Blue Thunder movie memorabilia 
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SA341C G-CBGZ (cn WA1915) landing at the Livermead House Hotel in Torquay in September 2017
Paul Weatherhead recently landed his SA341C at the Livermead Hotel in Torquay where hotel staff greeted him with afternoon tea (below)!
G-CHBR on 'special assignment' as RA-057056 in Russia (Photo: Vitaly Veresk)
SA341 sporting a ski-basket in the Abkhazia region of Russia in the Spring of 2017 (Photo: Sergey Navrotsky)Comment
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Re: G-CHBR/RA-057056, seems practical to have two registrations in the same time!
I didn't know it's possible... one of those "Only in Russia" things?
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G-BZOS - More photos thankfully now stored inside a workshop.
HelipixmanComment
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SA341G(S) N901B (cn 1410) as seen at Breighton in September 2017 (Photo: David Marshall)
For those who enjoy stretching in the morning (I can think of better things to do) here's another stretch:
SA341G(S) G-SKUL (1491) as seen at Southend Rochford Airport on 31st July 2005 (Photo: John Coleman)
This bird is now flying as YU-HEW although I haven't seen any recent photos of her.Comment
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Moondancer!
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'Moodance', lol, an interesting rip from the Nevada-based outfit! (Now owned by Air Methods of course). https://www.sundancehelicopters.com/
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Gendarmerie Royale du Maroc SA342L(S) CN-AID (cn 1360) as seen in Tangier on 1st October 2007
Go to original post.Comment
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Gazelle scale model used for filming the Batman (1989) movie:
And the same item won on auction... looks tagged price was a bargain for a true movie fan.
http://propstoreauction.com/view-auc...son-HelicopterComment
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Movie memorabilia aside, I think I'd rather had the mahogany version we looked at on page 16
> http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=1857#post1857 -
I agree, one example went for quite acceptable price recently
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wooden-Helic...8AAOSwYTVZmGPR
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RA-05706
RA-05706 in Rossija
Some Unidentified Gazelles for the Weekend
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RAF ZB625 s/n 1905 somewhere over England in 1985.
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YU-HVZ Start and Depart
Start and depart from Pannenschop in the Netherlands on 17th September 2017 (Video: Catharina-hoeve Deurne)
3RHC SA342 (Photo: Danny Reijnen)
XB, can you confirm that they are performing a compressor wash?
SA341D's as seen at RAF Ternhill in August 1974
These aircraft flew as members of that inspirationally named
RAF display team known as 'The Gazelles'.
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Grazie XB!
Do you happen to know if there is a hose one can connect to the outlet to avoid the soap and water going everywhere? -
Grazie mille XB!
This sounds like a better arrangement and seems similar to what is used on the Ecureuil. With the 206 water is collected by the engine bay drip-tray and in the 500, well, it just pours onto the ground, but this isn't really an issue because there is nothing between the engine and the ground. If you are in the hangar you can put an drip-tray beneath the engine or even a large basin.
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S5-HCR Departure
SA341H Soko Gazelle S5-HCR (cn 027) Departing Pulkovo Airport near St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2017
I am not sure whether this craft has now been sold to Russia. She was in Italy. No doubt we will find out.Comment
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Interesting. Good to know S5-HCR finally found a new owner.
Ah, fond memories http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=1614#post1614
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Sì, agreed. Although, as mentioned, I am not 100% sure whether she has been sold there, but .. initial info seems to point in that direction. She is certainly there at the moment.
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Landespolizei Gazelle Pin Badge
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Egyptian Air Force SA342L as seen at Mohamed Naguib Military Base, El-Hamam, Egypt on 16th September 2017
(Photo: Michael Battles)
This Gaz was photographed during the 2017 US Central Command Exercise 'Bright Star' which took place between 10-20th September 2017 and involved some 200 US military personnel working alongside members of the Egyptian armed forces. Unfortunately, Staff Sargent Battles (who took the photo) has coloured over the aircraft's identification number.
Aleksandr with RA-05706 at Gostilitsy Airport, Russia, in September 2017
RA-0682G with RA-05706 at Gostilitsy Airport
RA-0682G with RA-05706 at Gostilitsy Airport
RA-0682G pre-flight inspectionComment
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An ALAT Gazelle 'armed' with a surveillance pod?
Is anyone able to enlighten us about this piece of equipment?Comment
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I googled a bit, seems it's a camera pod
http://www.ecpad.fr/missions-de-reco...t-dartillerie/ -
This camera pod is based on the CL289 recce UAV, then in service with the French Army; approximately six pods were available to be fitted on any standard 342M. They included one optical and one IR camera, for vertical photography, and have been mainly used in the Balkans.
