The Rotary Nostalgia Thread

[Shane101]

G-BFPP attending at the Helicopter Club of Ireland Fly-in at Weston Airfield, Dublin, on 28th August 1992:

[Savoia]

More 47 ..

Seeing as I've mentioned Roy Flood (who, as many will know, owns Castle Motors), perhaps this would be a good point at which to share another 47, owned by another garage owner, in the same neck of the woods:


Bell 47J-2 Ranger G-BFPP (cn 2851) as seen near Ipplepen in Devon on 30th June 1984 (Photo: Chris England)

Photographed in the garden of the Two Mile Oak pub near Ipplepen in Devon. This craft began her time in the UK in 1978 with Shawline Helicopters of Brand's Hatch in Kent, prior to being bought by David Fordham, owner of Two Mile Oak Garage in Devon.

This craft also appears on page 3 in a photo from 1993, when she was owned by Jim Kelley, from the Republic of Ireland.

[Savoia]

Bell 47-G (cn 117) G-ATYV as seen at Shoreham Airport on 21st July 1979

This craft was initially sold to Bill Armstrong of Autair (Luton) in 1966, and was then sent off to Sierra Leone three months after arriving in the UK. She was later sold to Alan Mann, before moving on to Kevin McDonald of Doncaster, who sold her back to Autair in 1976, ten years after she was first imported.

Autair then sold her to Roy Flood, and this became his first helicopter. Some may recall that Roy obtained his pilot's licence as a result of losing his driving licence - having been caught speeding in his Ferrari. Roy's next helicopter was the ex-Ferranti-managed JetRanger G-BAKX (see page 3).

In the photo, G-ATYV is pictured while owned by Minster Helicopters of Dorset, who in turn sold her to Heliwork at Thruxton (Ah Don Donnelly .. you are sorely missed!). The craft was finally exported to France in 1984.

[Savoia]

Above and below: British Airways Helicopters Westland WG30-100 G-BIWY (cn 901) as seen at Beccles Aerodrome in July 1985
(Photo: Stewart Robertson)

[Savoia]

The Durham Police Brantlys

Between 1962-64, the UK's first police helicopter trials took place in the county of Durham, utilising Brantly B-2's from British Executive Air Services (BEAS), who were the UK Brantly distributor.

While BEAS were responsible for supplying aircraft and pilots, it seems as though they called upon other Brantly operators to assist in the contract, including Helicon Air of Darlington. This was a business owned by Alistair Craig (brother of the television actress Wendy Craig). One of the pilots flying for Helicon Air, was Canadian Dick Dorman, who was accompanied on the very first trial flights by Sgt Jack Blair, who performed the role of observer. Jack would later be dubbed Britain's first 'heli cop'. His only equipment was a 35mm camera, a portable two-way radio, and a pair of binoculars.

In the 60's, many financial transactions were made using cash, resulting in large sums of money being transported by road or rail, and which, as the Great Train Robbers proved, were highly vulnerable. As a result, the Durham Brantlys were tasked to a variety of traffic monitoring duties as well as, specifically, providing 'airborne escort' to cash-in-transit vans.

Consequently, during the two year trial period, there were no cash robberies from vehicles in Durham or North Yorkshire. The cost of the helicopter was £17,10 shillings per hour, and which was shared between the Home Office and the Durham Constabulary.

Perhaps because of it's success and low cost (equivalent to running two patrol cars), the Home Office employed a helicopter to police the growing M6 traffic in the west of the country. This however, proved more expensive, resulting in the Home Office allocating funds from the Durham trial to subsidise it. As a result, the Durham trial was grounded in 1964.

In 1967 Home Secretary Roy Jenkins came to Durham to lay the foundation stone for the new police headquarters at Aykley Heads. The Chief Constable at the time, Alec Muir, thought it would be an idea to convince the Home Secretary of the benefits of police air support, and so the Home Secretary was flown from Teeside Airport to Aykley.

For in flight entertainment, the Chief Constable had laid on a dummy bank job, which involved the helicopter giving chase to a hijacked security van along the A689. The Home Secretary's response to this demonstration was to state that “As an operational tool, the helicopter may have great potential in the police force”. However, no further Home Office funding was received by the Constabulary for the use of helicopters.

In 1989 the Northumbria Police began another helicopter trial which was so successful that, in 1995, the three North-East Constabularies joined forces to create the North-East Air Support Unit.


