The Rotary Nostalgia Thread

[Savoia]

On the old thread we managed to cover the bulk of British 'A' reg 206's but .. there were a couple which didn't make it and (I think) this craft was one of them:


Bell 206A JetRanger G-AYDK (cn 337) as seen at Fairoaks Airport in 1970 (Photo: Bill Bushell)

This craft was the 44th 206 to be registered in the UK and was the 13th Bell-built example (the others having been built by Agusta). She operated with Fairoaks Aviation Services for about a year until being exported to Zambia in 1971.

[Savoia]

More Classic 206 ..


Agusta-Bell 206B JetRanger II G-FLCH as seen at North Weald Aerodrome in June 1986 (Photo: Barry Friend)

Initially imported by Mann's as G-BGGX in 1978 (and may well have been flown by Geoffers), but became 'Fletch' in 1982 when operated by 'Fletchair' which was an offshoot of Fletcher Motors of Leeds. In the above photo she is seen having been leased to Aeromega Helicopters.

In 1988 she was bought by Defence Products Ltd. whereupon she became G-NATO. She was eventually sold to Belgium in 1990.

[Zishelix]

Zis, there was in fact a G-HOGS

[Savoia]

Ah Elipix .. you've done it again .. digging-up otherwise impossible-to-find photos of helicopter we discuss. Bravo!

Love the black and white of G-BALC at RAF Coltishall. Great to see the 'Dollar' shots too, and quite 'in keeping' with how the Dollar craft frequently appeared (ie. with dirty tails).

Thanks too for the 'Pork and Pigs' registrations .. plus the 'Easey Coptes'.

Denissimo has seen this page and emailed the following comments:

Originally emailed by Dennis Kenyon

I feel as though I recognise the pilot in the photo of G-BALC, but no name to hand yet. I did have a Norfolk customer who graduated from an Enstrom, G-BBPO, F28A then a 28C and then onto a Jetranger. He was a pig farmer and always had a pig logo on the nose of the aircraft.

Regarding G-WSEC, you won't be surprised to know of my connections with Malcolm (not Mike) Easey. He was a routine customer of the Spooner Aviation/Southernair business and I think ended up owning a B206. In the mid 1990's I flew in to his farm in Norfolk as I had been asked to display his Enstrom, G-WSEC, at the Kilpeck Air Show (Herefordshire). I have a video of the display taken by my son. I think the Kilpeck air show only happened a couple of times.

Regards to all

Dennis Kenyon

Zis, there was in fact a G-HOGS .. she was a Cameron air balloon (as per below). The Chief Pilot for Hunting in the late 80's was a good friend, and an ex-Concorde driver!


Cameron SS Pig 90, G-HOGS, as seen at Ashton Court on 8th August 1997 (Photo: Bill Teasdale)

[Zishelix]

Sorry, little bit off-topic... Re silly G-regs, seems there was no HOGS sequence but I found this one instead

[Helipixman]

G-BALC is not the only flying Pork Pie

Another owner Michael Easey of Easey Pigs Ltd has had two helicopters both of which show Pig logos.





photos by Helipixman collection

[Helipixman]

If only they had registered her G-PORK!

Well someone did eventually use that registration and another one which is just as apt.





Photos by Helipixman

[Helipixman]

More G-BALC



G-BALC with its first owner Modus Developments titles at Coltishall 17.9.73 (Helipixman collection)



G-BALC with Dollar titles (Helipixman collection - photographer unknown)



G-BALC with Dollar and in its United Nations colours (Helipixman collection - photographer unknown)

[Savoia]

Tarman, how lovely to see you back!

Thanks for letting us know that the 'Pork Pie' still flies .. and still wearing gold and green!

The Nostlagia Thread has been privileged to showcase a number of 'photo firsts' when it comes to UK JetRangers - this one from the old thread:

Originally posted by Sandy Toad on 16th January 2011


Taking off from my parents home in Warwickshire with G-BAVI in February 1976

G-BAVI was a 206B (cn 960) originally belonging to Oldway Helicopters of Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorganshire (1973) and which ended-up with Trent Helicopters in 1978.

