The Rotary Nostalgia Thread

[Helipixman]

From my records they had the following:-

G-ANZX Agusta Bell 47G (017)
G-AODI Agusta Bell 47G-1 (042)
G-AODJ Agusta Bell 47G-1 (044)
G-AODK Agusta Bell 47G-1 (045) noted as leased from Western Distributors Ltd
G-AOFA Hiller UH-12C (785)
G-AOFL Hiller UH-12B (746)
G-AOFV Hiller UH-12B (748)
G-APYL Bell-Ostermans 47D-1 (LFS.1/1953)
G-ARXH Bell 47D-1>G (40)
G-ASOL Bell 47D-1 (4)

They may have leased more ?

Helipixman

[Savoia]

Ciao Elipix, lovely to see you on Nostalgia! Yes, this was the original Helicopter Services, initially operating from Gatwick, then RAF Burnaston. G-AODI was another one of their craft; they also managed G-AODK, and I probably have some more registrations betwixt my photos from that time.

[Helipixman]

This must have been the first Helicopter Services Ltd, formed 1954 and owned by Timothy Clutterbuck (Micklefield Hall, Rickmansworth). They also operated many other bell 47's and a few Hiller's before being acquired by Autair in 1966

[Savoia]

Bell 47G G-ANZX (cn.17) belonging to Helicopter Services as seen in Braemar, Scotland, being used to ferry materials used in the construction of the Corrour footbridge in 1959 (Photo by Bill Ewen)

[Savoia]

G-BDBR


Agusta-Bell 206B G-BDBR (cn.8441) as seen at Thruxton in December 1986 (Photo by Michael Rice)

Imported by Alan Mann in the spring of 1975 and sold to William Monks builders merchants of Sheffield later the same year. William Monks were of course the owners of G-WIZZ which they bought two years later in 1977 having sold G-BDBR to Inverness based PLM Helicopters.

From PLM, BDBR went to Westwood Engineering of Plymouth in 1986, and which is when the above photo was captured.

Westwood would then sell BDBR to Heliwork in 1988, who in turn sold her the following year to John Woodhouse, whereupon she received her first change of registration to become G-JERY.

For a period of four months in 1990 the aircraft was owned by 'Pulsegrove' of Shoreham-by-Sea, returning to John Woodhouse who would sell the craft to a buyer in France in 1993 when she became F-GKLS.

[Savoia]

Army Lynx


Lynx AH7 ZD280 (cn.302) as seen at Watch Tower R12 in South Armagh in the 1980's (Photo: Ian McClure)

[Savoia]

Charles Hughesdon Garden Party in Ripley Surrey

Scenes from one of Charles' garden parties taken from the early 70's

[Savoia]

H-34 BiBastan (aka the French Wessex)

In seeking to advance its rotary-wing capabilities, the French Air Force commissioned two Sikorsky testbeds in the early 1960's with a view to developing an aircraft with improved performance and safety margins.


The H-35 'BiBastan' at Marignane in 1962 being flown by Jean Boulet

In cooperation with Turbomeca, two Sikorsky S-58's were modified to accept a pair of Turbomeca Bastan IV turbines providing 1,500 hp continuous usable power.

The initial prototype was given the designator H-34 BB 01 (for 'BiBastan' or twin Bastan turbine) and performed its maiden flight on 5th October 1962 at Marignane. The craft was flown by test pilot Jean Boulet. The second prototype H-34 BB 02 made its first (and only) flight on 27 June 1963.

The air force would go on to employ the SA330 Puma which Sud Aviation began developing after the BiBastan trials.

[Savoia]

Classic Autos

Canadian Bell 206 performing a zero speed full touchdown auto (throttle to idle) .. to water!

[Savoia]

Bell 212 G-BAFN (cn.30550) as seen at Seething Airfield in Norfolk on 17th September 1978 (Photo: Phil Cossey)

[Savoia]

Agreed, she's only missing her skid fairings (plus the removal of her wheels) to make her even prettier! But yes, Bell struck gold when Charles Butler transformed the D-250 (YOH-4) into the 206.