A Brantly B2 lands at Durham Police HQ at Aycliffe at the commencement of the trials on 5th November 1962


Pilot Dick Dorman and Sgt Jack Blair (acting as observer) in a B2 in 1962


Brantly B-2A G-ASEI (cn 304) belonging to Heliconair of Darlington, County Durham as seen during the trial in 1963


Brantly B-2 G-ARVY (cn 145) as seen at Peebles Hydro in the Scottish Borders in 1963. This craft, evidently, was also used in the trials

Given the dates of this trial (1962-64) there are only a handful of Brantly's which could have participated, namely: G-ARVY, G-ARYX, G-ARZI, G-ARZJ, G-ARZK and G-ASEI.

* * *

Given that I've mentioned the UK, police and 1962 .. I'm going to throw in this next photo (from my black and white album) for free!


Two policemen, what looks like a St. John's first-aider, and someone else (with arm band), on the touchline during a game at Spurs' White Hart Lane football ground, in Tottenham, London in 1962

[Savoia]

An overview of the Whirly Girls:

[Savoia]

Westland S-55 Mk3 Whirlwind G-AYNP (cn WA71) named 'Cyonus' as seen at Exeter Airport on 23rd February 1978 (Photo: Chris England)

[Savoia]

Colt Executive Aviation AS350B G-EORR as seen at Exeter Airport on 29th August 1981 (Photo: Chris England)

Seen here on contract to the Devon and Cornwall police.

This craft was of course named after the donkey in Winne-the-Pooh!

[Savoia]

While on the S-55 .. when you have your next tea or coffee break, why not check out this US Army instructional video on the H-19 Chickasaw (the military version of the S-55):

[Savoia]

Royal Canadian Air Force Sikorsky S-55B 9629 as seen in Canada c. 1958 (Photo: Mike Ody Collection courtesy of George Trussell)

Delivered to the RCAF in 1954, this S-55 was engaged in supporting the construction of the Mid-Canada Line of Radar sites, aka the 'McGill Fence'. Several of the RCAF's S-55's were operated by civilian contractors.

[Savoia]

With North Denes about to close .. a glimpse from the past:


Bell 212 G-BJJO as seen at North Denes on 29th August 1985


Bell 212 G-BJIU as seen at North Denes on 29th August 1985

And some early American Bristow ..


Max Sonnenberg Bell 212 N4503Q as seen at Vancouver International Airport in February 1984 (Photo: Gary Vincent)

Not really Bristow North America .. but an ex-Bristow bird (G-BJZS) which became N4503Q and seen here being delivered to Okanagan just before she became C-GSQM.

[Savoia]

Great stuff Shane!

Of LongRangers and Ireland ..



Slieve Russell Hotel's Bell 206L LongRanger III, EI-CIO, as seen at Weston, on 18th May 1997 (Photo: Don Hewins)

[Shane101]

G-CINE in Dublin during the summer of 1993, operating for Celtic Helicopters and performing pleasure flights from the Point Depot.

[Savoia]

Agusta-Bell 206B JetRanger II G-NOEL as seen at Cheltenham Racecourse on 30th May 1981 (Photo: Ray Barber)

Noel Edmonds seen here flying his JetRanger at the British Helicopter Championships, which in 1981 was sponsored by Colt cars.

At the ‘81 Championships, first place was won by Richard Reeve and John Wells in a Hughes 300, second place went to Sid and Anita Cole in a Brantly B2, and third place was won by Bill Gray and Peter Webb in an Enstrom F28.

A few weeks before this photo was taken, I was on my way out of Brooklands with the Alton Towers LongRanger, when I happened to see Noel practicing for this event. I guess he had flown over from Fairoaks, where G-NOEL was normally maintained – indeed by the venerable TRC!

[Savoia]

While on Castle Air ..


Keith Thompson with Anneka Rice on board G-BHXU in 1982


Agusta-Bell 206B JetRanger III G-BHXU as seen in 1986 (undisclosed location)

[Savoia]

Castle Air nostalgia ..

Roy Flood playing 'football' with G-SPEY in the 1990's TV show 'You Bet':

[Savoia]

G-ARIA: Decca's Little Songbird!

G-ARIA was a beautiful little Bell 47 based at Biggin Hill Airport in Kent, England and owned by the Decca Navigation Company. She was flown by the late Edward 'Robin' Hood and was used for testing a variety of Decca's pioneering avionics systems. I saw this helicopter many times during the 70's at Biggin Hill.