Here are two additional and rare shots of BAVI:


Bell 206B JetRanger II G-BAVI as seen in May 1978


Bell 206B JetRanger II G-BAVI as seen in May 1978

Sadly this craft was lost over the Channel on 29th May 1978 (just days after these photos were taken) with all on board (four persons) tragically perishing.

[Tarman]

Love seeing the old JetRanger colour schemes from the 70's.

I see that serial no 913 has been upgraded to a 206B III, and is still flying in France as F-GJGV:


Bell 206B JetRanger III F-GJGV at Dinard–Pleurtuit–Saint-Malo Airport on 18th February 2011
(Photo. Sylvain Gourheu)

Tarman

[Savoia]

Ahh de Havilland .. what a wonderful surprise .. welcome aboard!

Thank you so much for these lovely shots of G-BALC and which, I am certain, are the very first to appear in the public domain.

Fantastic to see her at last!

I wish I could recognise the driver but, he isn't personally familiar to me. Perhaps over time we will discover his identity.

As mentioned on the old thread, this aircraft was a source of amusement for my late godfather, who would muse as to whether she flew under the moniker 'Pork Pie 1'.

If only they had registered her G-PORK!

[Ahh de Havilland]

"The Flying Pork Pie"

In the predecessor to this thread on another forum, there was some discussion relating to G-BALC, a JetRanger operated by Pork Farms Air Services, the flying arm of Pork Farms, a prominent Pork Pie manufacturer. At the time there was no photo available of the a/c in Pork Farm colours, and I promised to dig out some I took but with a Kodak Instamatic in 1977 - hence the quality. As a newly approved member of this forum I take pleasure in fulfilling that promise.

The following images were taken at Staverton Airport on 12th March 1977. As can be seen the a/c didn't carry any company logos but was in the same colours as the company packaging. The chap in the red jumper is the Pork Farms pilot, whose identity was sought in the previous thread, but was not established. Perhaps this will help!





Pork Farms Air Services Bell 206B JetRanger II, G-BALC (cn 913), at Staverton Airport in Gloucester on 12th March 1977.

[Ahh de Havilland]

TEST POST

..........

[Savoia]

More Brantlys in Britain

We've had some reasonable coverage of Brantlys on this the page; herewith is the latest contribution:


BEAS Brantly B-2B G-ASHJ (cn 319) as seen at Oxford's Kidlington Airport on 18th July 1964 (Photo: RA Scholefield)

Regarding this aircraft, 'Waston' writes:

This aircraft appears to have been imported to take part in the evaluation to find a light recce helo for the British Army in the early 1960s, which ended up in the Sioux purchase. During the evaluation it flew with the markings XS683.

According to a book by Vic Flintham, the Brantly B2A & B was pitched against the Hiller UH-12E (a/c believed borrowed from the Fleet Air Arm), the Hughes 269A, and the Bell 47G-3B-1.

The competition trials were conducted in 1962 and 1963 by the A&AEE, in the UK and Libya. Hot & high conditions where the 47G might have performed well versus the others?

The Hughes were sponsored by Westland (in addition to the 47G), the Brantlys sponsored by BEAS, and the Hillers by Shorts.

The competition was narrowed down to the 47G (cost then £18k, £317k now!) versus the 12E (£22k then, £388k now).

Westland won with the 47G, price being a decider, and also the fact that they had more helicopter manufacturing experience than Shorts.

[Savoia]

Yeovilton 1971


Royal Navy Westland Wessex HAS3 XM329 PO-522 (cn WA9) as seen at RNAS Yeovilton on 17th September 1971 (Photo: RA Scholefield)

'22' was a member of 737 Squadron visiting from RNAS Portland.