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More Black Pete ..
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Egyptian Air Force SA342L's in live fire operations during Exercise Bright Star 2017
Egyptian Air Force SA342L's pass in front of the viewing area during the final combined live fire operations of Exercise Bright Star 2017 (Photo: Tom Gagnier)
SA341G(S) G-OLDH (1307) as seen at Stapleford Aerodrome
I 'believe' the above is cn. 1307. Any confirmation would however be welcome.
G-OLDH is one of about three stretched Gazelles currently available for sale in the UK. In times past there have been occasions when no stretched Gazelles were on the market.
An interesting project could be to convert one of these to a 342, as stretched 342's are rare birds indeed.
Ex-BAG at MWHComment
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A couple of Gazelles caught outside at Stapleford Tawney recently... YU-HMC and YU-HOT
HelipixmanComment
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SA341B G-HSDL (WA1227) as seen at Manchester Barton on 24th September 2017 (Photo: Ian Chantler)Comment
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XW855 seen on display during a recent visit to The RAF Museum, Hendon
HelipixmanComment
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Gazelle Airframes and Parts On Offer
They are owned by Charles Bella in El Paso, USA. Phone no: 915 479 9999
See advert at: https://airplanehub.com/listing/airplane/816
Advert says 3 SA341Gs some damage and three 45ft containers full of spares - sounds like a great opportunity.
Lets hope an Aviaforan can bid on them!
HelipixmanComment
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SA341G F-WTNV (cn 1006) at an unknown location c. 1970's
SA341G N505NM (cn 1408) Stateside c. 2000's
SA341G N37UP (1224) landing in ItaliaComment
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SA341G Gazelle G-RALE (cn 1187) as seen at Carlisle Airport in the 1980's
SA341C ZU-HBH (WA1418) as seen in South Africa in December 2016 (Photo: C. Watson)
SA341C ZU-HBH (WA1418) flying near Port Elizabeth in South Africa in December 2016 (Photo: C. Watson)
SA341H HA-LFY (095) as seen at Hajmáskér Airport, Hungary on 19th August 2010 (Photo: Farkas Gábor)Comment
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G-RALE looks way better on color photos
http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=1404#post1404
http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=6343#post6343
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Polizei Niedersachsen SA342J D-HOPP (cn 1695) at Rasede Neusuedende Heliport on 30th November 1996 (Photo: Mark Diekmann)
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SA341F2 ZU-RLE (1678) in flight near Brakpan Airfield in South Africa in 2017 (Photo: Anton Nel)Comment
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Yes, this shot is not bad at all - well done Anton! I've sent you an email re: obtaining a bigger image.
Concerning this photo, I've not been able to figure-out the lighting effect on the co-pilots door, which has been rendered opaque. The sun seems to be 'riding high' based on the cowling reflections (so I'm guessing taken somewhere close to midday and flying in a roughly westerly direction given the latitude at Brakpan). Perhaps the light was being reflected from the exterior of the door perspex, but I don't quite understand it because the starboard side of the craft seems to be catching the better part of the light!
For another pleasing A2A shot from the same photographer, see here: http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=8268#post8268 -
I agree the lighting on the port side is strange ! Have a close look at the outline of the helicopter and it looks slightly blurred/pixelated which could be due to sharpening or the way the software resizes the image but still does not explain the windows. Only the photographer will know ?
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Oh c'mon, strange reflection so what. Even the photo being photoshopped I don't mind
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RA-057056 Landing near St. PetersburgComment
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ZU-RLH 'Jag' at Middelberg in June 24th, 2017. (Photo: Bruce Perkins)
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Don't think the MoD could be this quick on this type of decision......
Army Air Corps Down-Scaling and Early Retirement of Gazelles
Date Posted: 28-Sep-2017
Author: Tim Ripley
Publication: Jane's Defence Weekly
http://www.janes.com/article/74484/u...-round-of-cuts
Key Points- The UK's Army Air Corps is to lose four more squadrons under a new round of cuts
- The corps' fleet of Gazelle AH1 observation helicopters is to be retired early
British Army chiefs have signed off on the aviation section of the 'Army 2020 Refine' re-organisation project, which includes the disbandment of the Army Air Corps (AAC) regiment based in Northern Ireland and the early retirement of the army’s entire fleet of Westland Gazelle AH1 observation helicopters. Additionally, two new squadrons that were intended to operate the new AgustaWestland Wildcat battlefield utility helicopter will now not be formed.
The plans are expected to be agreed by government ministers and announced before the end of the year.