To facilitate the development of lightweight airborne equipment, particularly that destined for helicopters, Decca acquired a Bell 47-G helicopter from Worldwide Helicopters in 1966 It was used mainly for Decca Mk 15, 19 Doppler 71 and later for Data Link development and testing.

That helicopter was a three seat model powered by a 200 hp Franklin 6V4-200-C32 engine which gave it a cruising speed of 70 knots and an endurance of 2.5 hours. It was equipped with full night flying equipment and a modified instrument panel which included a lightweight artificial horizon, heading indicator and a hovermeter. In the mid 60's it was fitted with a Mk 8 Navigator receiver, a flight log, and a well as a series 70 light-weight Doppler. During this time period it was also used in the evelopment program for the Doppler 70 series, Doppler 80 series and the Mk 15/19 Decca Navigator.

Decca Doppler for helicopters was proving to be of great interest to everyone in that particular field so Decca did a lot of demonstrating. The receiver aerial was no more than a foot from the ground and without even flying, one could slide along the grass and get a reading of half a knot or less. The output was coupled to a speed meter and a cross pointer meter so that it was even possible to hover blind.

Peter Huggins relates this flying anecdote. "In May of 1966 I was bringing the helicopter back from the Air Show at Hanover in a howling South West wind. It was a slow progress having flown from Hanover to Osnabruk to Nornhorn to Hilversum. From Hilversum to Rotterdam was dead into gale force winds and it took me one hour and fifteen minutes to fly a distance of 35 miles. I was flying as low as I dared to get the lowest head wind possible when something caught my eye below and I found that I was being overtaken by a frightened cow! I was almost stationary at the time".

Peter flew the helicopter occasionally but the main pilot was Edward A. Hood, also known by the nickname of "Robin Hood.” Edward was a pipe smoker and would sometimes puff away when flying, much to the chagrin of any passenger. It is not known how long Decca kept the helicopter but the Civil Aviation Authority records indicate that G-ARIA was registered to the Arabian Aircraft Corporation in Brighton in May, 1984. By March 1987 the Bell 47-G was and transferred to France since the C-of-A expired in February 1986.

Bell 47G G-ARIA as seen at Biggin Hill on 16th September 1961 (Photo: Brendan McCartney)


Decca's beautiful little Bell, G-ARIA, at Biggin in July 1970 (Photo: Carl Ford)


Decca Navigator Co's Bell 47G G-ARIA at London Gatwick on 12th October 1967 (Photo: Chris England)


G-ARIA at London Gatwick, piloted by P. Huggins (date unknown)


Bell 47G-1 G-ARIA at Biggin Hill in 1961 (Photo: Jeremy Hughes)


G-ARIA at Biggin Hil


ARIA's cockpit with an early flight data recorder fitted atop the panel

[Savoia]

Dragonfly and Whirlwind from HMS Glory participate in 'Operation Snowdrop' bringing relief to snow-stricken villages across Scotland in the winter of 1955:

[Savoia]

Bell 47-B as seen at Trexlertown Airport in Pennsylvania in December 1953. The aircraft was hired by Hess Brothers department store and was headed to the roof of their store on Hamilton Street, Allentown in Pennsylvania. (Photo courtesy of Elwood Christ)

[Savoia]

In seeking (or should that be sea king ) to track down some of the S-61's flown by William, I have happened upon G-ATBJ:


British Airways S-61N G-ATBJ (cn 61-269) as seen at Newcastle's Woolsington Airport in June 1976 (Photo: The Martin Harrison Collection)

[Savoia]

Very happy to report that having contacted former BEA helicopter pilot William Ashpole about the above photo he came back with the following:

This photograph brings back some memories. It is me and Jock Cameron flying and the aircraft is indeed G-ASNM.

This was a job for William Press & Son (a company which during the 1970's converted about 50% of the UK's homes from town gas to natural gas) and took place (as your photo records) at Langley Marshes in Norfolk. William Press were contracted to SEGAS and we were tasked with lifting 280 pipes each weighing a tonne. Also flying with us over those two days were BEA Helicopters Operations Manager Dave Eastwood and the company's Commercial Manager Doug Pritchard.

Other BEA S-61's which I flew in the 60's and 70's (with the same paint scheme in dark blue with grey and white) were G-ATFM, G-ATBJ, G-ASNL and G-AWFX.

- William Ashpole

Our great thanks to William for these comments. Its most gratifying to unearth the details surrounding these nostalgic photos. Be sure to check out William's website here.

