Shrieking Gazelles

[Savoia]

SA341B G-KEMD (WA1802) Newcastle Apt 13 Jan 23 (Taylor Peake)




SA341B G-ZZEL (WA1152) as seen landing at Walesby Forest
campsite in Nottinghamshire in March 2023. Flown by Mike Lord

[Zishelix]

Any idea what kind of equipment (recce?) is this?



Image found here https://www.wasselcorp.com/

[Savoia]

Fabrizio .. do you know what is mounted on these external stores carriers?

[Zishelix]

When China first began it's attempts to establish domestic helicopter production, they needed to start with something reliable and capable, though not too expensive. As a result, they reached out to France during the 1980's and, after some negotiation, purchased eight 342L's from Aérospatiale.

These were the first helicopters with anti-tank capabilities in the Chinese military, and although the negotiations to purchase more along with a license to produce them fell through, they were an invaluable part of the development of Chinese military rotorcraft.

These helicopters remained in frontline or reserve status with the PLA up until 2005 according to some sources.

[Zishelix]

SA341F2 F-MAMM at Bangui-M'Poko Airport in the Central African Republic in 1985






Precision Helicopters pin badge



As far as I'm aware, Precision Helicopters Ltd. operated c/n 1052 C-GPGO and #1410 C-GXTW back in late 1980's.

[Zishelix]

SA341F2 F-MAMM c/n 1334, btw

[Savoia]

Grazie Zis! 👍

[Rotorspot]

Ghana Police Gazelle

Further to my post #5877 , I can now confirm that the second Ghana Police Gazelle carries serial GP-002.

[Savoia]

Grazie mille Jos! 👍

[Zishelix]

Throwback Thursday

Heli Affaires SA341G F-BVRU #1113 at Le Bourget in June 1975



http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...3109#post13109

[Savoia]

SA341B ZB693 (WA2009) as seen at RAF Waddington on 24th March 2023 (Photo by Alan Knight)

[Savoia]

Wishing our Members and Visitors a Happy Easter

[Savoia]

SA342M F-MGCG (4168) as seen at Aéroport Pau Pyrénées on 21st September 2014 (Photo by André Bour)




Stefano e Michele with SA342M HA-HSG (3615) arriving
at North Coates on 2nd April 2023

[xbdt]

Steve, that belt must have made some nice dents on the side...

[Savoia]

F-AYBB


SA341F2 F-AYBB (1612) as seen at Issy-Les-Moulineaux on 24th March 2023 (Photo by Paul Marais-Hayer)




Gazelling over Ashurst, West Sussex in April 2023 (Photo by Fred Morby)

xbdt wrote:

Steve, that belt must have made some nice dents on the side...

It doesn't look too bad XB. Perhaps just some paint depending on how deep the dents go.

[Savoia]

Ecuador Army SA342L as seen over the Ecuadorian highlands in January 2023




Air-to-air with SA341F2 N657GZ (1657)

[Savoia]

Gazelle Flying in the US

One of our members is an officer with the Cypriot Air Force and among other things, flies their Gazelles.

He is travelling to the US this September where he will remain until March 2024.

During his time in America he would like to meet-up with a Gazelle owner/operator and hopefully participate in some Gazelling (Gazelle flying). He is happy to pay for fuel or to charter an aircraft (with instructor) if one is available. Although he will be based at Fort Rucker in Alabama, he is happy to travel in order to meet up with the right people.

If you are able to help or know of someone who could help, please send me a message.

Grazie

Savoia

aviafora1@gmail.com

[Rotorspot]

Additional Gazelle Registered in Belgium

SA342M OO-EVA c/n 4102, ex ALAT 4102; registered 11-Apr-2023 to Xavier Bernard de Tracy, Lievegem (B).

Many happy landings.

[Savoia]

Grazie Jos! 👍

[Savoia]

SA342M F-MGAD (3530) as seen at Aéroport Châteauroux on 4th April 2023

[Savoia]

SA342L CN-ACM (1936) as seen at Marignane in October 1982

[Savoia]

SA341B G-BZYD (WA1648) as seen at Duxford on 16th April 2023 (Photo by David Whitworth)




Yugoslav Air Force Gazelle '611' NFI

[Zishelix]

#1079, later become 003 after being re-assembled by Soko

[Savoia]

Grazie amico! 👍

[daliborsky]

this may well be scene from the french series Hunt for the treasure....I guess this photo is from Mostar..

edit...not

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdceEBehVDE

[Savoia]

SA342M OO-XDT (4103) as seen at Aérodrome de Namur in Wallonia on 18th March 2023 (Photo by Kris Van Craenenbroeck)




N341RD as filmed from N657GZ

[Rotorspot]

Change of Ownership

G-CMMX SA341G, c/n 1259, changed ownership to K.O.Soerlie, Spydeberg (Norway) on 05-Apr-2023.

