Shrieking Gazelles

[Savoia]

RA-1691G as seen in the Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka Krai, Russia on 15th September 2023 (Photo by Nikita Zhuravlev)




SA341F2 F-AYPU (1690) as seen at Aéroport Albert-Picardie on 27th August 2023 (Photo by Cyril Penza)

[Zishelix]

Good to see some Gazelles in Russia are still airworthy, hopefully those in Ukraine will survive.

[Savoia]

Yes, this bird seems to have been in Eastern Russia for a while now.

Re: Ukrainian Gazelles, UR-ACCA, UR-RIV, UR-VDM, UR-VLAN and UR-ALMA are all showing as cancelled from the register while UR-MANN was apparently written-off and UR-ABBA is now HA-HCD. Are there any more that you know of which are resident in Ukraine?

[Zishelix]

I also have WA341D (#1272) UR-CSAG as one of Gazelles there.

[md600driver]

I also have WA341D (#1272) UR-CSAG as one of Gazelles there.

That was my first ever Gazelle, XX382.

[Savoia]

Bravo Stefano! 👍 This was a Central Flying School cab.

[Rotorspot]

UR-CSAG was cancelled several years ago. There are currently no active Gazelles on the Ukrainian aircraft register.

[Zishelix]

Thanks for info, Jos! I didn't know 'CSAG' being cancelled.

[Savoia]

SA341G ZU-RLU (1097) as seen at Durban Virginia Airport on 9th September 2023 (Photo by Alan Richert)




SA341F2 N918GZ (1672) as seen at Chino Airport in California




SA341H UP-SA001 (069) as seen in Kazakhstan
(Video by Alibek Tusupov)

[Zishelix]

Probably SA341F #1569 from ALAT Museum in Dax

[Fabrice]

This is correct Zis.

[Savoia]

SA341B G-UNNS (WA1284) as seen at Stapleford on 14th September 2023 (Photo by Amelia Brunt)

The her latest update Amelia says:

"I love flying helicopters and find it sublime and majestic being at one with these machines. The Gazelle has taken this to the next level and I am in love with it. It's an absolute pleasure to fly!"




SA341F2 N341GW (1541) as seen in Corona, California on 12th September 2023 (Photo by Dan Stijovich)

Avia member Patrick practising autos in California last week.

[Zishelix]

Any idea about ID of the Gazelle this cabin section belonged to?
https://www.sudouest.fr/charente-mar...n-10894140.php

[Zishelix]

Sometime answers pop-out at unexpected places Website of the Gazelle Flight Simulator trailer's producer.

https://www.remorque-33.com/accueil/...imulateur.html

The cabin belonged to SA342M 4065/GNR!

[Savoia]

Montenegrin Air Force Gazelle, NFI

Zis, do you have any info on this shot?




SA341F2 N341KJ (1483) as seen at Oshkosh on 28th July 2023 (Photo by George Pergaminelis)

[Zishelix]

I'd say Dirk Jan de Ridder's photo of 12631 taken in 2018.

[Savoia]

Grazie Zis! 👍

[Savoia]

Gazelle A-2305 as seen at Banja Luka Air Base on 7th September 2010 (Photo by Joop de Groot)

Zis, is this an SA341H or an SA342L and do you have the construction number also please?




Majorette mini-Gaz

Zis, did you know there was a Ewing Oil Gaz in Texas!

[Zishelix]

A-2305 is SA342L (HO-45) c/n 145.

Re Ewing Oil's Gazelle, I'm afraid it's like this one

[Savoia]

Ha ha, grazie Zis! 👍

[Zishelix]

I think we already mentioned this one but can't recall registration at the moment.

[Savoia]

Yes, she has appeared on the thread before Zis, but I also cannot recall her registration. I will trawl through some of my albums and see if I can find her.