[Savoia]

The Yemen: 1967


Westland Wessex of 848 Naval Air Squadron from HMS Albion, evacuating Royal Marines from Aden in November 1967 (Photo: NAA)


Westland Wessex HU5 from HMS Albion carries stores ashore for men of 42 Commando on 25 November 1967. At this stage ships and aircraft of the Naval Task Force were assembled off Aden in preparation for the withdrawal which took place in the following week (Photo: NAA)

[Savoia]

Memories from PNG


AS350B P2-PHB (cn 1516) as seen in Port Moresby on 4th March 1983

Flew this craft many times while in PNG. Sadly though, she was damaged by volcanic ash when Tavurvur volcano in Rabaul (on the island of New Britain) erupted in September 1994. Have a number of photos from my time in Rabaul .. and which I hope to unearth before too long.

Following this incident 'HB' was sent to Aus where she was repaired and became VH-JVC.

[Savoia]

Classic Sea King: Hues of Blues!


Royal Navy Westland Sea King HAS1 XV649 PO-527 as seen at RNAS Yeovilton on 1st July 1971 (Photo: RA Scholefield)

From 737 Squadron based at RNAS Portland.


Royal Navy Westland Sea King HAS2 XZ576 BL-411 as seen at RNAS Culdrose on 30th August 1977 (Photo: RA Scholefield)

Belonging to 820 Squadron and no doubt visiting from HMS Blake.

[Savoia]

Memories from Papua New Guinea


Okanagan Bell 212 C-FBHF as seen at Port Moresby on 4th March 1983 (Photo: David Carter)

[Savoia]

N2221W .. And Memories from the Emerald Isle


Bell 222A N2221W as seen at Cranfield Aerodrome in 1981 (Photo: Phil Blinkhorn)

The Colonel ended-up flying this craft after Bell's demonstration pilot (a well known and a likeable chap) got into a bit of bother with Heathrow. So much bother in fact that upon landing at Battersea he was told by Master Ward (Battersea's controller at the time) to call Heathrow approach (via land line), who curtly instructed him to fly no more!

Once he took over the flying, the Colonel .. being the Colonel .. would deliberately pause during his announcement of the aircraft's registration, in order to emphasise "one whisky". Those sort of things used to amuse him!

Regarding whisky ..


The Colonel in County Cashel, Tipperary, Easter 1980

The Colonel would be sore displeased with me for sharing this photo. Not because of his unflattering pose .. but because of the whisky bottle! He was fairly fastidious about what he drank, and when it came to 'whisky' he drank malt, single malt, specifically The Glenlivet by his namesake 'Smith' (always a minimum of 12 years matured) or The Macallan, again, nothing under 12 years maturity. However .. in his luggage he would have a bottle of what he referred to as 'travelling whisky' (he never called malts 'whisky' btw) justifying this on the basis that often when travelling one felt like a 'wee snifter' but that to drink malt at such times (while 'on the hoof' as it were) was wasteful - this, evidently, was when 'travelling whisky' could be sampled!

The Aran sweater he is wearing was bought in Galway, directly from the lady who knitted it, and whom he 'treated' to a drink at the local hostelry. She was a dear old lady .. who loved the Guinness!

[Savoia]

A little look at G-BDWN (aka 'Baldwin') an SA318C which arrived in the UK in 1976. The craft's registration document identifies the constructor as SNIAS (Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale) meaning 'Baldwin' would have been manufactured after the merger by Sud-Est, Nord Aviation and several other French aerospace concerns in 1970.

She is first ascribed to Silverswift Ltd and then to AB Aviation Holdings, but is unquestioningly associated with the late Peter Allwork through his Airfilm Services company which he formed with Andrew von Preussen at Booker Aerodrome in High Wycombe. The same craft (as you will see below) is seen wearing 'Alouette Air' titles in 1980, during the filming of 'For Your Eyes Only' and which (I assume) was associated with Peter given that he was responsible for the aerial shots of G-BAKS (flown by Marc Wolfe) for the opening sequence of that movie. As it happens, I believe the late great John Crewdson may have been flying 'Baldwin' for Peter during the production of this movie.

