforan) pictured hovering at RAF Waddington Airshow 2014.' I am tempted to obtain one!

https://www.redbubble.com/people/osc...e%20helicopter

[Zishelix]

'Sharks' above the clouds!

[Savoia]

Very nice!

[Zishelix]

In addition to the Non-Flying UK Gazelle Airframes (displayed) - XZ316 exposed at Eaton Hall, Cheshire, Duke of Westminster family military museum.

[md600driver]

It’s not there anymore, it’s at Wonderboom Airport in South Africa.

[Savoia]

Yugoslav Air Force SA342L Gazelle '12903' (cn.113)


Yugoslav Air Force SA341H '12654' (cn.022)

[Savoia]

SA341 I-PNIC (cn.002) with AS350B3 I-HELA (cn.7580) at Castelnuovo di Porto in June 2017

[N48284]

Non Flying Gazelles at Bourne Park

G-CBSF ZB647 HT.2
G-CDNS XZ321 AH.1
G-CGJX XW892 AH.1
G-CGJZ XZ933 HT.3
G-FUKM ZA730 AH.1
N58283 342G
XW849 AH.1
XX372 AH.1
XX399 AH.1
XX418 AH.1
XX433 AH.1
XX450 AH.1

[N48284]

I was going to put that in but its on its way to flying again isn't it? Ive not seen it for a while.

[Helipixman]

When did N58283 become a 342G and I thought it had been roaded out of Bourne Park ?

[N48284]

N58283 arrived back earlier this year and is it not a G?

[Savoia]

More E7-VDH ..







SA341H E7-VDH (cn.060) as seen in Bosnia in October 2018


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