Shrieking Gazelles

[aslawrence]

Good Morning Gazelle Fans!

Just a little info about The Gazelle Squadron, a unique team of ex-British Military Gazelle helicopters in their original military colours and with their original military registrations flying in the UK.

The core team includes four Gazelles, one from each service; The Royal Navy, The Royal Marines, The Army Air Corps and The Royal Air Force. Initially the RAF and RM aircraft are appearing as static pair at airshows. The Gazelle Squadron are presently rebuilding the other aircraftand working up to a full flying display.

For more information about the Gazelle Display Squadron and their Gazelles please visit Gazelle Squadron website.

At the end of last year I teamed up with the Gazelle Military Helicopter Trust and its sister outfit, the Gazelle Squadron, based near Andover, in the hope of raising some funds for their Gazelle restorations, completing an Operation Corporate Gazelle ZA730 of the Royal Marines, 'Breaking Cover - 14th June 1982' and a second painting of an RM Gazelle during Operation Telic, 'Basra Beauty' - 31st March 2003'. Hopefully once the restoration of XW849 is complete they will also be able to restore ZA730 to air worth status in its Falklands colours and weapon fit.

Here are my paintings:

"Breaking Cover"


"Basra Beauty"

[Zishelix]

Welcome aboard, Aslawrence! So glad you decide to join Aviafora.

Thanks a lot for these from-the-first-hand-info regarding The Gazelle Squadron. You guys doing a great job! Looking forward to see more news & pics of your birds here.

As far as of these nice paintings you posted, I'm sure Sav will fix it soon... so, just keep them coming!

[Savoia]

Ciao Antonio, benvenuto in Aviafora !!!

Congratulations on your paintings, most enjoyable!

We are glad to have those associated with the Gazelle Squadron participating on 'Shrieking Gazelles'!

Regarding posting photos .. in a nutshell .. photos need to be hosted elsewhere and then copied into the text of the message, but full photo-posting instruction may be found here.

Once again a warm welcome to Aviafora.

Brgds

Sav

[Zishelix]

XW849 resting at Wyton in July 1982 (Photo: Robin Walker)



Anthony, I hope you'll find the photo interesting despite its badly cropping (look the SNEB's rear fairing )

[Zishelix]

Thanks for reminding me that XW849 was intended for the Falklans but actually didn't actually go. By the way, do you know which Gazelles were in the batch of 16 aircraft which were modified for the campaign?

[aslawrence]

The 9 modified Gazelle A.H1's of 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron that reached the Falklands were
XX376 C K
XX380 C M
XX402 C G
XX411 C X
XX412 C Y
XX413 C Z
ZA730 C F
ZA776 C H
XZ326

Combat replacements XW893 and XX444 Arrived in port William on the 18th June.

I will see if I can find which Gazelles were modified but did not depart.

The 656 Squadron Army Air Corps Gazelles were sent to the Falklands were

XW912
XZ332
XZ346
XZ329
XZ340

656 AAC Prepared for deployment
XX377
XX290
XX321
XX409
XZ314
ZA728

[Zishelix]

Anthony, thank you so much for your kind help regarding Operation Corporate Gazelles!

[Savoia]

SA341G(S) N901B (cn 1410) Breighton 20th September 2015 (Photo: Philip Jackson)

A big Bravo to Steve on the appearance of 901 at Breighton yesterday!

I believe this is the first time for this craft to operate in the UK?

Steve, out of interest, do you have to maintain British, American and Hungarian licences?

[md600driver]

Hungarian and UK are covered by an EASA licence, and an FAA one is for American.

[Savoia]

South American Gazelles


SA342L E-355 (cn 1879) Ecuadorian Army as seen at Pastaza Airport in Shell Mera Ecuador on 4th June 2015 (Photo: Hofma)

[Savoia]

SA341D G-EZZL (cn 1104) as seen at Sywell Aerodrome on 30th May 2015 (Photo: Paul Beale)

[Savoia]

The Kurtcraft departing Ursel recently:

Nice 'max performance' departure of a Gaz (XZ334) from Portrush a few days ago:

[Zishelix]

Another eye-catching photo of YU-HES to accompany the one which appeared on the previous page.



YU-HES posing at Shoreham on September 11th, 2015 (Photo: Martin Stephen)

[Zishelix]

[Savoia]

Serbian Gazelles


SA341G YU-HFI (cn 069) as seen at Vršac Airport in Serbia on 30th August 2014 (Photo: Dejan Milinkovic)

[Savoia]

SA341G JA9164 (cn 1022) as seen in Japan (date unknown)

Now known as N505HA.

[Savoia]

Could it be that in Star Wars VII 'The Force Awakens' we will witness the emergence of the first ever intergalactic Gazelle?

I suppose we shall just have to wait and see ..

[Zishelix]

OK, Gazelle was a machine ahead of it's time... but not so ahead

[Savoia]

Not entirely sure whether this has been posted before (I don't think so), although some of the craft in this clip have appeared in previous videos. Still, there's a nice little collection of Hungarian Gazelles, plus an Alouette II thrown in for good measure:

[500 Fan]

I didn't know Majorette made a Dallas Gazelle! I had a Securitie Civil one when I was a kid.