Some great memories indeed, with Peter being a dear friend of the Colonel having also served in the Royal Artillery.


Airfilm Services SA318C Alouette II G-BDWN (cn 1901) as seen at Booker on 18th June 1976 (Photo: Barry Collman)


SA318C Alouette II G-BDWN (cn 1901) as seen at Booker in September 1977 (Photo: NAA)

Note the camera mount, what I 'think' is a wind deflector (at the for'ard section of the door frame), the side-mounted float bags and the missing airframe 'panels' beneath the engine.


SA318C Alouette II G-BDWN (cn 1901) as seen at Beckton Gas works in 1980 (Photo: Alan Bushell)

Seen above wearing 'Alouette Air' titles during the filming for 'Your Eyes Only' and almost certainly being flown by John Crewdson.


Agusta-Bell 206B JetRanger II G-BAKS (cn 8339) as seen at Beckton Gas works in 1980 (Photo: Alan Bushell)

Michael Wills' (Lord Dulverton) JetRanger seen here during the filming of 'For Your Eyes Only' and which was flown by Marc Wolfe.

[Savoia]

Staying with the Wessex (for this post) some rare footage from 1978, when a Royal Navy presentation team displayed a Westland Wessex Mk V at Churchdown School, Gloucestershire.

In the notes to this clip, Alan Drewett (perhaps the videographer's son), says "Among the careers talks delivered by the various members of HM Armed Forces, by far and away the slickest and most spectacular pitches came from the Royal Navy" .. and which of course my late godfather would hotly dispute!

Sadly there is no sound to this clip, but I hope some may enjoy it anyway:

[Savoia]

Royal Navy Westland Wessex HU.5 XS498 (WQ) as seen at Greenham Common on 27th June 1981 (Photo: Ray Pettit)

[Savoia]

Classic BEA ..


British European Airways S-51 G-AKCU (cn 5128) as seen during Royal Mail trials in 1948


G-AKCU in 1948 during Royal Mail trials

G-AKCU was used in the first helicopter mail service in the UK, which was conducted on 1st June 1948 from Peterborough to Norwich. She was not a Westland Dragonfly (which were not produced until the following year) but was a Sikorsky imported from the US.

For those interested in vehicles, the Royal Mail van in these photos was a 1948 Morris 8 Commercial (as seen below):

[Savoia]

More 'classic' 206 ..


Agusta-Bell 206B JetRanger II G-OJCB (cn 8554) as seen at Cranfield Aerodrome on 3rd September 1983

This was the former mount of the late John 'Chalky' White, JCB's first helicopter pilot.

I would see Chalky flitting in and out of Brooklands in the late 70's and early 80's. Chalky had a unique 'style' of flying and which, as a youngster, I found most appealing! As with his flying, Chalky was also a very interesting person to be around.

In this photo, the craft is seen wearning Air Hanson titles, having been bought by the same earlier that year when Chalky up-graded to a LongRanger (G-CJCB). During her time with JCB, this craft was only ever fitted with 'shorts' (short skids), but is seen here with 'pop-outs' so that she could run into Battersea on charter flights for Hanson.

JCB bought 'Charlie Bravo' from Mann's in March 1978 and she was placed on the UK register the following month on 7th April. She was fitted with Ferranti's auto-stabilisation system, as well as a Decca DANAC moving map display.

[Savoia]

My late godfather with the 'Dancer', G-AYTF, as seen at Lydd Airport in September 1980 (Photo: Sav)

We were on our way to the Italian Grand Prix, which was held that year in Imola, as opposed to Monza.

[Savoia]

Nice one Shane!

David Kay was captured in that shot with G-ARVY (aka 'Harvey'), seen here in a photo from 1962:


Brantly B-2 G-ARVY (cn 145) as seen at Denham in April 1962 (Photo: Peter Fitzmaurice)

However, 'Harvey' would not have been one of the aircraft employed to cover Churchill's funeral, as she came a cropper on 28th August 1964, while performing autorotations at Kidlington.

