Announcement

**Helipixman** · 22nd July 2015, 23:23

Just watched tonights episode of Strike Back Legacy (Sky One) here in the UK... next week (Wednesday) it seems the episode will have a Gazelle in it !

**Savoia** · 23rd July 2015, 09:50

We've been looking at some former Alan Mann craft on the Nostalgia Thread, so it seems only appropriate to look at a Gaz Mann!

SA341G(S) G-MANN (cn 1295) as seen at Thruxton on 13th June 1992 (Photo: Paul Thallon)

Now of course part of the Benegaz 'troupe' and better known as 'Black Pete'!

**Savoia** · 23rd July 2015, 10:16

SA341GC I-PNIC (cn 002) Aeroporto di Varese-Venegono 4th June 2015 (Photo: Fabrizio Capenti)

**Zishelix** · 23rd July 2015, 13:57

In addition to the G-MANN theme:

Helipix, by chance do you have a photo of G-MANN with loudspeakers and Sussex Police markings as per this drawing?

**Savoia** · 23rd July 2015, 20:49

That would surely be something rare, to retrieve a photo of G-MANN while she was on trials with Suspol!

In the meantime .. some close-ups of HA-LFY:

**Helipixman** · 23rd July 2015, 22:12

Originally posted by Savoia View Post

That would surely be something rare, to retrieve a photo of G-MANN while she was on trials with Suspol

I agree I have not got it in my collection ! But working on it have contacted Sussex Police... see if they have. I do have plenty of shots of G-MANN in various schemes though.

**Savoia** · 23rd July 2015, 22:13

Polizei Niedersachsen SA341G D-HOPL (cn 1095) c.1970-80's

This craft was evidently upgraded to a 342J, then exported to Sweden where she became SE-HUN where sadly, she came a cropper. See about SE-HUN here.

Polizei Nordrhein-Westfalen SA341G D-HMTD (cn 1110) c.1970-80's

1110's last recorded registration was RP-C1110 (presumably the Philippines) but from there she just disappears off the record!

Polizei Nordrhein-Westfalen SA341G D-HMTB (cn 1010) c.1970-80's

1010 ended-up as F-GOCV and was apparently written off. Perhaps when Zis returns he can throw some light on this.

**Savoia** · 24th July 2015, 09:53

One of the best things about the Nordrhein-Westfalen Gazelles .. were the colours they wore!

Polizei Nordrhein-Westfalen SA341G D-HMTD (cn 1110) c.1970-80's

Polizei Nordrhein-Westfalen SA341G D-HMTC (cn 1014) c.1970-80's

See more D-HMTC here.

(Watch out for some 'possible' news concerning the 're-emergence' of 1014 in the future .. courtesy of XB!).

The Nordrhein-Westfalen Polizei Gazelles used to fly under the call sign "Hummel", meaning bumblebee.

**Zishelix** · 24th July 2015, 14:55

Don't forget D-HAIR also!

**Savoia** · 24th July 2015, 17:59

Grazie Zis!

As far as you know, would you agree that the Nordrhein-Westfalen Gazelles were:

D-HMTA cn. 1028
D-HMTB cn. 1010
D-HMTC cn. 1014
D-HMTD cn. 1110
D-HAIR cn. 1294

We have shots for all of these, except D-HMTA.

**Helipixman** · 24th July 2015, 18:59

Originally posted by Savoia View Post

We have shots for all of these, except D-HMTA.

Don't think we will see shots of D-HMTA as far as I know the marks were not taken up ! became Alat "1028" Withdrawn from use and stored at Dax 2009. Possibly to Dax Museum.

D-HMTB.... this became F-GFFN and crashed at Urdos 25.5.93 as F-GFFN, cancelled by DGAC 1.10.93. Think F-GOCV was a reservation which was never taken up? Maybe initial thoughts for a rebuild?

Helipixman

**Helipixman** · 24th July 2015, 19:18

D-HMTD c/n 1110 where is she now.....

Well after becoming F-GIGN then N708EZ she was registered as RP-C1110 and is currently stored at Manila Airport behind a hangar.

I think the owner is asking too much for the airframe...