[Zishelix]

Really?! Me too!



In the meantime, you obtained real one(s)

By the way, Majorette made more than 15 Gazelle toys in different c/s.

[Savoia]

Right, well .. if we're really going down this road involving toy helicopters .. then I confess to having had a Solido version with 'Europ Assistance' titles. Solido were eventually bought-out by Majorette so hopefully that still counts!

See link below for example:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/EK...A=w600-h261-no

While on models .. Jumblies Models of Norwich in the UK currently have a discount running on their die-cast Army Gazelle, see link below:

http://www.jumbliesmodels.com/diecas...my-xz310-p3281

[Savoia]

WA1081

We briefly mentioned WA1081 on the previous page.

This is an ex-705 Squadron, Royal Navy bird; ex-XW857, ex-CBSB, ex-G-LEDR, ex-G-OJCO .. and presently G-CTFS.

Here are some shots of her old and new interior:

Old Interior:





New Interior:

[Savoia]

More 901 ..

Another take on Steve's latest acquisition following her visit to Breighton on Sunday:


SA341G(S) 'Crabtree Gazelle' N901B (cn 1410) as seen at Breighton Aerodrome on 20th September 2015 (Photo: Nick)

Steve, Zis and I discussed this in the past, but now I am sure you will be able to confirm the answer .. are the doors on '901' comprised of two-piece perspex, or is the 'normal' connecting 'bar' on the lower portion of the door perspex painted over?

[md600driver]

I have just been and checked and the bottom perspex is one piece. The bar is still there however, but behind the perspex.

[Savoia]

Grazie mille Steve! I think this is probably unique among Gazelles.

Zis - It seems therefore as if we were both right!

[Savoia]

French Gazelles may be flying over Suffolk in the UK as part of joint military exercise

Check out details regarding XZ313 at Durham Helicopter Museum

RA-1158G still for sale

[Zishelix]

Check out details regarding XZ313 at Durham Helicopter Museum

Hats off to the guys in DHM !



XZ313 "N" at Middle Wallop in June 1979 (Photo: Robin Walker)

[Savoia]

Do you happen to know if this craft is now fully restored?

[Zishelix]

I don't know how far they have progressed in this project. Their last FB up-date was in February.

[Savoia]

A nice assortment of Hungarian craft running in and out of Dráva and Prestige heliports in Budapest.

For the die-hard Gazelle fans, the Gazelles (HA-LFX & HA-PPY) don't appear until 3 mins:

[Savoia]

Army Air Corps SA341B ZB691 (cn 2006) as seen at Salisbury Plains Training Area on 10th September 2015 (Photo: Chris Globe)

[Savoia]

Serbian Air Force SA342 12936 (cn 156) as seen at Batajnica Air Base on 19th September 2015 (Photo: Bukvic Ivan)

[Savoia]

If you have never watched Money Week's "The Plague of the Black Debt" - then I recommend this video.

For those with concerns over the future of the economy, either in the UK or Europe, it will be an hour well spent.

Check out the video at ..

[Savoia]

G-CHBJ

A look at G-CHBJ's interior refit prior to her sale to Russia last year:









G-CHBJ began life as the sister-ship to G-BCHM when she was first registered in June 1974 as G-BCHN. In 1976 she seems to have been sold to the MoD to became a RAF bird flying as XX440 before being demobbed in 2012. Her construction number is WA1184 but I am unsure of her Russian registration.

Presumably she became an SA341D in 1976 and then back to an SA341G in 2012, and I wonder too whether she is viewed (by the authorities) as a military or civilian bird in terms of Permit to Fly restrictions?

[Savoia]

An ALAT Gazelle 'Viviane' recovers members of a special operations detachment during exercises in June 2001 (Photo: Eric Lefort)

[Zishelix]

An ALAT Gazelle 'Viviane' ..

Slight correction... see post #1106

Thanks for posting G-CBHJ interior pics!

[Savoia]

Ah yes, wrong gun sight! Grazie.

[Zishelix]

Lac St Jean Aviation's CF-CCZ in 1975 (Clint Groves Collection)



R.I.P. Clint

[Savoia]

Lovely classic photo there Zis, and nicely tied-in to the 'Gazelles in Japan' post further up the page where 1022 appears as JA9164. Presumably this aircraft was one of the few Gazelles delivered new to Canada?

[Zishelix]

Indeed, then shortly become N67058 before went to Japan.

[Zishelix]

Colour drawing of F-WTNV c. 1975

[Savoia]

Very nice Zis! Some lovely 70's nostalgia in your last couple of posts, bravo!

[Savoia]

SA341G(S) G-BXJK (cn 1417) as seen at Thruxton Aerodrome in the late 1990's (Photo: Michael Rice)

[Savoia]

SA341G(S) N901B (cn 1410) as seen at Breighton Aerodrome on 20th September 2015 (Photo: Dave Marshall)

Another shot of Steve's recent visit to Breighton.

More 901 ..


SA341G(S) N901B (cn 1410) as seen at Church Fenton Aerodrome on 26th September 2015 (Photo: Curtis Smith)