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Nice one Zis!
Regarding the over-painted skylights .. my experience is that having 'some' visibility through the roof is generally a good thing. I remember from my years in Papua New Guinea, flying at high altitude (with the resulting reduced aircraft performance) one would often be thankful for the roof windows. Groping around in poor weather, and in particular if one had to make a tight turn - typically in a small valley (and which was a regular occurrence in PNG) they would give you a nice visual cue which would often provide that little extra reference which could help avert the dreaded 'disorientation syndrome'.
Gazelles at Abingdon
SA341 G-CBSI XZ934 (cn WA1736) as seen at RAF Abingdon on 2nd May 2015 (Photo: Andrew Morley) Ex-XZ934
SA341D G-CBSI (cn WA1736) ex-XZ934, and SA341D CBSK (cn WA1914) ex-ZB627, at RAF Abingdon on 2nd May 2015 (Photo: Matt Sudol)
SA341D G-CBSK (cn WA1914) as seen at RAF Abingdon on 3rd May 2015 (Photo: Steve Lynes) Ex-ZB627Comment
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More G-CBSI ..
Word is that this craft has recently been re-sprayed (and very nice she looks too!). Her colours reflecting the No.32 Squadron Gazelle HCC4's which were based at RAF Northolt during the 1980's.
Peter Unwin's SA341D G-CBSI (cn WA1736) as seen at Nutfield in Surrey on 18th April 2015 (Photo: Samuel Pilcher) ex-XZ934
Seen here at her home helipad at Peytons Cottages in Nutfield, overlooking Glebe Lake. Note the branches which have had to be 'trimmed' to accommodate her pad!
Peter Unwin's SA341D G-CBSI (cn WA1736) as seen at Nutfield in Surrey on 18th April 2015 (Photo: Samuel Pilcher) ex-XZ934
Her exhaust looks lovely. Well done Peter!
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YU-HWF as seen on Saturday:
SA341G(S) YU-HWF (cn 1407) as seen at Exeter Airport on 2nd May 2015
Gulf War Gaz ..
A Kuwaiti Air Force SA342M arrives at a desert landing zone following the withdrawal of Iraqi forces during Operation Desert Storm on 1st February 1991
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LOL, nice one Sav!
Photoshopped?Comment
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Ha ha .. not too much 'shopping'! T'was originally part of a recruitment campaign for the Royal Navy, you know .. kiss the nurse and sign-up to join the navy .. something like that!
Another take on Peter Unwin's repainted SA341D:
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Even though this video has only recently been posted, it is in fact of the late Alexei Afonchenkovu and RA-1233G which he crashed last year (see page 20):
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Nordic Gaz
Broby Helicopter SA342J SE-HUN (cn 1095) as seen at Norby, Uppsala, Sweden on 3rd July 2004 (Photo: Hans Wallin)
Formerly D-HOPL.
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SA341G N505HA (cn 1301) as seen at Kortrijk-Wevelgem Airport in Belgium on 18th April 2015 (Photo: Geert Diopere)
We have very few photos of N505HA, so it is great to receive this one!Comment
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Gazelles in Russia
SA341B Westland Gazelle RA-05703 (cn WA1524) as seen at Sochi Airport in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, on 19th March 2015
(Photo: Den Lazarev)Comment
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Abingdon this Sunday past
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In post #857 we discussed N505HA's slide-window, a special modification for aerial shooting, quite unusual for Gazelle.
Many thanks to Aviaforan md600driver who kindly provided this photo showing a nice view of the doors' mechanism.
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Nice one Steve/Zis!
SA341G(S) N150SF (cn 1584) as seen at Cheltenham Racecourse on 10th March 2015 (Photo: Paul Beale)Comment
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SA341C G-IBNH (cn WA1033) as seen at Henstridge Airfield on 12th April 2015 (Photo: Howard Curtis)Comment
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Flying with ALAT
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And Then Came The SA34X ??
And there I was thinking it was an SA341F2 !!!
Aka ZU-RLD (cn 1659)
http://mygazellehelicopter.com/Comment
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ZU-RLD looks very attractive... with a "clean" instrument panel.
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Nope... I've seen some partial solutions but this one looks as fully integrated HDDs -
It's a Garmin G300x single touchscreen display. Their website says that most of the ones they're refurbishing are SA-341F2's. It says they chose that model for the higher engine power and longer engine TBO. Anyone know how much they sell for?
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SA341G F-WTNV (cn 1006)Comment
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Nice! Some interesting F-WTNV images already could be seen in posts #20, 21, 22, 724 & 881
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Empire Test Pilots School (QinetiQ) SA341C HT2 XZ939 (cn WA1750) as seen at Salisbury Plains Training Area on 21st April 2015
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Seems I missed something ... as I have WA1750 as exXZ940/G-CBBV now on the Ukrainian register, and XZ939 as WA1757 (w/o in December 2010 as UR-MANN).
However, have a look the "genuine" XZ939's tail boom, which was replaced after an accident the helicopter had (details unknown to me).
Photo courtesy of md600driverComment
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Hmm .. perhaps ETPS are flying a 'ghost Gaz'!
As it happens, Jos from Rotorspot has signed-up to Aviafora but .. there seems to be a technical issue with processing his account. Phil has contacted the software supplier but, once this is fixed, hopefully Jos will be able to shed some light on the matter.