[Savoia]

SA341G N6957 (1060) as seen at Jamestown Airport in New York State in August 1981




SA341G G-LOYD (1289) as seen at Derby Burnaston Airport in August 1989 (Photo by Steve Blood)

[Savoia]

SA342M OO-XDT (4103) as seen at Schaffen Air Base in Brabant, Belgium on 12th August 2023




SA341D ZB627 (WA1914) as seen at RAF Brize Norton on 5th June 1993

[Savoia]

SA341C G-CLGO (WA1750) as seen at RAF Brize Norton on 2nd September 2023 (Photo by Torfaen Corvine)




SA341D ZU-HGZ (WA1728) as seen in South Africa NFI

Zis, this is the bird you were asking about.




An update from Millie on her Gaz training




Simulated N341AS using a new 'super green' coal-based fuel

[Zishelix]

Zis, this is the bird you were asking about.

Yeah, that's the one I was looking for thanks!

[Zishelix]

SA342M F-MBLD (4192) as seen at Aerodrome Gap-Tallard (Photo: Lionel Bourdet)






SA342L LH 94306

[Fabrice]

BLD has been photographed in Gap-Tallard and not in Marseille, the picture dates back to 2008 or something like that, when a mutinational helicopter exercise was held there.

[Savoia]

Grazie Fabrizio!

[md600driver]

XZ322 Small Arms Fire

I was surveying an ex-UK military Gazelle today, XZ322, as it had some battle damage. I saw a hole and looked for the exit point on the other side but I could not see one. I saw damaged cables and I saw what looked like a small plug which I pulled out only to discover that it was a bullet.

Does anyone know where 322 may have got the bullet from?

[Zishelix]

Interesting finding. As far as I'm aware XZ322 spent it's service time in 670 Sqdn but have no info about her combat use.

https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Airfram...?Serial=162065

[Savoia]

Yes, an interesting discovery. It would also be interesting to discover the calibre of the bullet.

I suspect someone from the Army is going to have to answer the question as to how this damage was sustained.

[md600driver]

Yes, an interesting discovery. It would also be interesting to discover the calibre of the bullet.

I suspect someone from the Army is going to have to answer the question as to how this damage was sustained.

This wasn’t the only battle damage, there were larger holes up to 25mm but this was the only one that wasn't a straight through shot. The bullet was less than 8 mm diameter, I will measure it later.

[Savoia]

'𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 25𝒎𝒎 ..' 😲

[Savoia]

Serbian Air Force Gazelle as seen in Serbia in August 2023




SA342M F-MCYJ (4023) as seen at RAF Fairford in July 1994 (Photo by Peter Willsher)

[Savoia]

SA341G N505HA (1022) as seen at Zoersel Airfield in Belgium on 19tg August 2023




SA341B ZB679 (WA1982) as seen at RAF Wattisham on 24th August 2023 (Photo by Jack Austin)

[Savoia]

SA341G F-GETS (1019) as seen at Aéroport de Genève in October 1986 (Photo by Max Fankhauser)




SA341F F-MCWN as seen at Phalsbourg Air Base in June 1989 (Photo by Eric Bannwarth)

Fabrizio, the tail title on this Gaz defines it as an SA341F, is this in fact an 'F' or is it an 'F1' or an 'F2'. Also, do you happen to know the construction number of this aircraft?

[Fabrice]

All the Alat SA 341 have been delivered as 341F, and later on in the early eighties have been modified to the F2 standard with the upgraded fenestron and the Astazou IIIC2 upgrade (originally it was a IIIC). The MTOW was increased from 1800 to 1900 with the F2 standard.

