Huey Argentinian owned British captured Inf. required

[LaurieS]

1 hour ago, Aeronut said:

Huey AE-409 is still at Middle Wallop and will be viewable again when the museum reopens in April. It’s changed it’s location in the museum and now sits with the ex Argentinian A109 (ZE410) suspended alongside.

The white paint was just household emulsion paint roughly applied and used again by the Army Air Corps to paint over the Argentina markings. The only AAC markings were the squadron number (656) painted in white on the black tail boom stripe.

Another large lot of info. Thanks very much Aeronut. Is that Aero Chocolate with nuts in it ? 😋

 

Laurie

[TimB]

The Puma was not a Super Puma but a SA330L.  It was eventually re-built as HC1 ZE449 for the RAF and was delivered to RAF Benson in, I think, 2001.  Due to its complete rebuild it was probably the best condition HC1 until the ex-South African ones arrived.  After an accident in 2009, it was not selected for conversion to HC2.

Regards,

Tim

[LaurieS]

19 minutes ago, TimB said:

The Puma was not a Super Puma but a SA330L.  It was eventually re-built as HC1 ZE449 for the RAF and was delivered to RAF Benson in, I think, 2001.  Due to its complete rebuild it was probably the best condition HC1 until the ex-South African ones arrived.  After an accident in 2009, it was not selected for conversion to HC2.

Regards,

Tim

Thanks Tim. Another piece of info slotted in.

Laurie

[tonywood]

The Puma is now an instructional airframe at Whittington Barracks outside Lichfield. 

[Radpoe Spitfire]

Huey AE 406 is now at SYAM at Doncaster.

[tonyot]

On 3/7/2019 at 12:57 AM, Paul Bradley said:

Here's AE-422 at Yeovilton in 1982:

 

 

And here's AE-406 at Fleetlands in 1983.

 

 

 

For your entertainment, here's the Argentine Navy Puma AE-12 at Portsmouth Navy Days, 1982:

 

 

and at Fleetlands, 1983:

 

 

And lastly, Argentine Army Chinook AE-520 at Portsmouth Navy Days 1982:

 

 

 

and Fleetlands 1983 - spot the difference......

 

 

 

I`m pretty sure that Chinook was at RAF Pitt`s Road, Aldershot in the late 80`s,..... we had one wearing Argentinian markings which was used for dry training prior to parachuting. Has it since been put into RAF service? I heard that the Puma was too?

 

Cheers

         Tony

[Pete in Lincs]

23 minutes ago, tonyot said:

I heard that the Puma was too?

Tony, Scroll up about five posts. @Tim B answered your question.

[dolphin38]

A not very good picture of AE-413 as G-HUEY taken at HMS Daedalus, Lee on the Solent

 

Bell UH-1H G-HUEY (AE-413) by Phillip Wilmshurst, on Flickr

[Sabrejet]

Further bit of info on the Puma: I saw it at Westlands, Weston circa 1986 and at the time it was supposedly going to be rebuilt as the PM's VIP helicopter. I recall it being referred to as 'Maggie's Taxi' or something similar.

[tonyot]

2 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Tony, Scroll up about five posts. @Tim B answered your question.

I did Pete cheers,..... but only afterwards! Put into service and now a training airframe.  

[Cyberduck]

One of the Hueys was at the IPMS Scale Model World a couple of years ago. There maybe pictures in the IPMS magazine or someone may have pictures taken during the event

[alt-92]

14 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

Further bit of info on the Puma: I saw it at Westlands, Weston circa 1986 and at the time it was supposedly going to be rebuilt as the PM's VIP helicopter.

Interesting use of a 'beuteflugzeug', tbh.. I have to wonder if that wasn't just a wind-up story

 

[kev67]

13 hours ago, Cyberduck said:

One of the Hueys was at the IPMS Scale Model World a couple of years ago. There maybe pictures in the IPMS magazine or someone may have pictures taken during the event

Can't recall the Huey at Telford but I might be wrong, there was a Lynx at the show in 2012 though

[Sydhuey]

Huey AE424

10/10/1978 delivered to Argentine Army.
23/04/82 transported to Falkland Islands by C-130.
06/1982 captured by British Forces.
06/1982 to 01/1986 used by Falkland Islands Government Air Services as VP-FBD.
17/01/1986 sold to and registered G-BMLA to Grampian Helicopters, UK.
09/1988 sold to B.H. Pacific Pty, Australia as VH-UHE.
27/07/1992 sold to PNGDF as P2-405.
01/2016 noted in external storage at Jackson's Field.

[Jabba]

17 hours ago, tonyot said:

 

I`m pretty sure that Chinook was at RAF Pitt`s Road, Aldershot in the late 80`s,..... we had one wearing Argentinian markings which was used for dry training prior to parachuting. Has it since been put into RAF service? I heard that the Puma was too?

 

Cheers

         Tony

 

The back end of the Argentine Chinook was grafted onto the rear of ZA704 after it had landed on its blades in Oman in 1999. Forgot to mention I was on this detachment.