For an example with skid fairings fitted, see here: http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=4947#post4947

I once wrote a small piece about the transformation of the D-250 on that 'other' place and which you can read here: https://www.pprune.org/7843547-post2056.html

[Industry insider]

Its amazing how good a Bell 206 still looks 50 years later on Pop Outs and a standard simple Bell paint scheme. It still holds a magic for me.

[Savoia]

Grazie mille I.I. - much appreciated!

I seem to recall BISZ was the subject of some discussion on the former thread, including the issue of the over-door lettering. Great stuff!

Nice to see the 'Spirit' titles on BHLY, probably just prior to the name-use infringement case, which I think occurred not long after.

[Industry insider]

1987 Sav. I ran that operation for the Fina drilling campaign using the Rowan California jack up rig. G-BISZ used to be based in Redhill and was used by Management and the UK Charter department. The Bristow above the door was for advertising when the TV cameras were showing a VIP disembarking.

[Savoia]

Bell 206A G-AWJL (cn. 181) as seen at Farnborough in September 1968 (Photo: Jack Poelstra)

G-AWJL was the 19th JetRanger to be registered in the UK (1968) and the second Bell-built example.

Sadly, fourteen months after her delivery she was written-off in an accident at Broughton in Northamptonshire.

She was operated by Point-to-Point Helicopters.

[Savoia]

S-76A G-BHLY 'Glenrothes' (76-0046) as seen at Farnborough on 5th September 1980 (Photo: Terry Fletcher)


Jim Edmundson standing beside S-76A G-BISZ (76-0156) as seen at Blackpool in the late 80's early 90's (Photo: Stuart Bellis)

[Savoia]

Agusta-Bell 206B JetRanger II G-AVIG (cn. 8004) as seen at Coventry on 18th May 1979 (Photo: Rob Hodgkins)

Number 4 off Agusta's production line and the first JetRanger delivered to the UK, in March 1967.

[Savoia]

Lynx and Scout


Army Air Corps Lynx AH1 XZ172 (013) with Scout XW280 (F9735) as seen in the 1970's

[Industry insider]

The US registered 412 SP was later registered G-SPBA and was trialled for Amoco and Conoco out of North Denes. But no takers and it was moved on.

[Industry insider]

The top picture was taken at North Denes, Pad 6. BAH used to come in and pick up some passengers for the Hewitt and Arpet Field

[Industry insider]

Tommy lost his finger on G-BASE

[Industry insider]

I delivered this aircraft from the factory in summer of 83 (SN 2064) It ended up in Australia and was scrapped in 2014.

[Savoia]

Okanagan 206


Bell 206B JetRanger II C-FCQE (cn 535) as seen in Banff, Alberta, Canada on 28th September 1983 (Photo: Steve Aubury)

[Savoia]

I only noticed while copying the link for Avia's FB page that this happens to be post #330.

[Savoia]

More SA330 ..


French Air Force SA330B GAM 00-056 'OC' (cn 1582) as seen Orléans–Bricy Air Base in February 1985 (Photo: T. Laurent)

[Savoia]

AS350B G-JORR (cn 1530) as seen at Oxford Kidlington in June 1988 (Photo: Peter Davis)

On lease to the Thames Valley police.

[Savoia]

Grazie 500 Fan!

Now that you're back I shall post some 500 shots on the Hughes thread which I've been meaning to post!

[500 Fan]

Thanks for posting up those old images of Irish Helicopters' helicopters, Sav! The BO105 with the piano is more than likely EI-BLD as -BDI had left the fleet at that point.

500 Fan.

[Savoia]

More from the Emerald Isle ..


Mick Hennessy of Irish Helicopters slings a piano atop Blarney Castle using a Bölkow on 24th October 1985 as part of the festivities surrounding the Cork Jazz Festival (Photo: Eddie O'Hare)

[Savoia]

Bell 212 EI-BAM (cn 30655) as seen at Cork on 14th April 1979 (Photo: Ray Barber)


Bell 212 EI-BFH (cn 30878) as seen at Cork on 14th April 1979 (Photo: Ray Barber)


Bell 212 EI-BFH (cn 30878) as seen at Cork on 14th April 1979 (Photo: Ray Barber)

I flew into the IH base at Cork several times in 1979. They were building a new apron at the time.