I have 1750 as XZ939 (still operational as per the photo above) and 1757 as ex-XZ940, then G-CBBV and UR-MANN. Wasn't UR-MANN written off?
More Unwin Gaz ..
SA341D G-CBSI (cn WA1736) ex-XZ934 as seen over Berkshire on 2 May 2015 (Photo: Andrew Morley)Comment
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Gazelle from the Ukraine
SA341C UR-VLAN (s/n WA1174) ex-XW895/G-BXZD at Liman Airport, Ukraine on April 22nd, 2009 (Photo: Andrey Grydyushko)Comment
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I have UR-VLAN as being cancelled from the Ukraine register, although I don't have any up-to-date information on this. But, if it is cancelled then it means she must be sitting around somewhere?
Re: UR-MANN (which you mentioned a couple of posts back), she was indeed written off in a tragic accident which occurred in December 2010, with loss of all four on board.
SA341C UR-MANN (cn WA1757) as seen over Simferopol (on the Crimean peninsula - when it was still part of the Ukraine) on 14th September 2009
While addressing sombre matters, you mentioned the late Mark Weir on the previous page, and this was one of his craft:
SA341H (HO-42 'Partizan') Soko Gazelle YU-HEI (cn 012) as seen at Edinburgh's Turnhouse Airport on 24th June 2006 (Photo: Martin Third)
I think this may have been dismantled and used for spares?Comment
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Let's hope some of our Gazelle professionals would know more about UR-VLAN and YU-HEI fate... -
She was used to rebuild Mark's other Gazelle (HA-LFE if I remember correctly). The data plate, airframe and books still remain and may even fly again.
She used to come to Crabtree for her annual maintenance. -
Yes YU-HEI was used in the rebuild of s/n 1527 VH-VAS which became HA-LFE.
UR-VLAN I too have this as cancelled from the register... so where is it hiding ?
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XZ939
Another view of 939:
ETPS SA341C Gazelle HT.2 XZ939, (cn WA1750) as seen at RAF Fairford on 17th July 2005 (Photo: Ulrich Grueschow)
Crabtree
So which (out of interest) was your first Gazelle and .. when you first flew the Gaz, what was it about the craft that so enamoured you, compared with other types you had flown?md600driver: This was my second Gazelle, an ex-Navy Sharks cab.
Where are they now?
Another Gaz I'd like to track down is G-BCHM's sister .. G-BCHN (cn WA1184) and of which I do not yet have a photo.
UR-VLAN
Zis, have you seen that on UR-VLAN it appears as if the door is installed with a two-piece perspex fitting as opposed to the usual arrangement?Comment
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As far as I know, G-BCHN registration was allocated but not taken up. S/n 1184 was delivered as WA341B for Army.
Re UR-VLAN, "fancy doors" and shaded perplex... also notice there's no position light on the tail fin.Comment
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Grazie. That may explain why I can't find a photo of her!
UR-VLAN does have a position light at the sternmost part of her tail, above the tail handle. (Position lights are the same as navigation lights). But you are correct in that she is missing the anti-collision light from the top of her tail. Unusual (from what I've seen on the Gazelle). They were always 'falling off' the early model JetRangers though.
Btw, I think the two-tone colour scheme they have devised on the Ukrainian Gazelles looks quite nice.
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Sav, when you posted those image of ZU-RLD's instrument panel in post #1067, I knew I had seen it somewhere before …
Blue Thunder's instrument panel!
Once again, "fiction" becomes reality!
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Indeed, Mr. Yoak (R.I.P.) did a great "upgrade" job http://bluethunderhelicopter.com/the.../yoak-odyssey/
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I've never seen a UK military one fall off!UR-VLAN does have a position light at the sternmost part of her tail, above the tail handle. (Position lights are the same as navigation lights). But you are correct in that she is missing the anti-collision light from the top of her tail. Unusual (from what I've seen on the Gazelle). They were always 'falling off' the early model JetRangers though.
The beacon at the top of the tail went faulty and was a UK only military item. The light unit is many thousands, and the power pack is also a small fortune - so they decided to not have one.
The door is a standard door with aftermarket dark perspex [same as windscreen] and no opening/side window.
The colour scheme on the Ukrainian Gazelles is taken from the Royal Navy Sharks scheme, with the dark grey at the bottom of the fuselage being changed to another colour.Comment
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I am sure that the attachment for the anti-collision light on the Gazelle is considerably better than that which existed on the early JetRangers. I use the phrase 'falling off' liberally - very often they would shake loose (but remain attached) and the mechanic would then remove the device, but there were also occasions when a driver would land with the beacon hanging only by its connecting wires! On the 206 'B' the anti-collision beacon was replaced by a strobe light (manufactured by America's Whelen Engineering) where the upper assembly was fitted with a clip which fastened about the base of the light and was secured with a small bolt so that no matter how much vibration there was, it couldn't come off.
I believe the reason the UK mil Gaz collision lights were so expensive was because instead of using a beacon designed for light or general aviation purposes, Westland employed a type which was designed for fighter jets - I believe it was the same as that fitted to the Panavia Tornado. This may have been an MoD requirement for extra-high-visibility for certain types of operations, at least that's my guess.
Another shot of Mark's Gaz ..
SA341H Soko (HO-42 'Partizan') Gazelle YU-HEI (cn 012) as seen at Blackpool Squires Gate Airport on 10th September 2007 (Photo: Peter Clarke)Comment
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