(Helipixman Collection)

**Rotorspot** · 25th July 2015, 14:29

Some new Gazelle registrations in Russia, just published in Air-Britain News July 2015:

RA-05705 SA341G Gazelle, c/n 1145; history F-WKQH, N341BB, N641HM, G-SFTD, G-RIFC, G-SFTD, G-WELA, G-PYOB, G-GZLE, HA-LFD, N341BB, RA-1828G, RA-05705

RA-05706 SA341B Gazelle AH.1, c/n WA/1802; history ZA733(G), G-CHBR, RA-05706

RA-05708 SA341C Gazelle HT.2, c/n WA/1045; history XW854(G), G-CBSD, G-TIZZ, RA-2013G, RA-05707

Cheers, Jos

**Savoia** · 25th July 2015, 20:45

Grazie Jos!

Btw, do you think one day we will ever accurately know just how many Gazelles are in Russia?

Regarding 1145, some memories from her earlier days ..

SA341G G-SFTD (cn 1145) as seen at Goodwood Aerodrome in 1986

SA341G G-SFTD (cn 1145) as seen at Goodwood Aerodrome on 21st October 1990 (Photo: Keith C. Wilson)

SA341G G-SFTD (cn 1145) unknown location c. 1991

SA342 F-MGEX as seen at L’aérodrome d’Albi in France:

With thanks to the drivers of 'GEX' for their spirited departure!

**Savoia** · 26th July 2015, 10:35

Crabtree Gazelles have added a new acquisition to their collection, a US registered SA341G stretched Gazelle.

The aircraft (cn. 1410) has a civilian background, is currently registered as N901B, and is being shipped to the UK at this time.

The UK is already home to the majority of the world's stretched Gazelles, and this latest addition to the Crabtree fleet will further reinforce this demographic.

SA341G(S) N901B (cn 1410) being readied for shipping, July 2015 (Photo: Crabtree Gazelles)

SA341G(S) N901B (cn 1410) being transported to container, July 2015 (Photo: Crabtree Gazelles)

SA341G(S) N901B (cn 1410) being packed into container, July 2015 (Photo: Crabtree Gazelles)

With our thanks to Steve for these photos of his new bird!

Jos/Elipix: Given that Zishelix is on vacation, are you able to come up with any background info on this craft, including perhaps her year of manufacture? I 'think' she may have been delivered to the US directly from Marignane.

As her construction number is in the 1400's, I imagine that she may have been delivered to Aérospatiale USA as opposed to Vought Helicopters. Does anyone know in which year Vought stopped serving as the Aérospatiale distributor?

**Savoia** · 26th July 2015, 21:15

Southwestern France yesterday:

SA342J(S) F-HGUN (cn 1058) as seen at Arcachon La Teste-de-Buch Airport, Arcachon, France on 25th July 2015 (Photo: Jean Goubert)

**Savoia** · 27th July 2015, 09:32

SA341C HT2 XW845 CU-47 (cn 1007) from 705 Squadron as seen at RNAS Yeovilton on 29th July 1989 (Photo: Steve Ryle)

**md600driver** · 27th July 2015, 13:19

Originally posted by Rotorspot View Post

The cancellations to Russia were indeed published some time ago. However, it is only now that their Russian registrations with the correct tie-up to their construction numbers has emerged.

Quite a few of us in the UK knew the Russian registrations.

**Savoia** · 28th July 2015, 10:31

RAF GAZ

SA341D G-CBSH (cn WA1344) at an unknown location on 10th June 2015. Ex-RAF XX406

This was the Gaz we reported a year or more ago as having been 'abandoned' at Rochester Airport in Kent. My Kent contact suggested the craft was in need of a little TLC. Steve then reported that the cab had been collected with the intention of making her fit-for-flight once again .. the evidence of which we now see!

Still registered to the same owner in Kent but, rumour has it she may now be involved with the Gazelle Squadron.

SA341D XW898 (cn WA1191) as seen at RAF Little Rissington in August 1976 (Photo: Gerrit Kok)

This ex-Central Flying School cab went onto the civilian register in 2002 and became G-CBXT. In 2008 this craft was involved in a tragic accident claiming the lives of the three persons who were travelling on-board.

An excerpt from the accident report reads:

The aircraft was en-route from a private site near Tamworth, Staffordshire, to a maintenance facility near Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton, Somerset. As it approached Langley Hill, near Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, it appears to have unintentionally entered IMC and subsequently impacted the hillside. All three occupants were fatally injured.

**Rotorspot** · 28th July 2015, 19:55

Originally posted by Savoia View Post

Crabtree Gazelles have added a new acquisition to their collection, a US registered SA341G stretched Gazelle.

The aircraft (cn. 1410) has a civilian background, is currently registered as N901B, and is being shipped to the UK at this time.

The UK is already home to the majority of the world's stretched Gazelles, and this latest addition to the Crabtree fleet will further reinforce this demographic.

