Shrieking Gazelles

[Savoia]

Another stretched version from your list ..


SA341G Gazelle YU-HEY at Hillhead Quarry in Buxton, England on 20th June 2012

As far as I understand it, there seems to have been no special designation given to stretched models (such as SA341G 'S') for example?

One also notes that the 'Rising Sun style' tail-motif is popular on a number of Gazelles.

[Zishelix]

I didn't notice stretched Gazelles being marked (officialy) different than those "ordinary" ones.

You're right about "Rising Sun" tail-motif... and IMHO it looks quit good on it
However, my favour Gazelle c/s are those from the first civil machines, i.e. as on previously showed F-WTNA or "your" G-BCHM

[Zishelix]

... and of the modern paintworks I vote for monochrome with softly curved stripe which emphasize Gazelle's distinctive shape, like this one:


Gate Guardian at Thales Avionics, Valence-Chabeuil / Photo by Andy Davey, June 2009

[Savoia]

Certainly share your appreciation of the classic Gaz paint schemes!

Another one from your list ..


Moroccan Air Force SA342L(S) CN-AID as seen in Tangier on 1st October 2007

In my album I have begun adding an 'S' in brackets after the type designation (as above) for the stretched versions.

This example seen wearing high skids.

[Savoia]

And the new Gaz in Italy (which I mentioned on page 1) is ..


SA342J I-PTEC at Pavullo Airport (south of Modena) in Italy (With thanks to Damiano Gualdoni)

I-PTEC was formerly D-HOPP.

[Zishelix]

Great news! And a nice refurbishing job

Sadly, some Gazelles had no such luck upon "retirement" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9THcoOgSSzw (from 0:36 sec and onward... indeed, some people have a weird sense for humor)

[Savoia]

Sadly, some Gazelles had no such luck upon "retirement" ... indeed, some people have a weird sense for humor.

Oh no! Look what they've done to the poor Gaz!

D-HOPP


Polizei Niedersachsen SA342J D-HOPP (cn 1695) at Rasede Neusuedende Heliport on 30th November 1996 (Photo: Mark Diekmann)

[Zishelix]

I'm glad to see two of four fmr Oldenburg based birds are airworthy again. Ex D-HOPO is in USA as N342J and HOPP is this good looking "new" Italian Gazelle. Hopefully D-HOPN will also grace the sky soon again.

Sadly, ex D-HOPL ended up as SE-HUN 2007

[Savoia]

Sadly, ex D-HOPL ended up as SE-HUN 2007

Yes, this was very sad although, thankfully, there was no loss of life.

An excerpt from the Statens haverikommission (Swedish Accident Investigation Board) report, reads:

The helicopter concerned had been recently sold by a Swedish owner to an Italian company. On the day preceding the planned departure to Italy, the company's pilot wished to perform a brief flight to check that all systems functioned as intended. During this flight the helicopter crashed in a field after a engine failure. The helicopter became a total wreck and the pilot and passenger were slightly injured.


SE-HUN post crash

SE-HUN in better days ..


Broby Helikopter AB SA342J Gazelle at Skavsta Airport in Nyköping, Sweden, on 21st February 2003 (Photo: Tore Martinsson, via Lars E. Lundin courtesy of Nordic Rotors)


SE-HUN's interior

[Zishelix]

The cabin appears to be totally destroyed, so the fact the occupants escaped almost unhurt seems miraculous!

[Savoia]

The cabin appears to be totally destroyed, so the fact the occupants escaped almost unhurt seems miraculous!

Agreed. I would add though that there seems to be neither rhyme nor reason when it comes to the 'survivability' of accidents. Someone can perish in an accident where the is only superficial damage to the aircraft while another walks away with scratches from a smoldering wreck!


Army Air Corps SA341 AH1 Westland Gazelle XZ345 (cn WA1705) flying through Dunmail Raise, Cumbria on 25th April 2007 (Photo: Shaun Connor)

Our great thanks to Shaun Connor for his permission to post this wonderful shot of XZ345 on Aviafora!

In his notes Shaun has assigned this Gazelle to 3 Flight. However, I was under the impression that 3 Flight had been disbanded - a couple of times in fact!

What I have is:

• 1958 Formed in Debden, Essex from 1903 Flight RAF
• 1960 Relocated to Middle Wallop as a Strategic Reserve
• 1964-1965 Operations in Cyprus, Nicosia, for the UN with 3 Austers and 3 Scouts
• 1965 Relocated to Netheravon
• 1965 Operations in Northern Ireland (Short tour)
• 1965 Operations in Borneo with 656 Squadron operating 4 Scouts
• 1966 Relocated to Perham Down
• 1969 Disbanded when amalgamated with 5 Field Regiment RA Operations Flight and 15/19 Hussars Air Squadron to form 663 Squadron Army Air Corps
• 1976 Operations in Northern Ireland, County Omagh. Reformed when the 15/19 Hussars Air Sqn was renamed 3 Flight AAC Independent - operating 6 Gazelles
• 1979 Relocated to Topcliffe
• 1989 Joined 9 Regiment AAC
• 1991 Placed into suspended animation
• 1993 Reformed at RAF Turnhouse in Scotland
• 1996 Relocated to RAF Leuchars when RAF Turnhouse closed. Association with 7 Regiment AAC (V)
• 2009 (1st April) Disbanded at Netheravon, Wiltshire

But, my info may be incorrect.

[Zishelix]

Sorry, can't help about 3 Flight dilemma...

Instead, this Gazelle airframe was used during filming the Devil's Playground movie in 2010. Judging by some details (i.e. double nose antenna), I assume it was one of demobbed RAF machines... but have no clue which one





Any help to reveal ID of this Gazelle will be much appreciated!

