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  • Greetings!

    I have been reading Aviafora for about six months now, but this is my first post on the forum and I wanted to say how much I enjoy the site, especially ‘Shrieking Gazelles’.

    I am amazed at the content on this thread and really appreciate the friendly atmosphere between the pilots/owners, engineers and enthusiasts who comment on here. There seems to be an acceptance of all people including ‘ordinary’ folks too, and this is really refreshing.

    My background is that of having served with An tAerchór (the Irish Air Corps) and my first encounter with the Gazelle was with serial number 1772, Irish Air Corps registration ‘237’ an SA342L which arrived at Baldonnel’s Casement Aerodrome (where An tAerchór are based) in December of 1979. Although now retired from the army, I have kept in regular contact with the crews at Baldonnel.

    Being a follower of Shrieking Gazelles I read with interest about the 50th Anniversary meet at Middle Wallop and, as a result decided to attend and to bring some of those who are learning to fly at the flying school with which I am now involved which is based at Weston Airfield just outside of Dublin.

    To get to the event we flew from Dublin to Bristol on Friday the 7th, hired a car and drove to Andover to overnight at the local Premier Inn, then up early on Saturday morning for the drive to Wallop arriving there at 10am.

    Dom White from the Gazelle Squadron spent a long time speaking to us about the Gazelle, and we were all suitably impressed. Congratulations to those who put this event together, we had a great weekend.

    Visiting Middle Wallop was also somewhat nostalgic for me as in 1993 I met the Blue Eagles there and subsequently got to stay with them on several occasions and of which I have many happy memories.

    I only recently found out that ‘Steve’ who bought our second Gazelle ‘241’ is a member of this forum. Sadly I missed him on the day that he took 241 away from Baldonnel, but I waited to see him on Saturday at the fly-in and finally got to meet him.

    My congratulations to those involved with running this site and especially to those contributing and making comments, you’ve made it a nice place to visit and where people feel welcome.

    Best regards

    ‘Joe Gazelle’


    The 'crew' from Sky West flying school at Middle Wallop for the recent Gaz meet



    http://www.skywest.ie/

    ps: Based from what I have seen of his comments so far, I am guessing that member Zishelix may ask me if I have any photos from my time with the Air Corps, and of the Gazelles in particular. The answer is yes I do - and I shall be posting some of these in the weeks ahead.

    Comment


    • Zishelix
      Zishelix commented
      Editing a comment
      Welcome aboard, Joe Gazelle! Looking forward to your future posts here (you're right, I won't miss to ask you for the photos )

      By the way, do you know Frank Grealish, an Irish aviation enthusiast and photographer?

    • joe gazelle
      joe gazelle commented
      Editing a comment
      gazelle 50th at wallop, L/R joe gazelle, student pilots, percy holman, pat dooley, adam geoghegan. superb day.



  • Dear Joe

    A very warm welcome to Aviafora!

    I have fond memories of the 'Emerald Isle' from the early 80's when together with my late godfather I had the pleasure of flying the race horse trainer Vincent O'Brien as well as the then Taoiseach, Charlie Haughey. I also flew Brendan O'Mahony's JetRanger on numerous occasions, including one memorable event which involved an emergency landing at Dublin after the newly installed Sperry directional gyro caught fire!

    Thank you for your comments regarding the site. We are still finding our feet in many respects and there are likely to be some changes in the offing, probably over the coming year.

    It is great to read of your support for Gaz 50, to know that you had an enjoyable day and that you were also able to meet-up with Steve.

    Let me echo Zishelix's comments by saying 'welcome aboard'.

    Oh, and please be sure to check out our St. Patrick's day greeting here, showing your ex-241!

    Regards

    Savoia

    Comment


    • joe gazelle
      joe gazelle commented
      Editing a comment
      hi all, many thanks to ye for accepting me onto you superb site, i am very gratefull to everyone. ZISHELIX yes i do know frank very well, a very genuine chap and have met him on many times over the years. yes i will be posting pics of gazelles from the aircorp that are in my collection, looking forward to posting them. regards gazelle.

    • Zishelix
      Zishelix commented
      Editing a comment
      A great chap, indeed. He kindly support my Gazelle photo collection with some nice IAC Gazelle pics!

  • HA-LFH Update

    Just to let you know that LFH is now finishing up her 600 hour inspection.

    I have to say that I am totally impressed with the maintenance organisation I am using, they have been absolutely first class.