Jos/Elipix: Given that Zishelix is on vacation, are you able to come up with any background info on this craft, including perhaps her year of manufacture? I 'think' she may have been delivered to the US directly from Marignane.

As her construction number is in the 1400's, I imagine that she may have been delivered to Aérospatiale USA as opposed to Vought Helicopters. Does anyone know in which year Vought stopped serving as the Aérospatiale distributor?

Manufactured in 1977 she was initially delivered to the USA as N49526. Later that year she became C-GXTW, was cancelled on export to the USA on 09-Nov-1993 where she once again became N49526, and finally became N901B in Dec-1996. Canadian owners were a.o. (in chronological order) Apex Helicopters, Northland Helicopters Alta Ltd, Precision Helicopters Inc, Northland Helicopters Alta Ltd, Rotor Breeze Aviation Ltd, and finally Aero Arctic Ltd. I have no idea whether Apex was the first owner in Canada.

The history of Vought Helicopter Inc (VHI) can be found at http://www.vought.org/special/html/shelicopter.html

In January 1976, the company name was changed from Vought Helicopter Inc (VHI) to Aerospatiale Helicopter Corporation (AHC).

Greetz,
Jos.

**Savoia** · 29th July 2015, 20:22

Grazie Jos/Elipix!

I am wondering if Steve's new bird (1410 as C-GXTW) and 1308 (as C-FWYN) were the first (and perhaps only) two stretched Gazelles in Canada.

The Latest from Hungary:

**Rotorspot** · 30th July 2015, 13:00

YU-HDM

I am looking for the correct identity of Soko Gazelle YU-HDM. She has been mentioned as c/n 018 (ex JRV12753) and as c/n 056 (ex JRV12754). Which one is correct? Unfortunately she was written off in an accident on 25-Jun-1996 in Nis.

Cheers,
Jos

**Savoia** · 31st July 2015, 21:28

SA341C Westland Gazelle UR-PRIV (cn WA1148) as seen 'somewhere in the Ukraine. Date unknown

**Savoia** · 1st August 2015, 09:17

Army Air Corps SA341B XZ347 (cn WA1713) as seen at Middle Wallop on 13th June 1998 (Photo: Steve Ryle)

Army Air Corps SA341B XW865 (cn WA1119) as seen at Middle Wallop on 13th June 1998 (Photo: Steve Ryle)

Army Air Corps SA341B ZA729 (cn WA1798) as seen at Middle Wallop on 15th June 1998 (Photo: Steve Ryle)

Army Air Corps SA341B ZB688 (cn WA1999) from 670 Sqn, as seen at Middle Wallop on 13th June 1998 (Photo: Steve Ryle)

Army Air Corps SA341B ZB689 (cn WA2002) as seen at Middle Wallop in May 1994 (Photo: Steve Ryle)

Army Air Corps SA341B ZA777 (cn WA1819) from 671 Sqn, as seen at Middle Wallop on 13th June 1998 (PhotoL Steve Ryle)

This last photo depicts the ill-fated ZA777 whose sorry ending you may read about here.

**Savoia** · 1st August 2015, 09:31

Steve & co. arriving at RAF Church Fenton with 'Tweety Bird' at the start of the year:

SA342J HA-LFH (cn 1775) as seen at RAF Church Fenton in January 2015 (Photo: Ben Hall)

Tweety Bird arriving at Breighton:

**Savoia** · 1st August 2015, 11:33

A batch of brand new British Army Gazelles being displayed to NATO representatives at Bielefeld in Germany on 7th June 1974.

No sound sadly. If anyone recognises any of the faces in the video .. please let us know who they are.

**Savoia** · 2nd August 2015, 08:48

HA-PPY SUNDAY!

HA-PPY at Prestige Heliport yesterday:

And also (for good measure) HA-LFX:

**Helipixman** · 3rd August 2015, 20:01

STRIKE BACK LEGACY......

On Wednesday a Gazelle appeared at the end of the episode of Strike Back (Sky One).

And it was HA-LFN Soko Gazelle s/n 045

(Photo: Gibas Andor gyujtemenyebol)

**Savoia** · 3rd August 2015, 20:38

Earlier today ..

SA341G(S) YU-HWF (cn 1407) as seen at Welshpool Airport in Wales on 3rd August 2015 (Photo: Brian Nicholas)

Ex-F-GIJR and G-EHUP.

**Savoia** · 6th August 2015, 20:32

Syrian Air Force SA342 (No further details)

Announcement

Shrieking Gazelles

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