By concentrating the AAC around the Wildcat and AgustaWestland AH1 Apache attack helicopter, as well as the future Boeing AH-64E variant, British Army chiefs hope to reduce logistic support and personnel costs. Army sources say the package of what are described as “efficiency measures” will lead to army aviation losing around 400 ‘cap-badged’ AAC posts and more than 200 specialists posts from the Royal Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, Royal Logistic Corps, and Adjutant General Corps. The AAC currently has some 1,700 cap-badged personnel and more than 2,000 attached support specialists. The army aims to move fast with the re-organisation and wants to put the measures into place early in 2018.
The heart of the cuts package is the winding up of 5 Regiment, which currently controls AAC squadrons based at Aldergrove Flying Station in Northern Ireland. As Jane’s has previously reported, the regiment’s three Britten-Norman Islander and nine Britten-Norman Defender aircraft, flown by 651 Squadron AAC, are to be switched to the control of Royal Air Force (RAF) Air Command. Army sources say that plans are at an advanced stage to move these aircraft from Aldergrove to RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire next year, after which the aircraft will begin to be flown by RAF crews.
The out-of-service date for the AAC’s 34 Gazelles has now been brought forward to 2018, and the UK Defence Equipment Sales Authority was distributing a brochure at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition in London in September advertising the sale of the helicopters next year. As a result, the Aldergrove-based 665 Squadron will be disbanded.
The manpower assigned to operate the new Wildcat helicopter is also being reduced. It had been accepted that two sub-units, 669 and 672 Squadron, that used to fly the Westland Lynx AH7 and AH9 until last year would be reformed to convert to the new helicopter, but these plans have now been scrapped. The AAC will now only have two operational Wildcat units, 661 and 659 Squadrons, and 652 Squadron will be a training/conversion unit. There is not expected to be a reduction in the number of Wildcats operated by the AAC on a day-to-day basis.
“The examination of aviation structures as part of the army structural change work to implement SDSR15 [the 2015 Strategic Security and Defence Review] is ongoing,” an army spokesperson told Jane’s on 28 September. “Final decisions on structures, locations, and personnel numbers are not expected until the end of the year. These final decisions will also be informed by the outcomes of the department’s current financial planning round and the National Security and Capability Review.”
Analysis
Unsurprisingly, details of the AAC section of the 'Army 2020 Refine' exercise have received a mixed reception from the army aviation community. Although the continued investment in the Apache and Wildcat programmes is welcomed, the loss of hundreds of posts from elsewhere in the AAC will be a cause of concern. This current round of cuts comes on top of the loss of two special forces-roled AAC squadrons (one regular and one reserve) that was reported by Jane’s earlier this month.
The loss of 5 Regiment seemed inevitable when the AAC was unable to win the case for a replacement for the 1960s-vintage Gazelle. Its UK-based counter-terrorism work has also largely been taken over by civilian police helicopters, and the counter-terrorist role of the Islanders and Defenders is seen as overlapping with the work of the RAF’s Shadow R1 aircraft.
The loss of some 400 cap-badged posts out of the current 1,700 must raise questions about the ability of the army to create a career structure to generate and sustain enough aviation subject-matter experts in operational army headquarters and in staff posts across the Ministry of Defence.
The British Army’s aviation branch is thus facing an uncertain future some 60 years since it was established in its current form in 1957.Comment
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GazEn, many thanks for this perspective - much appreciated.
My gripe is that the MoD was supposed to have commissioned a study on this in which they determined that they would operate the Gaz until 2023 or thereabouts, to then reduce the Army's air mobility by five years seems disingenuous. Moreover, I think it is a poor move to entirely eliminate one's 'small scout' capability, a sentiment now shared by the US Army in the wake of having made the same mistake: http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...he-ones-it-had
Regarding the operating cost of the Gazelle in general, as per your comments, where do you think this is going to go in the future with regard to private owners, especially in the matter of the Astazou? -
Its not just Airbus prices, as said the Astazou costs are going to get higher as well, Safran only have a limited amount of spares and depth facilities for these engines, as the engines are going past the 15 year life deeper maintenance is required which needs to be set up and extensions granted, finding manufacturers for near obsolescent parts is not going to be cheap either. One thing that needs to be taken into consideration is losing the people with knowledge on these aircraft, companies cannot afford to keep on specialists if the work is not there or the contracts in place.
Sadly I think we will see the end of BAG's by 2021/22, they have had a good innings though. -
Grazie FS!
Yes, they've had a good innings for sure.
What do you suppose will be the solution with regard to ongoing Astazou maintenance for civvie owners?
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