[Savoia]

Grazie mille Fabrizio .. fantastico! 👍

[Savoia]

SA341F2 F-AYSA (1353) ex-F-MGHF as seen at Aérodrome Melun-Villaroche in Île-de-France on 11th September 2023


G-CBJZ


SA341D G-CBJZ (WA1734) as seen at Aéroport De Sion, in Valais, Switzerland on 1st September 2023 (Photo by Mauro Dessaules)

[Savoia]

SA341C G-CTFS (WA1081) as seen at Old Warden on 2nd July 2023 (Photo by Jacob Evans)




SA342M HA-HSG (3615) as seen at RAF Fairford in July 2023

Stefano e Michele at RIAT '23




SA341G N505HA (1022) as seen landing at Oostmalle Airfield
in Belgium on 20th August 2023




Montenegrin Air Force SA342 Being Donated to Slovenia

A former Montenegrin Air Force SA342L1 Gazelle 12943 (163) is to be donated by the government of Montenegro to the Museum of Military History in Pivka, Slovenia.



https://en.vijesti.me/news/society/6...useum-in-Pivka

[Savoia]

Prego Zis! If we could just find out what is happening to the remaining Montenegrin Gazelles, that would be good, perhaps Fabrizio knows?

Do you know how many Gazelles in total the Montenegrin Air Force had?

[Zishelix]

There is sentence in the article: 'This helicopter is one of a total of 13 Gazelles at the disposal of the Ministry of Defense of Montenegro, which are all grounded and not used for more than four years' but it's not quite true.

[Savoia]

Okay grazie, I wonder what the total number is and also where these Gazelles will be going. We did report some years back that these aircraft would soon be decommissioned.

[Zishelix]

SA341B ZA771 (WA1813) as seen at Jurby Airfield on the Isle of Man on 21st July 1992 (Photo: Philip Pain)






SA342M1 4039/CXF in 2005 (Photo: Mike Vallentin)

[Savoia]

SA342MV F-MGCJ (4179) as seen en route to the 2023 Tiger Meet in Italia on 29th September 2023




Gazelles from 3ème RHC en route to Tiger Meet 2023




Avia member Patrick with SA341F2 N341GW (1541) at Huntington Beach, California in September 2023

[Zishelix]

I'd say this year's award for the Tiger Gaz paint job 'smiling' again to Les Félins

http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...0866#post10866

[Savoia]

I think that blue scheme from 2019 was one of their best.

[Rotorspot]

HA-PJB Change of Registered Owner

HA-PJB SA341G(S), c/n 1392, recently changed ownership to Peter John Brown, Crawley (UK).

[Savoia]

Grazie Jos! 👍

I think this aircraft has been owned by Peter for sometime now. Perhaps it was registered to a company before?

[Zishelix]

Thanks, Jos!

http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=8143#post8143

[Zishelix]

Flashback Friday .. on Thursday!

WA341G c/n 1108 G-BBHU at Bournemouth Hurn Airport in August 1978

[Savoia]

Nice one Zis! 👍

Owned by Leonard Matchan who at the time also owned the island of Brecqhou in the Channel Islands, hence the emergency floats.

[Zishelix]

That explain the stamp

[Savoia]

Yes, he was known (IIRC) to have introduced stamps to Brechou, a tradition which I think the Barclay brothers continued when they bought the island.

[Savoia]

SA341B G-ZZEL (WA1152) as seen at Ha'penny Green Airport in Wolverhampton on 7th July 2023 (Photo by Mike Powell)




SA342MV F-MGCJ (4179) as seen at Aéroport Grenoble Alpes Isère on 29th September 2023 (Photo by Pierrick Gallotti)

[Zishelix]

A patch of 313 Scuderia dei Felini available as well



https://www.ebay.com/itm/30517726816...Bk9SR8z50vjfYg

[Savoia]

I may even get one of those seeing as they have titled themselves in Italian this year.

[Zishelix]

4179/GCJ over Italy in late September 2023.

Sav, any chance you recognize the town below? It doesn't look like Gioia del Colle.

[Savoia]

Yes, this is Castellaneta (the birth place of Rudolph Valentino) and which is just to the south of Gioia del Colle.

[Zishelix]

Thanks for info!

[Savoia]

SA342J D-HOPO (1708) as seen in Germany in June 1979 (Photo by Paul Bannwarth)