    In addition to the 600 hr I've also had the engine, rotorhead, main gearbox, drive shaft and gearbox deck thoroughly cleaned and re-surfaced/re-painted.

    Here are some photos of her being pampered.


















    At this stage I am planning to collect her next month, so I may post some additional photos at that time and perhaps even a video.

    Comment


    • Zishelix
      Zishelix commented
      Editing a comment
      Glad to see you back again, Adrian! Thanks for the brief report of the maintenance progress on your bird. I'm not qualified to comment quality of the works but the workshop itself looks quite organized and well-managed

    • Savoia
      Savoia commented
      Editing a comment
      Adrian, LFH is lucky to have you as her owner, as you are taking very good care of her. She looks terrific, and they surely seem to be doing a great job!

      Thanks for keeping us informed, much appreciated.

  • Nice to see my craft in scale 1/6th:

    Comment


    • Savoia
      Savoia commented
      Editing a comment
      Nice one, the 'Baby X-Craft'!

  • In celebrating Joe's arrival on Aviafora, and seeing as Zis mentioned Frank ..



    SA342L '241' (cn 1854) as seen at Baldonnel's Casement Aerodrome in December 2005 (Photo: Frank Grealish)

    After leaving the Air Corps this cab became a Crabtree Gaz, after which she was sold to South Africa where she now flies as ZU-RZR.

    Comment




    • XX436 39 over Wiltshire 2017 (Photo: Michael)


      G-ZZEL at Bourne Park in 2017 (Photo: Michael)


      321 being rebuilt at Bourne Park in 2017 (Photo: Michael)

      Comment


      • Joe was right when he assumed I was going to ask him for photos from his time with An tAerchór!

        Are you aware of anyone who may have a high-res photo or graphic of the Air Corp's 75th Anniversary and RIAT 2005 badges?



        Comment


        • joe gazelle
          joe gazelle commented
          Editing a comment
          hiya zishelix, yes i do know someone that would have just what your looking for. please give me a day or two and i will go through my collection and send them to you. P.S many thanks for the welcome note.

        • Zishelix
          Zishelix commented
          Editing a comment
          Thanks in advance, Joe!

      • What does QinetiQ do to there Gazelles to make them go this fast - 370 kts!!



        Courtesy of Aviaforan Steve.

        Comment


        • Rotorspot
          Rotorspot commented
          Editing a comment
          Perhaps a bit of tailwind??

      • Some interesting souvenirs from The Gazelle Squadron Display Team!





        I wonder are there same stickers made for the rest of their fleet?

        Comment




      • 901, the X-Craft and Fenestrons in a Row


        N901B as seen at Middle Wallop on 8th April 2017 (Photo: Phil Whalley)


        N341AS as seen at Middle Wallop on 8th April 2017 (Photo: Phil Whalley)


        Gaz Tails as seen at Middle Wallop on 8th April 2017 (Photo: Phil Whalley)

        Comment


        • Gaz50 Merchandise Now Available!

          Hi Guys, loving all the pics and lovely words regarding Gazelle50.

          There is also a very nice article about the fly-in with some additional photos (some of which Sav has already posted) here: http://www.paullangshawphotography.u...ts/gazelle-50/

          Our first batch of merchandise (all related to Gaz50) is now available. Here is the link: http://www.threshold.aero/merchandise

          Further items will be added in the coming weeks.

          Upcoming Events

          I'm into the planning stage for the next big event for next year. All to be revealed soon.

          Also, Threashold will be hosting stalls at both the Abingdon and Cosford Airshows, to which Avia members are most welcome.

          The Abingdon show will take place on Sunday 14th May 2017 and where at least one Gazelle will be present (G-ZZLE). Also, the evening before the show we shall be hosting a special 'night shoot' to which again Avia members are most welcome.

          Avia member Adrian is going to be bringing HA-LFH to RAF Cosford to help keep the 50th Anniversary celebrations going, so why not mark the day in your diary and consider coming along! Cosford Airshow, Sunday 11th June 2017.

          Comment


          • Zishelix
            Zishelix commented
            Editing a comment
            Lovely items, Andy! My order has been placed!

            Also looking forward to find out more about 'the next big event'

          • Savoia
            Savoia commented
            Editing a comment
            Well done Andy, very nice.

          • Fene Strong
            Fene Strong commented
            Editing a comment
            Thanks Andy, i shall purchase at the Abingdon show



        • Airbus Celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Gazelle’s Maiden Flight

          Marignane, France, 25th April 2017

          Airbus Helicopters celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Gazelle's maiden flight today during a conference at the museum of aviation in St Victoret, near the company headquarters.