[Savoia]

Grazie Jos! 👍

[Savoia]

SA341F2 N9334W (1575) as seen in Page Field, Florida in February 2020 (Photo by Robert Feliciano)




SA341B ZB669 (WA1950) as seen at Middle Wallop on 12th October 2009

[Savoia]

Cypriot Air Force SA342L1's 355 and 352 as seen in Cyprus on 30th March 2023 (Photo by Nils Berwing)




SA341G ZS-HUR (1277) as seen at Rand Airport in South Africa on 6th April 1990 (Photo by Bruce Perkins)

[md600driver]

I will be with that one next week but the registration is changed

[Savoia]

You're going to Cyprus 😲 next week .. for a holiday 🏖️ where you will see the Air Force Gazelles! 😄

Ha ha, just kidding. You will be with LFJ, great stuff! 👍

[Savoia]

SA342L 237 (1772) as seen at Baldonnel on 19th September 1980 (Photo by Eric Bannwarth)

[Savoia]

SA342M OO-VDA (4038) as seen at Zomergem on 23rd April 2023




SA342M F-MAXI (4020) as seen at Aix Les Milles Air Force Base in October 1986 (Photo by Paul Schaller)

[Savoia]

SA341H 12703 (082) as seen in Podgorica in 2012 (Photo by Gabriele Ruffoli)




Paul Farmer aboard a Gaz Squad Gaz in April 2023

[Savoia]

SA342L 12879 (110) as seen in Serbia NFI




SA341F2 (1416) as seen at Split-Divulje (former seaplane base) in February 1995 (Photo by JL Gaynecoetche)

The aircraft was serving with Alat's UNPROFOR detachment and operated by 7ème RHC Nancy (the 7th Combat Helicopter Regiment based at Essey-lès-Nancy in north-eastern France).

[Savoia]

Grazie Fabrizio. Also, do you know specifically where this photo was taken, you mentioned 'Split-Divulje', was this the airport in Split or was a separate UN operating base. And finally, do you know what callsign the Gazelles would have used while flying for UNPROFOR?

[Fabrice]

I don't know which callsign was then in use for the UNPROFOR Gazs. Divulje, often referred as Split-Divulje, or even as simply Split, used to be a Yugoslav Navy seaplanes base, then hosted a Croatian helicopter unit in the mid nineties, on top of the UNPROFOR helicopters (French Gazelles and Pumas + Royal Navy Sea Kings). It is a few minutes from Split airport itself, but is not adjacent.

[Savoia]

Grazie mille Fabrizio! 👍

[Savoia]

SA341G G-BKLT (1245) as seen at RAF Hamble on 18th September 1983 (Photo by Graham Tiller)


SA341G F-GESG (1032) as seen at Aérodrome de Toussus-le-Noble in July 1991 (Photo by Paul Bannwarth)

[Savoia]

SA341G N686DT (1200) as seen at Chino Airport on 22nd April 2012




SA342MV F-MGAB (3476) as seen at Camp de Coëtquidan on 23rd July 2022 (Photo by Alban Painvin)

[Savoia]

Zis, did you ever see a registration painted on N686DT?

[Zishelix]

Of course, it's on the baggage door

[Savoia]

Grazie Stipe 👍 I had struggled to find it.

[Savoia]

SA341F2 N341RD (1501) as seen at Lakeland Airport, Florida on 29th March 2023 (Photo by Jack Poelstra)




SA341B ZA776 (WA1818) as seen at Perth Scone on 26th April 2023 (Photo by Wallace Shackleton)

[Savoia]

SA341F2 F-AYBB (1612) as seen at Aérodrome de Toussus-le-Noble on 27th March 2023 (Photo by Bruno Muthelet)

[Savoia]

Olga Yemelyanova as seen with SA341H RA-1347G (087) NFI




SA341B XW851 (WA1021) as seen at Middle Wallop on 28th July 1973 (Photo by Terry Dann)

[md600driver]

This is now a Crabtree Gazelle.

I have never seen a snow shield on an Army Gazelle before, this must have been when the Gaz was brand new.

[Savoia]

Bravo Stefano! 👍

Amazing really, especially given that the Army used to send Gazelles to Norway for cold weather exercises.

[Savoia]

SA341B G-HSDL (WA1227) as seen at ManBart in April 2023 (Photo by Danny Nixon)



SA341B XW846 (WA1009) as seen at RAF Shawbury on 27th April 2023 (Photo by Toms Aviation Photography)