 

Article about the damage here:- https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/07/a-tale-of-two-chinooks/

[Doc72]

Slightly off-topic: Can anyone tell me if there were any problems operating these captured helicopters due to the fact that the paperwork (logbooks and so on) were probably not captured? I suppose that for safe operations and maintenance you want to know how many hours the airframe and the engine have logged so far and when they have to be inspected or exchanged.

[tonyot]

7 hours ago, Jabba said:

 

The back end of the Argentine Chinook was grafted onto the rear of ZA704 after it had landed on its blades in Oman in 1999. Forgot to mention I was on this detachment.

 

Article about the damage here:- https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/07/a-tale-of-two-chinooks/

Nice one,... thanks Jabba,.... I did see your comment but wasn`t sure whether it was this same Chinook. I know it never went to Colchester when RAF Pitts Road in Aldershot closed down. Lat time I saw it was around 1989.

[Aeronut]

7 hours ago, Doc72 said:

Slightly off-topic: Can anyone tell me if there were any problems operating these captured helicopters due to the fact that the paperwork (logbooks and so on) were probably not captured? I suppose that for safe operations and maintenance you want to know how many hours the airframe and the engine have logged so far and when they have to be inspected or exchanged.

The Army Flying Museum have an on-line lecture you can watch, presented by members of 656 Sqn who went to the Falklands and flew AE-409, and yes, it as without paperwork or previous experience on the type.

Incidentally, just before Christmas last year the museum was visited by a retired senior Royal Marines officer and his friend who wanted to look at 'his' helicopter again. In conversation with them I said I'd always wondered about the white paint finish 409 has. His reply was "I can tell you the shop in Stanley where I bought the paint and brushes". 😮

[Whitewolf]

I believe AE-422 is still in the safe custody of the FAA Museum as part of its Falklands collection.

[spruecutter96]

10 hours ago, kev67 said:

Can't recall the Huey at Telford but I might be wrong, there was a Lynx at the show in 2012 though

The Huey and OH-6A "Loach" scout-helicopter were both on display inside the Telford halls around 2011 or so, IIRC. I remember chatting to the OH-6A pilot about her flying characteristics. For an airframe able to carry four people, she was tiny!

 

Chris. 

[Dave Fleming]

18 hours ago, Sydhuey said:

Huey AE424

10/10/1978 delivered to Argentine Army.
23/04/82 transported to Falkland Islands by C-130.
06/1982 captured by British Forces.
06/1982 to 01/1986 used by Falkland Islands Government Air Services as VP-FBD.
17/01/1986 sold to and registered G-BMLA to Grampian Helicopters, UK.
 

 

It was only flown for a very short time by FIGAS (possibly as few as two flights) before it was grounded, due to damage ot the skids and requiring an engine/gearbox overhaul. that was cancelled and it was originally proposed to be a museum aircraft before sale to Grampian

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Can’t speak for the UH-1s, but Fearless brought 2 x A109s home with us in the tank deck.  They were pretty much brand new when captured and had RM armed guards put on them overnight to prevent souvenir hunters.  They were then flown on board, cleared one flight only, by 846’s QHI, who was an ETPS graduate.  We then took the blades off and craned them down into the dock.

 

As far as I know at least one of them worked with the SAS for many years.  No idea where they are now.

 

[Sabrejet]

53 minutes ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Can’t speak for the UH-1s, but Fearless brought 2 x A109s home with us in the tank deck.  They were pretty much brand new when captured and had RM armed guards put on them overnight to prevent souvenir hunters.  They were then flown on board, cleared one flight only, but 846’s QHI, who was an ETPS graduate.  We then took the blades off and craned them down into the dock.

 

As far as I know at least one of them worked with the SAS for many years.  No idea where they are now.

 

 

I remember seeing one at Middle Wallop, later in the year, still in basic Argentine colours but wearing roundels and UK serial number. I later saw one of this pair (I assume) in very bland colours on an out-of-the-way pan at Lyneham.

[John_W]

My Brother was REME/AAC. He was out there just after the conflict and was part of the team that got the UH1s airworthy again.

[Dave Fleming]

18 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Can’t speak for the UH-1s, but Fearless brought 2 x A109s home with us in the tank deck.  They were pretty much brand new when captured and had RM armed guards put on them overnight to prevent souvenir hunters.  They were then flown on board, cleared one flight only, by 846’s QHI, who was an ETPS graduate.  We then took the blades off and craned them down into the dock.

 

As far as I know at least one of them worked with the SAS for many years.  No idea where they are now.

 

 

Nice pics!

Both used by the (cough) AAC for many years until about 2010 when replaced by Dauphins. AE-335 is now at Middle wallop in AAC colours, AE-331 at Yeovilton repainted into Argentine colours but  retains the British lumps and bumps that were added.

 

They also bought two new build examples, one of which is preserved on base at Credenhill and the other is at AST in Perth