[Savoia]

Sadly, there seems to be very little information about the aircraft used in that movie.

Re: ex-mil Gaz's, this (ex-UK model) has ended-up in Russia:


SA341B Westland Gazelle RA-05703 cn WA1524 (Photo: Aleksander Markin)

This was formerly XZ299 and which I think was part of 665 Squadron in Aldergrove, Northern Ireland.

Evidently she was bought by someone you know .. when she became G-CDXE, prior to being sold to Russia.

[Zishelix]

Indeed... regards to all "observers" of this thread

You're right, seems Gazelle living it's second youth in some exWarsaw Block countries

[Savoia]

Another pleasant ex-mil Gaz is G-DMSS (now G-ONNE) ..


SA341D Westland Gazelle HT3 (cn 1089) G-DMSS as seen at Breighton on 16th December 2006 (Photo: Dave Marshall)

Formerly XW858 of No.2 Flying Training School (RAF), AFAIK.

[Zishelix]

And before 2 FTS, XW858/C was with Central Flying School (at RAF Ternhill, I think) during 1970s & '80s.

[Savoia]

More Marines in Malta ..


Salerno Flight in Malta. Pictured: Barry Shepherd, Rodney Helme, John Menghini and Rob Wilsey. Photo c.1977


Salerno Flight posing with their Gazelles in Malta. Rodney Helme is out front with Steve Bidmead behind. Photo c.1977

More Flying Marines on page 2.

[Zishelix]

A dramatic photo of 16 Air Assault Brigade's AH1 over Mid East Ramallah oli fields in April 2003.



... pity the image is small

[Gary Gazelle]

I think it was XZ337 (1677) - this picture was on the cover of one of the UK broadsheets IIRC (Telegraph?) - 337 later had a nasty wirestrike.

[Savoia]

Nice shot!

Ramallah or Rumaila? AFAIK Ramallah is just north of Jerusalem!

Seeing as we are in the Middle East ..


Qatari Gazelle

If you can track down the ID that would be useful (I think the craft is wearing QA14) and am imaging that like most of the Mil Gaz's in hot climates .. that its a 342. Do you know how many Gaz's Qatar bought and under which force they are assigned (Army, Air Force etc.) am guessing (with the gun sight) that it is army?

[Zishelix]

Oops, my fault, it was Ramala west of Basra, Iraq http://www.standard.co.uk/news/stand...action=gallery

Qatar acquaired 12 SA.342L between 1983 and '85, for Emiry Air Force... but they also had two WA.341G obtained from Westland for their Police. One of them went to France during 1992 then UK, sadly ended as G-HAVA 1997.

The one on your photo is SN 2101.

[Savoia]

Oops, my fault, it was Ramala west of Basra, Iraq http://www.standard.co.uk/news/stand...action=gallery

Actually .. it is not your fault .. but that of the London Evening Standard!

In fact, over the past 20 years the decline in Britain's journalistic talent and what used to be it's grammatical prowess has been .. well, lets just say, disappointing.

AFAIK there is no "Ramala" oil field in Iraq but .. what's a substituted "u" and a missing "i" these days!

Thanks for the details on SN 2101. Does Qatar's Emiri Air Force still operate the Gaz?

[Savoia]

N341AS departing a car park in Belgium:

Also posted on Movements

[Zishelix]

... Does Qatar's Emiri Air Force still operate the Gaz?

I believe they do http://www.groupedci.com/en/event/DC...ters,2977.html

Nice video clip, btw

[Savoia]

Ah yes, Hélidax - a most capable outfit!

[xbdt]

Since last year, I'm a happy gazelle SA341G owner!

[Savoia]

Xbdt: Welcome aboard!

Would you mind sharing with us some of those things you like most about the Gazelle.

I would especially like to hear about its flying characteristics compared say against the JetRanger or Hughes 500.

[xbdt]

Well, what I like the most regarding the Gazelle is its tremendous amount of power! In fact, you'll never run out of power with this machine. It has been designed to carry 5 armed soldiers, lots of equipment and full fuel and still have 45% of reserve power.

Endurance is good, lots of luggage room, mine has SAS which is nice and rare on a civil machine. The maintenance is also very easy and all components are easily accessible. Example: it has been designed to exchange the engine in the middle of nowhere (with the portable crane) in less than 1 hour.

Regarding the flight characteristics, I'm not in the position to compare as I did not fly myself a JetRanger or Hughes500.
The JetRanger is underpowered at gross and it is a 2 blade teethering design with its limitations of course.

There are people doing loops with the Gazelle, so it is capable doing it. There are only flapping hinges on the Gazelle, the lead/lag is not articulated, but it is the composite blade who has this flexibility. So it is not fully articulated or not rigid like on the Bo-105. It is in between.

Again, I cannot compare with the 500. The Gazelle has much better flying characteristics than EC120 or 130 for example (according to friends who compared it). I think we might not compare a 3 blade rotor with any other 2 blade rotor. :-)

[Zishelix]

Welcome to the 'Gazelle Club' xbdt!

We are pleased to have a Gazelle owner join our conversation. We also have another Aviafora member who owns some Gazelles.

It would be nice to see some close-up photos of N341AS.

[xbdt]

Here is one for you:



I'll re-do the interior seats maybe by next winter. I was planning to re-paint it completely, but the paint scheme is not too bad.

[Savoia]

.. but the paint scheme is not too bad.

Zishelix (our resident Gazelle enthusiast) loves the classical paint schemes (such as on your Gaz!).

Am I right Zis?