          Fifty years after its maiden flight on 7 April 1967, the Gazelle is still being operated by nearly 100 customers in 34 countries and it is appreciated for its ease of maintenance and high reliability.

          Developed and manufactured in cooperation with the United Kingdom at the end of the 1960s, more than 1,250 Gazelles have been delivered. Today 470 rotorcraft - more than a third of all Gazelles manufactured - are still in service, a hundred of which are operated by the French army.

          A helicopter of many 'firsts', the Gazelle was the first Airbus helicopter to be equipped with the Fenestron which is still present on Airbus' light and medium rotorcraft, including the first of the 'H' generation, the H160. This major innovation improves safety around the tail rotor on the ground and reduces the noise level of the rotorcraft. It was also the first Airbus helicopter to be equipped with glass-resin blades developed in cooperation with the German company Bölkow.

          Lastly, it was the first helicopter in the world to be awarded the IFR qualification, category I, by the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority), allowing operators to fly to instrument flight rules with a single pilot on board.

          On 15 May 1971, the Gazelle broke three speed records in its category:
          • Over 3 km: 310 km/h
          • 15/25 km: 312 km/h
          • Over 100 km in a closed circuit: 296 km/h
          The Gazelle was a major success in the military sector and nearly 80% of the rotorcraft in service are used by armies around the world. By the end of December 2016, the Gazelle fleet had accumulated more than 7 million flight hours.

          The Gazelles (SA341 and SA342) that have accumulated the most flight hours (14,200 and 13,100 respectively) are currently operating in the United States.
          http://www.publicnow.com/view/9816A4...+01:00-xxx7590

          Comment


          • Zishelix
            Zishelix commented
            Editing a comment
            Seems the celebration was organized pretty much in hurry since no announcement was released... at least I wasn't aware of such info. Still, no word about it on the official website.

            However, I'm glad to hear a 'big birthday' was marked by Airbus Helicopters! Hopefully they saved at least part of Gazelle production archives.

          • N48284
            N48284 commented
            Editing a comment
            Yes, it does come across as a bit of an after thought, perhaps they have been unusually busy or something?

            We had hoped to see Airbus at the Anniversary Fly-In, but alas they were unable to attend.

          • Savoia
            Savoia commented
            Editing a comment

        • This one is for new Aviaforan Joe Gazelle, ex-Irish Air Corps pilot!

          Comment


          • Originally posted by Zishelix View Post
            This one is for new Aviaforan Joe Gazelle, ex-Irish Air Corps pilot!

            many thanks zishelix, thats probably a franky shot, early 82, we had not put the irish flag on the tail yet, as on 237 in 1979.

            Comment


            • Zishelix
              Zishelix commented
              Editing a comment
              Probably, I'm not aware of details about the photo.

              Joe, any chance you might have any pic of 237 or 241 from the day of their delivery? I wonder if they had test&ferry regs F-W--- before IAC serials?

          • WA.341C G-CBKD (s/n 1130; ex UK Navy XW868) at Welshpool in June 8th, 2014 (Photo: Brian Nicholas)



            Anyone know where's she now?

            Comment


            • Savoia
              Savoia commented
              Editing a comment
              Did she perhaps become a part bird?

            • GazEngineer
              GazEngineer commented
              Editing a comment
              She is at stapleford still in one piece and used by us

          • Black tail Navy Shark XW861/CU59 at Lee on Solent in June 1977



            Pity such good looking paintwork can't be seen on present Gazelles, at least as temporary c/s for display.

            Comment


            • Savoia
              Savoia commented
              Editing a comment
              Perhaps the Gaz Squad will paint one their craft in this livery for a season!

          • SA.341G F-GETS (s/n 1019) during Paris-Dakar Rally in 1991 (Photo: Guy Brochot)

            Comment


            • Savoia
              Savoia commented
              Editing a comment
              Nice one Zis. Do you know the fate of this bird?

            • Zishelix
              Zishelix commented
              Editing a comment
              Sadly, this nice machine was lost in fire on Issy les Moulineaux in December 7th, 1991



          • N901B at Middle Wallop on 8th April 2017 (Photo: Nick Challoner)


            N341AS at Middle Wallop on 8th April 2017 (Photo: Barry Lewis)


            SA341B G-HSDL (WA1227) as seen at Manchester Barton on 25th March 2017 (Photo: John Davidson)


            SA341G(S) YU-HEY (1320) as seen at Conington Airfield on 22nd April 2017 (Photo: David Russel)

            Comment


            • Threshold 2018 'Main Event'

              Andy, are you perhaps able to give us a cryptic clue as to what the subject matter of your main event for next year will be?