There were only about four or five suitable helicopters in those days, so that’s how many I sent up. They had piston engines ..

Indeed. The first light turbine helicopter to be made available in the UK (to the best of my knowledge and discounting the Djinn) would have been Bristow's G-ATFC, an Alouette III, which was imported in June 1965, then sent to Iran two months later.

[Shane101]

Something I came across in the Daily Telegraph, relating to those who were involved with Winston Churchill's funeral, which took place on 30th January 1965.

David Kay (now 81) is from Angmering, West Sussex, and was managing director of the company which was responsible for providing aerial footage of the funeral:


David Kay with a Brantly B2 helicopter

“At the time, very few people specialised in, or were set up for, aerial photography, so my company was often called on by the world’s press.

“On the day of the funeral, I was asked to lay on aerial coverage – including for The Daily Telegraph. There were only about four or five suitable helicopters in those days, so that’s how many I sent up. They had piston engines, and had to follow the river by law.

“I remember it rained that day, and conditions were difficult. We’d agreed a ceiling with the Ministry of Aviation, which no one would fly below, but my pilots came back telling me of journalists from overseas, offering them fistfuls of foreign notes to break the rules, and go down to 500 or even 200 feet. Naturally, my pilots refused.

“I don’t think I managed to watch any of the service itself – I was so busy – and we certainly had no means of recording it. But, it was nonetheless a solemn day; Churchill was like the head of everyone’s family.”

- David Kay

[Savoia]

More Ranger and Brantly ..

Shane: Lovely photos, nice to see that interior shot!

Another UK registered Ranger:


Agusta-Bell 47J-2 Ranger G-ASNV (cn 2061) as seen at Coventry Airport on 10th April 1964 (Photo: Tony Wheeler)

This craft was bought by Turriff Construction in January of 1964, and seen in the above photo just three months later.

Elipix: Great stuff (as always), below is a little piece on Brantly's in the UK from 1964:


..Flight International 2nd April 1964

The article reads:

Brantly in 1963: Flying hours accumulated by British Executive Air Services 14 Brantly B.2s up to the end of 1963 exceeded 3,640. Ten of these machines were acquired during the year, and individual operators now include Pontins Holiday Camps, Heliconair, Wessex Helicopters, Mr Sebastian de Ferranti, Mr Denis de Ferranti, Mr Anthony 'Tony' Everard and Alvis Ltd. Regular contract flying has been provided by BEAS for Warners Holiday Camps and Shell-Mex & BP Ltd.

Developments during the year included validation of the US crop-spraying kit of the B.2A and B.2B (fuel injection) models and of the float undercarriage ket; completion of trials by the MoA on behalf of the War Office in the UK and in Libya: and a major revision of ARB maintenance schedules.

Major airframe modifications in the UK have been handled by Beagle-Auster and engine overhauls by Alvis Ltd. All engines have achieved their full overhaul life without premature retirement, and the reconditioning of engine cylinders by rechroming in the UK has enabled engine verhaul costs to be significantly reduced. BEAS became the first MoA-approved helicopter school in the UK during the year, thus reducing the ab initio PPL requirement from 40hr to 30hr and the fixed-wing conversion from 30hr to 25hr. Twenty hours free instruction is provided by BEAS with each sale of a new of secondhand aircraft.

And one of the craft mentioned above:


Brantly B-2B G-ASJX as seen at Oxford Kidlington Aerodrome on 16th May 1966

This craft flew with Wessex Helicopters of Southampton, who purchased her in 1964.

[Helipixman]

Heliconair Brantlys

Two Brantly B2 helicopters were registered to Heliconair ... G-ARZI and G-ASEI:


G-ARZI Brantly B2 (165) seen here during ownership by Everards Brewery (Helipixman Collection)


G-ASEI Brantly B.2A after use by Heliconair went to Glasgow with Taxicabs (City) Ltd (Photo: Helipixman Collection)

Registration cancelled by CAA on 1st December 1965. Not much known about Taxicabs, or who was behind this company?