[Savoia]

BEA S-61N flying sections of a gas mains pipeline to Langney Marshes in 1966

The registration is a little tricky to read on this photo but .. I am reasonably confident that it is G-ASNM 'aka Arsenam'.

[Savoia]

For Wiggy!

Memories from Glasgow


Clyde Helicopters Hughes 500C (369HS) G-GASA as seen at Glasgow International Airport in 1986 (Photo: Stewart Robertosn)

Wearing Clyde Helicopters titles but registered (at the time of the photo) to Flair Soft Drinks in Leatherhead, Surrey (one of Denissimo's customers) who were possibly leasing the craft to Clyde. She does however possess some Scottish pedigree in that her first UK owner was Jack Tatties of Fife who purchased her in 1983 and then flew her as G-TATI.

From 'Tatties' she went to March Helicopters for a short time before going to Southern Air and then Flair Soft Drinks. She ended-up as a 'Highlands Hughes' though when in 1987 she was purchased by Black Isle Helicopters of Culbokie in Ross-shire.

Sadly, she came a cropper the following year during a lifting job at Crubenmore, Glen Truim when the external load she was carrying struck her tail rotor. The aircraft was written-off but the pilot was thankfully unharmed.


Bell 206L1 LongRanger II G-CINE as seen at Glasgow International Airport in 1990 (Photo: Stewart Robertson)

Owned by Airward Aviation of Warrington at the time of this photo but originally owned by PLM Helicopters of Dalcross Airport, Inverness who acquired her in 1984. She was sold to Airward in 1988 and then exported to Canada in 1991.

[Savoia]

A 1953 overview of the helicopter by Encyclopedia Britannica films:

[Savoia]

More Hoverfly ..


A US Coast Guard HNS-1 Sikorsky R-4 043 departs for a survey of the South Pole waters during a US Navy Antarctic Expedition in 1944. The R-4 is departing the icebreaker Northwind. In the distance are other ships of Task Force 68.
(Photo: Courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library)

[Savoia]

More Brantlys in Britain ..


G-ASXF as seen at Biggin Hill on 19th May 1973 (Photo: Jonathan Walron)

A rare shot! The uncommon Brantly 305 seen here during its time with Express Aviation at Biggin Hill Aerodrome in Kent (a place I visited frequently during the 70's).

Prior to joining Express this craft was owned by Air Gregory at Denham who had bought her from the Brantly distributor (BEAS) in 1970. BEAS (who were based at Oxford Kidlington) had imported the craft from the US in 1964.

Express Aviation made use of Decca's hangar at Biggin Hill as is confirmed by the presence of that songbird .. G-ARIA (Decca's Bell 47) .. which is located behind 'XF' in the photo.

[Savoia]

More Brantly ..


Brantly B-2 D-HEBE (cn 40) as seen at Maastricht's Zuid Limburg Airport on 14th September 2014 (Photo: Fred Willemsen)

This aircraft is owned by one of the senior staff at Eurocontrol - who occupy the building seen in the background.

[Savoia]

The First US Navy Helicopter


On 16th October 1943 (seventy-one years ago this week) following a test flight at Bridgeport, Connecticut, by Lieutenant Commander Frank A. Erickson, USCG, the US Navy accepted its first helicopter, the YR-4B, which was of course to become the HNS-1 Hoverfly
(Photo: National Naval Aviation Museum)

[Savoia]

Elfan's Brantly B-2B G-OAPR during the Weston Air Festival in June this year (Photo: Matt Prosser)

One of only four on the UK register.

Bravissimo Elfan!

[Savoia]

Designation: Mil Mi-4
Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
First Flight: 1952
Number Produced: 4,000+
Additional Designations:

• Type 36 (US Department of Defence)
• Hound (NATO)
• The Russian Chickasaw (American colloquial)
• The Russian Whirlwind (British colloquial)

The Mi-4 was developed in response to America's deployment of helicopters during the Korean War and was fashioned after the Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw - and which was apparent from the Mi-4's overall appearance. The Mi-4 was however larger than the Chickasaw and boasted a greater payload.

Design work on the Mi-4 began in the second half of 1951 with the prototype being flown in August 1952. The Mi-4 was already in Soviet Air Force service by August 1953, when it was first seen publicly at the Tushino Aviation Day. The type was exported among the defence forces of the former Soviet Union, as well as Poland, and was built under licence in China where it carried the designation Harbin Z-5.

A Soviet summary of the Mi-4:

An Mi-4 as seen at the base of Mount Narodnaya (6,214 ft) in the Ural Mountains in Western Russia c. 1959