              Comment


              • N48284
                N48284 commented
                Editing a comment
                Ok here it is!

                A real workhorse, the son of penniless Boeing fans.

                No longer Men At Work, this type did serve for a Land Down Under, but these dogs of war were never Australian shepherds.

              • Savoia
                Savoia commented
                Editing a comment
                Ha ha great stuff Andy, grazie!

                I now require the assistance of fellow Aviaforans in deciphering this clue!



            • Another Gaz Heads South

              An unidentified Gazelle wearing the British Army registration (XZ316) heads south this week to join the ever growing numbers of Gazelle in South Africa. No further details at this stage.





              Comment


              • GazEngineer
                GazEngineer commented
                Editing a comment
                When you compare it to pictures of the actual xz316 on google you can see it's not the same aircraft as in these pictures so it would be interesting to find out what helicopter this was

              • Fene Strong
                Fene Strong commented
                Editing a comment
                Yep, definitely not XZ316.

              • Fene Strong
                Fene Strong commented
                Editing a comment
                Anyone know which aircraft this is? and why it has 316 on it?

            • VH-OIW


              SA341C VH-OIW (WA1007) as seen at Rowland Flat Airfield, Barossa Valley, Australia on 2nd April 2017 (Photo: Philip Hosking)

              Comment




              • SA341F2 ZU-RJH (cn 1374) as seen at Wonderboom Airport in South Africa on 24th February 2017 (Photo: Stephan Rossouw)

                ~ ~ ~

                Still working on Andy's clue regarding next year's event and acknowledge that next year is also the 70th anniversary of the first flight of the De Havilland Drover, which used to operate in PNG where I once flew. De Havilland Australia, who developed the craft, were bought by Boeing.

                Next year is also:
                • The centenary of the RAF
                • Duxford's centenary
                • The centenary of the end of WW1

                Comment




                • BATUS Flight Gazelles in Canada, April 2017 (Photo: Simon Longworth)


                  Inside BATUS Flight Gazelle ZB677 in Canada, April 2017 (Photo: Simon Longworth)


                  The city of Calgary as seen from Simon's Gazelle in April 2017 (Photo: Simon Longworth)



                  SA341B ZU-RLH (WA1600) as seen at Wonderboom Airport in South Africa in April 2017 (Photo: Bob Adams)


                  Comment


                  • One of the very few photos of the Brazilian Gazelle PT-HFL.



                    Another photo of this bird (in colour) can be seen here.

                    Comment


                    • Savoia
                      Savoia commented
                      Editing a comment
                      Well done Zis! She is a rare bird indeed. I think these are the only two photos of her in existence, or so it seems. I know HFL ran around São Paulo for much of her time, but that shot looks as though it was taken at Santos Dumont in Rio.

                  • XX382


                    SA341D G-BZYB (WA1272) ex-XX382 as seen at Ha'penny Green on 3rd June 2006 (Photo: Dan Knight)

                    Records indicate that this was a Crabtree Gazelle which was sold to the Ukraine.

                    Comment


                  • Restored SA340 #002 F-ZWRA at Aeroscopia Aeronautical Museum in Toulouse.





                    I have added this to my list of places to visit in France.

                    http://www.musee-aeroscopia.fr/

                    Comment




                    • SA341GC I-PNIC (cn 002) as seen in Caiolo, Italy, on 22nd August 2014 (Photo: Davide Mascheroni)

                      Comment


                      • I doubt this one was taken in Kuwait


                        Photo: Remy Bertrand

                        Comment




                        • YAF 12611 NFI

                          This craft seems to share serial numbers 1079 as a 341G and later 003 as a 341H, seen here wearing the 1079 serial.


                          Possibly Banja Luka in 1979 NFI

                          Comment


                          • Zishelix
                            Zishelix commented
                            Editing a comment
                            Interesting! I'd say it's YU-HBG on this b/w photo.

                          • Savoia
                            Savoia commented
                            Editing a comment
                            Grazie .. I was wondering!



                        • SA341F2's as seen at Dax on 30th May 2010 (Photo: Runway28)



                          SA341B XZ343 (WA1698) as seen at Middle Wallop 13th June 1998 (Photo: Steve Ryle)

                          Comment

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